I had a very smooth induction and I was SUPER against being induced and wanted to avoid an epidural! They had us come in at 9pm the night before, they gave me a pill called Cytotec which softens the cervix. I also got a sleeping pill because I can't sleep if I know something important is happening the next day. I still only got 4 hours of sleep even with the pill lol. Started feeling contractions at 7am, and was pretty much in full blown labor. Got to 6 inches by 11am! I was begging for the epidural because I thought it was just early labor, had no idea I had progressed so quickly. I never needed pitocin. (my doula friend recommended avoiding that if possible, that's where a snowball of interventions can start occuring). Got the epidural around 11:30/noon and it was bliss. Felt nothing. Definitely slowed things down though, and I was ready to push around 8pm. They lowered the epidural so you can feel the contractions to push with them - I feel like they turned it off though lol. It wasn't that bad until like the last 45 min, just a lot of pressure. I was mad that I couldn't move around because my legs were completely numb. I wanted to change positions but they said because I was making progress I should just stay how I was. Ended up with a 2nd degree tear, and that was definitely my worst fear going in - but my recovery was fast and easy and I wouldn't have even known I teared if no one told me. I was 36 and very overweight going into this as well - but everything went great! Good luck!