24-hours after she was born the hospital started running tests because she was starting to look Jaundicey. Her bloodwork came back as 6.4 mg/dl (average full-term newborn will have a peak level of 6mg/dl on the third or fourth day of life. Levels usually go down to about 2 to 3mg/dl by the end of the first week), which is a little high but nothing to be worried about.
When we checked out of the hospital 48 hours after her birth, she was up to 11.3, which was continuing to escalate high enough that the Pediatrician wanted us to come back to the hospital the next day for a follow-up blood test. Saturday her bloodwork increased to 15.7, and we went back to the hospital again on Sunday for follow-up bloodwork.
Chris and I waited for the bloodwork to be processed and the Pediatrician called us to say that it had risen to 20.3 and that we would have to admit our baby into the hospital since the levels were increasing to dangerous levels (when the levels get to be over 25 there becomes risk of cerebral palsy and brain damage).
Chloe was such a trooper throughout the whole ordeal. The only time she fussed was when her diaper was changed and her clothes taken off. Never mind that she has had about 12 heel pricks (I don’t mind one or two times of this but to have her heel pricked and her tiny foot forcibly squeezed until enough blood comes out to fill a small vial is really so heart wrenching), and it took the nurses 5 tries to find a vein to place her IV catheter in (in the end, they had to put one in a vein in her head). Unbelievably she did not cry; and even slept during most of this ordeal.
Chris went home to try to get Marshall’s routine back to normal, while Chloe and I got a room to ourselves and she was put into an incubator for phototherapy. The doctor told me to not breastfeed her and to give her formula only until her levels started to decrease. Luckily throughout the day she did a lot of pooping (I think I changed 12 diapers) and by evening her levels came down to 14. We were finally able to go home at 8:00pm on Monday night with an 11.7 after I talked the Pediatrician into letting us continue treatment at home using a Bili-Blanket.
The little girl is still a little yellow, but she seems to be getting better. Luckily the ordeal didn’t affect my milk supply (the hospital’s internet access was down so I had nothing else to do other than pump and watch TV). In fact I think this whole ordeal made her prefer the breast and breastmilk over formula and her pacifier.
1 comments:
Jeez - those pacifiers are huge on her - it looks like they are eating her tiny face!!! I'm glad she's better. The twins had to have one of those light beds at home for a week, so I know how you feel. The heel pricks are pitiful. Good thing she'll never remember it! We love you and can't wait to see your WHOLE family!
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