Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Bilibed

The saga continues...

Reminder: Saturday morning, we took Claire in for a checkup after her hospital visit. Her bilirubin level Saturday morning was 10!

Monday morning, I took Claire in for another checkup, and her bilirubin level was back UP to 16.8. The doctor ordered home phototherapy, so at least we are not at the hospital again! I am VERY thankful for that! The Bilibed arrived Monday afternoon around 5:00, and Claire has spent the majority of her time since then on the lights of the Bilibed. (At night, with the lights off, she's our little glow worm!)


The doctor thinks Claire might be experiencing breastmilk-induced jaundice, so she told me to breastfeed her and then supplement her with formula, too. The good thing about this is that she's starting to gain weight. The doctor has been concerned that she has continued to lose weight; (she got down to 8 pounds, 2 ounces). But Saturday she weighed 8 pounds, 2.5 ounces; Monday she weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces; and today she weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces. So that's good.

I took her in this morning for another blood test, (her poor little feet have been pricked so many times for blood!), and I just got word that her bilirubin level is down to 15.7. That's going in the right direction, so I'm glad! We'll go back to the doctor tomorrow morning for another level check. Hopefully she will continue to improve.

3 comments:

Patterson Fam said...

Hi Julia,

It's Anna! Remember Spencer and I from the Branch? I found your blog through Melodee. I totally feel your jaundice pain. All of my kids have had jaundice. My girls were worse than my son. It's awful. I think big babies get it worse. Both of my girls were over nine pounds (9.3 and 9.10) and my son was 8.8lbs. I also breastfed them all and the only thing I found that kicks it out of their system is formula. It's just so much denser (is that a word?). It was discouraging for me too both times because I am such a strict breastfeed only mommy. But it works and then they feed like champs. Just keep pumping until she gets back on track. Then you can use that pumped breastmilk to mix in with cereal when she starts it which will help entice her to eat it. Congratulations to you and Jordan. She is beautiful! Sorry this is the world's longest comment.

Anna

Laura Elizabeth said...

Oh, the bilibed!! How is she? I'm glad that y'all are at home, and that she is getting better again!

Love you guys!!

Mel said...

How is she doing?