Jaundice hospital stay

KimC2010

Hello. I'm staying the night in the hospital with my little Zoey because we went to her pediatrician this afternoon and after a lab was found to have a bilirubin of 19.5. She'll be spending a night under the bili-light. This really explains why she's been so sleepy all the time. I have had to really work to keep her awake during feedings especially during the day. I'm hoping it will just be one night, but it could be two. We have a lab draw in about 30 minutes to see if 4 hours has improved her any. I hate that I can't really hold her much outside of feedings. And of course, my milk has come on and there's not much I can do for the engorgement since I can't really do warm compresses and ice packs. I really hope to go home tomorrow.

ChrissyD1203

Good luck to you and Zoey! I hope you go home tomorrow!

Achae

KimC2010 said:

Hello. I'm staying the night in the hospital with my little Zoey because we went to her pediatrician this afternoon and after a lab was found to have a bilirubin of 19.5. She'll be spending a night under the bili-light. This really explains why she's been so sleepy all the time. I have had to really work to keep her awake during feedings especially during the day. I'm hoping it will just be one night, but it could be two. We have a lab draw in about 30 minutes to see if 4 hours has improved her any. I hate that I can't really hold her much outside of feedings. And of course, my milk has come on and there's not much I can do for the engorgement since I can't really do warm compresses and ice packs. I really hope to go home tomorrow.

Did they offer you the option to take her home with a billy blanket? We had to use that for a week with our daughter and take daily trips to the hospital for the blood draw. Back and forth sucked but at least we got to have her at home!

kmo8986

That stinks, sorry. Ask the nurses for warm compresses and ice packs. I am sure they will help you.

MrsB915

Sorry to hear that. My oldest son was jaundiced and had to be under the bili lights for several weeks and, like you I hated not being able to hold him. While in the hospital I filled surgical gloves with hot water for warm compresses. It really helped and there's no shortage of gloves in the hospital. You can also pump while in the hospital, most will ley tou rent a pump if your baby is a patient. You can work on a freezer stash.

Good luck, I hope her stay is short.

KimC2010

After 4 hours her number came down four points so hopefully only an overnight stay. They wanted her under observation with the bililight and more frequent blood draw. Because I'm so swollen I'm just having to bottle feed her what I'm pumping. I'm expressing 2oz in 5 minutes between the two so that's all she really needs. Her oxometer (sp?) keeps going off because she's pissy she has to stay still at night, her mask bothers her, and her paci keeps falling out. This is going to be a long night.

MississippiCatfish

kmo8986 said:

That stinks, sorry. Ask the nurses for warm compresses and ice packs. I am sure they will help you.

This. So sorry you're going through this. I have no doubt the nurses can help you with heat/ice.

teachmegs817

KimC2010 said:

After 4 hours her number came down four points so hopefully only an overnight stay. They wanted her under observation with the bililight and more frequent blood draw. Because I'm so swollen I'm just having to bottle feed her what I'm pumping. I'm expressing 2oz in 5 minutes between the two so that's all she really needs. Her oxometer (sp?) keeps going off because she's pissy she has to stay still at night, her mask bothers her, and her paci keeps falling out. This is going to be a long night.

My LO spent a night under the lights while in NICU.  He HATED the little mask.  They put it on first with the little velcro sticky disks and he kept pulling it off, so he had to go with the around the head one. =P Hoping your LO keeps doing well and you get to go home soon.