Some of you know that Sadie had HIGH levels of jaundice shortly after birth. She didn't show any signs of any problems until she was 2 days old, which is usually when jaundice shows up. The day we were to leave the hospital she was tested to see where her jaundice levels were at (which is a routine and normal test that all babies receive) the lower the levels the better. Sadie's results came back higher than normal, but nothing alarming, her Doc just ordered her to come back in 2 days for more blood work to see where her levels were at.
Friday we went in for the blood work. We got her blood drawn at 9am got home at 9:30am and by 9:45am the Doctor had called notifying us that her levels of jaundice had got up significantly. I being a first time mom freaked out a bit worrying about our poor new baby. That is normal right?
The Doc told me that he was going to have the hospital call me to deliver a billibed and billiblanket, and they would explain how to use it, and we would go in for blood work a few days later to see how Sadie's levels were. They told me that Sadie would need to be on the bed as much as possible throughout the day and night for about a week. I couldn't just hold my new baby whenever I wanted =( But I knew it was best for her to spend as much time a possible on the bed.
At 10am the hospital called and said they were on the way out to deliver the bed, and by 1pm she was on the bed. I couldn't believe how fast they got her treatment! I think that their fast reaction was what scared me the most.
Here is a picture of Sadie on the bed, it is like a tanning bed with a light on the bottom and then a "blanket" that goes on top of her. The lights help her fight off the billirubin (stuff that causes jaundice).
On Monday we had to go again to the hospital for more testing on Sadie's blood, her skin had already showed signs that the jaundice was getting better so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. I talked to the nurse on Monday and she said that the jaundice had improved drastically. Her levels had dropped almost in half. She no longer had to be on the bed!!! YEAH! I could finally dress her up in cute clothes and hold her whenever I wanted!
Thanks for everyones calls of concern, thoughts and prayers! Sadie is much better!
Some of you were asking what jaundice was and what causes it, here is a link that might help you better understand, I know that it helped me! Jaundice
Glad to hear all went well with the blood work.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think as moms we tend to freak out, so don't even worry about it. I did it with Gabe when we found out he had jaundice. He had the bed but it was like a suitcase with lights on the bottom and the top. Very weird.
Anyway, again, I'm glad that all is well and now you can dress Sadie in cute clothes...which you will have to take pictures for us to see. :)