Newborn jaundice - anyone else?

Karenpreggo

Looking for other mamas out there dealing with this - did a search and didn't see anything recent.

LO was born 2 weeks early and had a severe cephalohematoma from birth trauma.  The docs warned me that he had a high liklihood of developing jaundice.  I thought I had stayed ahead of it - he's eating REALLY well, has a strong latch and feeds every 2 hrs like clockwork. Sleeps a lot but is easy to rouse and very aware and interactive when awake.  Well today (3 days old), his eyes are starting to yellow.  I feel totally heartbroken - like its my fault somehow.  Like I could have fed him more or not crushed his poor little head at birth. My milk hasnt come in yet (day 3) so that adds to my guilt.   First doctor's appointment tomorrow but in the meantime, is anybody else out there dealing with jaundice? Did you have to switch to formula feeding? Im reading sometimes they do that :-(

lionstigersbears

I'm sorry! This is not you fault! I've heard mild cases are often handled through napping in a sunny window, so I'm sure not all cases require formula supplementation. Keep doing what you're doing and I hope others have more direct experiences to share for encouragement!

mmemartinez

My son had it. We sat him near the window to get some sun and had to take him in every day for bilirubin readings. We did supplement with formula - I forget now all the technical things but basically what you want to get out of their system gets out faster when they have some formula. I still breastfed and then pumped when we would give the formula. Once he was fine it was no problem to keep nursing. Don't feel bad - it happens a lot! We didn't have to use the blanket or anything but it was definitely frustrating to go in every day and see he still was not in the clear.

mcb2016

My son spent the night in the nicu for blood sugar issues. The nurse mentioned his jaundice levels were increasing and he may need to go under the lights. Cue a momma freak out. The Dr released our son from the Nicu and had us follow up with our pediatrician for the jaundice levels.  In the two days at home waiting for his first pediatrician appointment my son turned very yellow. His gums were yellow, his eyes, and his skin. I was so worried he'd be getting admitted again to the hospital. Our pediatrician said his levels were fine for his age and it would eventually just go away. He is now 3 weeks old and his eyes are white again. His skin may be slightly yellow but not very much at all. It has taken a long time to clear but as we'd had almost non stop rain since he was born. Our son has been supplemented with formula, not for the jaundice because my supply has been low. 

Pomegranate1983

Our DD had a hematoma from the delivery, low birth weight (5 lbs. 12 oz), low blood sugar levels, and was 3-4 weeks early. The first two days she was given formula supplements besides breastfeeding and the jaundice didn't show up until day 4. When she came home, she was down to 5 lbs. 5 oz. She had a bilirubin level of 15.4 and was put on the bili blanket. She had a lab appointment every other day to check her bilirubin levels. All in all, she had the bili blanket from a Saturday (May 14) to the following Friday (May 20), so nearly a week. My milk supply came in on that Saturday she got the bili blanket. During the time on the bili blanket, she was eating better with each day and she was pooping and peeing more and more but we weren't seeing the yellow poop. We had a doctor's appointment on May 20 and that was the first I saw a little bit of the yellow poop and her bilirubin levels were down to 12.4. That was when the doctor's said it will go down. In the last two days, she's really settled down. Her color is good, she sleeps better and isn't as fussy. Her poop is the bright yellow. 

Hang in there. I got extremely frustrated halfway through because we were doing everything right but the jaundice just wasn't going away. In fact, it went up a little bit before it went down. When your milk supply comes in, pump so you can supplement between feedings. This was huge as DH could help and I could work on replenishing my supply. Her cluster feeding was really tough. It isn't your fault. Just keep feeding her and once your milk supply comes in, it'll get easier.

One other thing. I was voicing my frustration to DH midway through out jaundice week and he said something that really helped put things in perspective. He reminded me that DD was not supposed to be born yet. She was still supposed to be in me for another 3-4 weeks. That's a long time and makes a big difference. Once he mentioned that, I made sure to get in as much skin to skin contact with her, hold her, and really watch her cues to make sure I'm feeding her, even it's more frequently than the 2-3 hours. One night she went through close to 5 oz in 2 hours (lactation consultants said they want her to eat 1 oz/feeding). She didn't spit any of it up - she must have just needed the extra food for growing and putting on weight. 

lisatib

Don't feel bad! It happens and there's nothing you can really do to prevent it. My son was only 2.5 weeks early, but since we have different blood types, he developed jaundice and he developed it fast! When we brought him back to the hospital at only 4 days old his level was 23.5! They do a blood exchange at 25, so I was a nervous wreck. He had to be under the lights in the incubator while laying on the blanket too. We were in the hospital from Monday night to Wednesday night under the lights. It got down to 11 and then I noticed him looking more and more yellow in the next few days. We went every other day for a blood draw and it shot back up to 16 again so I demanded the blanket. After 1 whole week on the blanket, I think we are finally over it! He went off the blanket a week ago and his level was 11.9 and then 4 days later it was still 12, so staying steady. The incompatibility with our blood types makes it stay around longer. I never once did formula and my doctor is still telling me to not give him formula in place of breastmilk. He said the nutrients and antibodies from my milk can't be replaced with formula so even though it might kick the jaundice faster, he wouldn't do it.

 And just like you, I felt so confident that he wasn't going to get it! He was nursing so well and pooping and peeing like crazy! 

Karenpreggo

I'm glad to hear all of your babies are responding to treatment!

