Membranes were stripped ahead of time to induce for each kid. For #4 the doctor stripped them twice, which I did not even know would be necessary.
For births 1, 2, and 3, my water was broken by the doctor. For #4, it spontaneously broke at home.
DH was present at each one. We never allowed any additional visitors.
Births 1, 3, and 4 were quick active labors. #2 was back labor and that kid did was dug in, so the final stages of labor were not fun. They gave me some medication on the cervix to speed the ripening process but apparently I was pretty sensitive to it. They wouldn’t put the epidural in until I was at 10cm, saying “at the rate you’re going, it may slow you down.” So I got it at 10, they said “we estimate you’ll deliver in the next 4 hours.” He was born 45 minutes later. Then the epidural kicked in.
I actually got to full 100% of the ring of fire on the 3rd and 4th births. It was such a high. The feeling is indescribable - it’s not exactly a burn like I thought - and with all that “I am woman! Hear me roar!“ and “Let’s get this kid out now,” the emotional/physical feelings were at such an overwhelming point right then that it did resemble a very powerful orgasm, sensation-wise.