Keeping up with the Kompagnes

What a week! Sorry I have not been able to update the blog but we have had a long week. First of all...

Charlotte Knox Kompagne was born Friday, March 6, 2009 at 4:43pm and weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. We were scheduled for an induction at 9:00am. They gave me cytotech at about 9:40 and that was enough to make contractions more regular and stronger. By 12:00 the doctor came in and said I was making progress and quickly broke my water. I was surprised this was done so quick. Then he had a surgery to complete and they said hopefully he will be done by the time the baby wants to be born! This doctor also does his own epidurals so that was something to consider as well... I knew I probably wanted one but I wasn't feeling anything painful so I didn't want it yet. The nurse said they had to pump IV fluid in for about an hour before the epidural could get hooked up so I had to keep that in mind. So around 2:30 it started getting more painful so I didn't want to wait TOO long to request the epidural since it would be over an hour before they could probably place it. I wasn't very worried about getting one since I had one with Luke and I didn't remember it hurting. When I was checked I was only 2cm so that was disappointing but the baby had moved down some so they said that was at least good. So around 3:00 or 3:30 an anesthesiologist with a thick polish/ukranian/ russian? accent came in (the doctor was still in surgery). I had a hard time understanding what he was saying and whether he was telling me to do something or asking me a question! He took one look at my back and said I had scoliosis and that may cause a problem getting the epidural in and working. With Luke by the time I got the epidural I was out of it and with this delivery going a lot faster and requesting no loopy drugs before the epidural I was much more aware of what was going on. And that sucker hurt! I couldn't tell what was supposed to be happening and what was supposed to be hurting and I felt like it was hard to hold still through the contractions and then the little strange pricks and stings and sensations going on from what the anesthesiologist was doing. It took longer to do because of the scoliosis... I started crying because I was freaked out by that hurting so bad and not expecting it to. I started thinking about Luke and worrying about if something happened to me so then I was a hot mess to say the least! My blood pressure got very high during this time and once it was 151/133 which could be why I was feeling really overwhelmed and emotional...?? I dont know! But then of course they waited 5, 10, 15 minutes and the epidural only made my right leg numb... no pain relief. So the anesthiologist was very discouraging and said he would try to give me a booster of medicine and if that didn't work they would call him back and have to try it again. Again, freaked me out thinking of having to go through that. I thought maybe I shouldn't get one then, but they checked me and I was still 2 cms!! So of course the booster didn't work so he came back and tried it again. The second time was faster and didn't hurt as much but I was scared and tried my best not to anticipate what I would feel because then I thought I would move and do damage or something. Anyways, second time worked and helped with the pain. That also helped me relax and by 4:00 I was 9 cms and they called the doctor and said I could start pushing. By 4:15 they made it sound like I was doing so good pushing and the baby was moving each time and JW and I were like Wow this is going really fast! (With Luke it was 6pm for induction and 2 and a half hours of pushing- used forceps to get him out since his head was turned face up and was stuck and then he was born at 6:30am). So I am assuming everything is in the right position and she is doing well! Then we pushed some more and they decided she stopped moving... was stuck behind the pubic bone- suspected face up (I was like NOT AGAIN!!!) and I heard the doctor ask for forceps (double Not AGAIN!!!)... I was so bummed. So they turned her to get over the bone and I heard them all yell "yep! O.P!" which meant she was facing the wrong way. Apparently something in my anatomy makes that more likely to happen. Which once they told me that I seriously had the thought that maybe I will look into adoption next time! Luckily, Charlotte was not as bruised or beat up looking as Luke was. Her Apgar scores were 9/10 whereas his were 6/10 for health after birth. She made little "eh-eh-eh" whining sounds and definately sounded more girly right away!
So that is the long and short of her delivery. I have a few more posts to make on Daddy's surgery and our drama since coming home but I will try to add that later (I have to go give JW a sponge bath... seriously..) Here are some pics!