Bili Baby Update #4

12/31/08

Baby C is doing great now at home. We went to the pediatrician for a checkup (combo follow up with the Jaundice as well as a 2 week check up just a few days early) today.

He's gained weight well even with the slight drop at the time of hospital admission - his weight was 8 lbs 2 oz already! He's already growing out from being my "tiny" baby!!!!

*** oh gotta go quick, he is waking up ***

Anyway - things look good for now, but we have to monitor him closely for any long term affects... otherwise he's doing great!

Bili Baby Update #2

12/29 Midnight

BIG UPDATE!!!! - the test run from the blood draw at 11pm came back with a level of 13.8 so we are JUST below the magic number of 14 -

They however have now allowed us to turn off the lights, we took off his "sunglasses" and wrapped him up in a blankie and now he's snuggled up into my chest. He's still got his IV of course so this is "interesting" for holding....

But also more great news - I've been cleared to go ahead and return to nursing him as well! HOORAY! Course he just had a bottle and I just pumped so we'll just start with the next time he awakes hungry and go from there - I want to let him snuggle a bit first LOL!

Please keep the prayers coming though - we need him to keep going down on his numbers so we can GET OUTTA HERE!!!!!!

Bili Baby Update

Hey guys -

12/28 5pm Update: The 4pm test results just came back to us - his level came back @ 15.4

So now we wait with both bili lights again for another 6 hours, they will retest again then (approx 10pm) and if we are @ 14 or less they'll take the lights off and then we sit for another 6 hours and do another retest to make sure he's not going back up again.

Not the best news, but I suppose not the worst news either - please keep the prayers coming - and please keep prayers for my milk too - due to not nursing (i'm trying to pump) I've lost alot of milk already and my last pump session was only able to nab 1.5 ounces TOTAL from both breasts with a pump time of almost an hour and a half between the two!!!!! I'm very upset about this as it is so important to me to breastfeed.

Bili Baby.....

It all started yesterday.... well really it all started a few days ago..... but two days ago to be exact myself and some of my family all noticed that Carson was looking quite yellow.... then yesterday when we woke up I felt like he was even more so than previous day. After a few hours of mulling it over we made the decision to call the pediatrician on call for our pedi office (since it was a Saturday we'd get whomever was on call). After talking with the doctor on call it was agreed that best to go ahead and have him tested - namely his bilirubin level. So I packed him into his car seat and drove him to the hospital where we delivered and zipped through Labor & Delivery to pick up a lab slip, then over to the lab of the hospital for the blood draw. After that traumatic experience (it was a new lab person) we went ahead home to wait for the results rather than hang out in the hospital and risk catching "something".

About an hour and a half later the pedi on call gives us a ring and lets me know his levels were WAY high (24.9) and that they wanted to admit him to the other local hospital that has the huge childrens unit. They told me to pack a bag and come on in that the doctors would be expecting us.
He was admitted yesterday afternoon around 5pm and they went over the different scenarios of the jaundice and then the treatments that could happen. They chose to start with the billi bed and then after another test they decided to add the overhead lighting as well (so he's baking from top and bottom).
The first test from this hospital came back with a level of 27.2. They chose to do another STAT draw and see what that was - leaving us with the extreme possibility of having to do a blood exchange transfusion. the second test from this hospital (his third test in less than 12 hours) came back at 21 -
They did place in an IV (into his arm after attempting both feet and hands) and have been giving him fluids and they've requested I not breastfeed, but instead I was allowed to supplement in formula if I'd like. Fortunately I'd thought to bring my pump with me last night so I've been trying to keep up with a pumping schedule so that once we are done here we can hopefully hop right back to nursing without any major hiccups.

We had a long night - I didn't go to sleep until about 4 this morning and I was up at about quarter till 6 when the nurse was in checking on his vitals and IV line and then let me know they'd be doing a blood draw at 6.

At 6:30 the nurse came in to do the draw b/c noone from the lab had come up yet - and I JUST got those results back - GREAT news - he's at 17.5 now!!!! The nurse said it's possible the doctor will choose to turn off at least one of the lights and then we'll see what happens.

We are here until at least this evening though for sure, once they get his levels where they want to remove both lights, then we have to sit for 6 hours and then another blood draw and check levels then to determine if/when we can go home.

If you are the praying kind, my little man sure could use some help from you!

I'm happy that it seems we've gotten out of the woods of the blood exchange transfusion, however of course I won't be totally content until we are discharged and back at home being a happy family all together again. I hate being away from the other kids, plus we had out of town family arrive into town last night (Chads mom, stepdad and aunt) and I hate that I can't be there to visit, but I will NOT leave my little man, and I hate that they can't visit with him without having to come to the hospital (and even then they can't hold him right now since we've gotta stay under the lights). I'm hoping they'll come in and take him off one or BOTH the lights so I can snuggle up with him........

I'll update more when there is an update to be had......