January 18, 2009

• quick update, in reverse

  Lydia was released from the hospital on Saturday the 17th of January, we brought her home.  Content to have our family reunited.  We had no problems the first several hours.  I was keeping track of wet/soiled diapers, how long she nursed, how long I attempted to nurse.  I began to get very concerned when she refused my breast for the 4th time.  We even offered her formula (we had a sample of enfamil lipil in the diaper bag from the hospital, I really want to breastfeed, but she NEEDED to eat) No wet/poopy diapers in over 5 hours.  She seemed listless, like she was when they took her from me in the Hospital.  These are all signs of the jaundice mind you, so I was scared that her bilirubin levels had increased.

  I called the pediatrician on call (who had just released her that morning).  He said if she seemed lethargic, I needed to take her to the hospital.  We got there about 11:00 PM they checked her blood sugar with a heel stick (her third in 2 days) it was 53, the nurse said that sounded low, she called a pediatric nurse who said anything over 40 for a newborn was okay) she came back in and gave us a 2 oz bottle of pedialite.  Our little bulldog sucked that down in no time flat, spit some up, and was ready to rumble.  Not 5 minutes later, she soiled a diaper.  The nurse came back with more pedialite and said the Dr wanted her to drink more, until she peed, we told her Lydia had taken care of that.  The doctor wanted another heel stick to check her sugar again, it was 72.

  They released us, we came home, she kept screaming, kept refusing my breast, but her little tummy is so small, how much more could fit after that pedialite, then she got the hiccups, her whole body shook, it broke my heart.  Her cries were sobs she kept refusing the breast and bottle.  I put her in the bouncy seat, she kept crying.  She kept sucking my finger, but wouldn't suck anything else.  Finally about 5:30 AM, I got her to take some formula, and I set her on my chest and put back the recliner.  We slept like that until  nearly 10:00.  Had a dirty diaper, she then downed 2 oz of formula, and my parents came over to say goodbye.  That was sad.  They'll be back soon enough I know!

  We went back to sleep, me on the recliner, her in the bassinet nearby.  Slept til almost 1, woke up had another almost 2 oz of formula and a dirty diaper.  She is sleeping soundly now, I am going to try breastfeeding for her next feeding, but I KNOW she needs her energy.  She's next to me in the bassinet now.  I have to take her to the pediatrician tomorrow for a weight check.  I have to go to the OB to have my JP drain removed, and I plan to call the lactation consultant.

  It has been exhausting.  But I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world.

  • 3:17 pm
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