Gradys Story

The morning of Sept 11th I woke up at about 8:10 and realized the two contractions I had in my dream were real, so I immediately started timing them. After about three to four contractions I told Dusty to call my mom. He was so excited and started getting ready and packing the car while I laid in bed timing them. Well the contractions were all 2-3.5 min apart so I decided to get up and get ready to go. Dusty thought I was silly for taking the time to get ready, boy do I wish I listened to him. Once I was ready we called again and she was still about ten min away. That's when I said I can not wait. So our landlords watched the girls until mom arrived while we headed to the hospital. In the car the contractions were slowly intensifying.

About to head to the hospital. 38 weeks and 6 days

At the hospital we made it to the Labor and delivery floor doors at about 9:10, Dusty picked up the phone to ask them to let us in and they wanted to talk to me. I was asked if I was in labor and if I had any covid symptoms, she asked me to wait while they found me a room. I sat down right as another contraction started and I new it was different and even said "why does that feel different" to Dusty, then I felt a POP and a small gush. That's when the door finally opened and I told the lady my water just broke.

She took us to the nearest room and we sat down as she got out a gown and told me to get undressed, well I was having another contractions so I just sat there and started to complain loudly about the pain (moaning, grunting sounds). The lady with an urgency in her voice said to me "Take off your pants". I quickly threw off my pants and climbed into that bed. She checked me and said I was a 4-5 cm. We also noticed meconium in my water. She then asked Dusty to help take off my top while I was having another contraction.

Well every contraction following was CRAZY PAINFUL and I was starting to scream more and more through each one!!! I never thought I'd be a screamer, I was confused at why it was hurting so much this time. I wanted a natural birth this time but the pain was so crazy that I asked to have the epidural asap. The lady quickly put an IV in my arm and was calling lots of people on her walkie talkie thing, telling the doctor to come, and other people who were needed to hurry. During one of my contractions she even said I could take my mask off, Man I ripped that sucker off so fast!

Screaming in pain.

I got checked again and was 7CM. About 30 min after arriving, the Anesthesiologist walked in and it was a relief to see him!! Dusty held my shoulders as I was getting the epidural and my screaming changed to BLOODY MURDER SCREAMING and a bunch of saying sh*t. Dusty holding my shoulders and the calm voice of the anesthesiologist was the only reassurance I got. The pain kept growing and growing, I remember grabbing a handful of Dusty's shirt and screaming at the top of my lungs! At one point I felt the need to PUSH while I was sitting there with a needle in my back and I screamed "Why do I feel like pushing?!" well no one answered that question but I just allowed myself to push a bit because it was the only thing that felt somewhat better. 

Finally I was told that he was almost done and at that point I was begging him to let me lay down " I wanna lay down, just let me lay down, please let me lay down" He said if I laid down he would have to start over and that gave me the determination to just hang on!!

I apologized so many times to everyone for screaming!! I felt so bad for yelling and screaming and still do. Well after the epidural was placed I got checked again and was already at 10CM! I was shocked to find out that I was in transition the whole time while having a huge needle in my back! I am so great full for this Anesthesiologist, he was so calm and Dusty says he was very steady, it was also the best epidural I've ever had, I was numb but still had complete control of my legs and could feel the pressure of the contractions but not the pain. 

 

It was just after ten when the epidural was placed and Dr Chavez walked in and greeted us (my doctor was not working that day) The lady who was with us that whole time told him to go get a drink and then return, while we did some practice pushes. He left and returned not long later and sat at the end of the bed while we did some pushes, I could tell he was holding my perinium which in the end helped me to not tear. Dusty and I loved Dr Chavez so much, he was a neat doctor and fun to talk to. Half way through practice pushes the lady that was with us the whole time introduced us to another lady who stayed with us through the rest of the Labor and she was really great at coaching me, we also really liked her. Well the bed was taken apart and I pushed a couple of times and our son was born!!!

Grady Brian Barnes was born at 11:14 and was bigger than we all expected, 8lbs 11oz and 21inches 

The nurses were asking where was I hiding him. haha. 

He was put on my tummy and was not breathing and not pinking up, so he was taken across the room, shortly after that a code was called and tons of people started rushing in and surrounding our son. They got him breathing and then he had to warm up because his temperature was really low. 

We finally got to hold him and do skin to skin. 

In the recovery room we enjoyed soaking him all in! He got to have a bath and was loving the warm water, it was so cute. then he was so mad when he got our of the bath. That night our city was doing a firework show in three places for 9/11 and we were able to sit with our new son by the window in our room and watch the show. 

The next day I was dressing him and putting his left arm through his shirt when I heard a pop sound come from his right arm/ shoulder and he was crying. I told my nurse about it and asked her to have it checked. Well she checked it and said he was fine. (we would later find out at his doctor appointment that he had a broken clavicle from being born.) We were instructed to set up a doctor appointment for Monday to have his bilirubin checked again because it was slightly elevated. 

           Heading home and Bruised Ear lobe

                                                                                                         

When we brought him home the girls were so excited to meet him and hold him!

We love our Grady Baby very much, It was a crazy fast labor and delivery and very painful, and the first three weeks of his life have also been one of the hardest because of his broken clavicle and navigating life with three kids but we wouldn't change it for anything!

  

         

Grandma showing how he fit inside mommy. (I swear she does this with every grandbaby )