Five day update

I planned for my next post to be the "he said, she said, they said" accounting of Olivia's labor and delivery featuring Nicholas, me, and Stephanie. But, it is taking me a while to find the time to write down the account. So, for now, an update.

Olivia was born a good eater. I breastfed her on demand until she was about 48 hours old. Everything seemed to be going well until Sunday night when all of a sudden she was lethargic and I could not wake her to feed. They made me send her to the nursery where they discovered that her bilirubin levels were high. She had jaundice. They started photo-therapy right away, made me supplement with formula, and started me with a pump. I was extremely scared and I cried a lot. Nicholas held it together for us. Even though she was in the nursery, I made sure to be there at every feeding--giving her the bottle myself and giving her any breastmilk I was able to pump.

On Monday there was a question about whether or not she would be able to go home with us. My insurance wouldn't allow me to stay past Monday night, but Olivia's pediatrician thought she might need to stay longer for more phototherapy. Olivia's bilirubin at midnight Sunday night/Monday morning was 12. They did it again at 6 am and it was 11.3. They did it again at 4:30 pm, and it was 8, which they felt was good enough for us to go home. (Note that during this time, too, she went from 8 lbs 9 ounces to 8 lbs even. This weight loss was not alarming as babies lose weight at first, but it wasn't helping the bilirubin levels. Also note that jaundice is common as a baby is born with an immature liver and cannot break down bilirubin well.)

Stephanie and Mom made it in on Friday night, but Mom had come down with something. She never held Olivia, and because I was so nervous, I asked that she go ahead back to Indiana with Stephanie on Monday so that there was no risk of Olivia getting anything. So, Mom and Steph bleached the house (after having cleaned the house, washed the windows inside and out, dusted blinds, weeded my garden...) and left on Monday. Nicholas and I made it home on Monday around 7 pm.

I continued to be nervous through today since the lactation consultant made it clear to me that Olivia needed to be getting 2 ounces of breastmilk plus formula at every feeding. The problem is that bilirubin acts as a doping drug, and it was hard sometimes to get her to take that much. We worked and worked at it. Nicholas was great.

Our efforts paid off. Today, at the weight/bilirubin check, she had gained back 6.4 ounces and her bilirubin, which spikes on the fifth day, was only 9.5, which is well below the 20 that would have caused warning bells. My milk is coming in now, too, so I have instructions to continue pumping until Saturday and then to go exclusively to the breast. I am so thankful, and I feel so much better about everything!

Olivia continues to awe us. She has the sweetest little noises. She is alert for hours sometimes, but doesn't cry much. She downs breastmilk like there is no tomorrow and kind of turns her nose up at the formula. However, today I was able to get 3 ounces of milk (mine and formula) into her at the last three feedings! I'm so proud of her!



The picture above is us in the indirect sunlight, which is also supposed to help the jaundice. We've been doing this for a couple of hours each day.





Thanks to everyone for all the gifts! Lisa send a "baby bunch", Wilson and his family sent delicious chocolate covered strawberries and a birthday cake cookie for Olivia, Donna send a beautiful arrangement, Janice sent an arrangement, clothes, and bath stuff, Dad sent a pink and white arrangement, Mom and Steph brought pink tulips, onsies, and books, Rachel and Lance brought chocolate and a onsie that says "I still live with my parents", and Julie brought pink tulips and a balloon. I am forgetting people, but don't think that I am not grateful. I am. We are.