How did you cope emotionally?  Everytime I look at his perfect little face with its yellow skin, I want to sob.

and_peggy

My little girl had it. It was absolutely heartbreaking for me to hear her scream for 2 days straight while sitting under the lights. I felt like a terrible parent but honestly, there was nothing I could have done. We started supplementing in the hospital and were able to nurse once we got home but realized that it just didn't work for us. So I've been EFF for a week now. She's 2.5 weeks old. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to supplement or you can't nurse. Just understand it may be a bit more difficult to get it going. Emotionally, it was really hard on me to see my baby in such a helpless state but try to remember that it's not your fault and that the Drs are doing their best to ensure the health and safety of your little one!

camillaandcarson

I am so sorry!
My friends baby had it for I think 2 weeks but none of the many doctors involved suggested she supplement with formula so she breastfed the entire time. Her baby is a month old and great now. She had a blanket they gave for home use to help the levels. 

okcountrygirl

My son has jaundice too... He was under the lamps for 24 hours at the hospital, only coming out to eat. We got discharged yesterday and have a check up in the morning but he's looking quite yellow today so I'm worried his numbers are back up. I'm pretty sure he's eating enough and he's having plenty of pee and poo diapers. My milk came in sometime this morning so I'm hoping maybe he'll look better for his appt tomorrow... 

tgortney

My son was born 39+5 and he still had jaundice. We almost didn't get discharged because of his levels but was able to when they delivered a bili lamp blanket for him to wear 24 hours a day at our house. He wore it for 4 days. 

He also started losing weight so I ended up pumping what I could and supplementing formula till my milk came in. Now I pump and bottle feed with the occasional breastfeeding for bonding. At 2 weeks, he's above birth weight at 10lbs!

Hang in there! You'll get through this! Jaundice is more common than you think. I felt bad also but we've made it through. As long as he's gaining weight and have lots of dirty diapers than it's a good sign!

ETA: We only had to use formula for 2 days or less. Now it's all breast milk for us!

gorgeousariel

My LO had pretty high bilirubin reading after her 1st pedi appt. DR said the levels reach the highest at day 5. She was ordered to stay under the blanket and bed. We were very diligent about keeping at least one of the lights on her at all times. Luckily her levels were low enough after just 2 days of treatment. I never had to supplement- it was never even discussed. The first day she would cry when we placed her in the bed but DH sang to her and it calmed her down enough to fall asleep. Every other time I would place her in there after she had all ready fallen asleep. It was hard seeing her in there, but knew it was only temporary. Hang in there, everything will  be ok! 

slfezz

I've had 2 babies with jaundice now. DD2 didn't develop it until after we were discharged and it was mild enough we could handle it with sun exposure. I did pump and bottle fed her so I could keep a better eye on how much she was eating since she was a very sleepy baby at the breast and did supplement with formula mixed with breast milk. Hers was most likely caused by blood type differences.

DD3 we caught just prior to getting discharged 4 days PP. Her levels were high enough that we both ended up staying an extra night so she could be under the lights. Her levels were down enough the following morning we didn't need the lights anymore and got discharged that afternoon. Honesty, I'm glad it happened the way it did this time around since it was a lot less stressful than DD2. I think hers was caused by my milk coming in late since I ended up needed a c-sec (my first one). 

It can be scary knowing your tiny baby is already "sick" but it is really common and there isn't much you can do to prevent it and it's easy to deal with. Hang in there mama!!

nerdymama15

Our LO was six weeks early and already had low blood sugar problems and was already in the NICU for that.  She also developed jaundice probably around the third or fourth day in NICU.  She had to go on the blanket in the NICU and looked like a little glowworm.  She stayed on the blanket for about a week or so. 

wamam027

DD had to stay two extra days in the hospital due to jaundice. She was born 2.5 weeks early due to my induction for pre-eclampsia. They insisted upon supplementing with formula but I asked them to allow me to breastfeed and then pump to see how much colostrum I was producing. After each feed I was able to get a quarter size amount of colostrum from each breast each day we stayed in the hospital so while DD was under the lights for 30 hours they'd have me come breastfeed for 30 min and then they'd syringe feed her the colostrum that I was able to pump just to give her a little something extra. She lost 5 oz in her first 24 hours but was responding well to the lights and her bilirubin levels were in normal range although she was 12% under birth weight. Since her bilirubin levels were normal and her number of wet/poopy diapers as well as my milk supply were good, they discharged her after 48 extra hours in the hospital. We had to follow up with her pediatrician EVERY SINGLE DAY after discharge. We've been to her pediatrician daily for weight checks; she dropped an entire 1lb 7oz and was 17% down from birth weight. Usually they admit for 10% weight loss from birth weight but since I was highly edemic due to pre-eclampsia, and since I was induced and pumped full of IV fluids they attributed some of her weight loss to her retaining some water weight as well. I continued to breastfeed and pump and they had us feed her 10ml of formula before the breast and 10ml after the breast for each feeding, every 2 hours, for 48 hours until my milk came in. Once my milk came in on day 6 I breastfed and pumped and gave her a bottle after each feeding so we knew that she was getting plenty of milk. I'm 19 days PP and we see the pediatrician 3 times a week now as she's still down 5oz from birth weight, but she's finally gaining that weight back. It's really tough, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel! If you're producing breast milk and want to breastfeed and not have to supplement with formula, advocate for yourself. There's absolutely zero reason for formul supplementation if you're producing enough milk; the main thing is making sure baby is eating enough and getting enough hind milk which is higher in fat, in order to get weight up and produce more wet/poopy diapers to get those bilirubin levels to where they need to be. Thoughts and prayers, I know it's tough! 

Karenpreggo

Well his bili was 19 at his ped appointment today.  :-(  only lost 1% of his birth weight and active and happy, eating/pooping/peeing but since it was so high, we're back at the hospital.  Im seriously heartbroken and so worried

tgortney

Seriously? Ours was up to 18 and we just wore the bili lamp blanket at home constantly. The bright side is, you're getting intervention before it gets higher! Hang in there! T&P for your little guy!

sparkledonuts

my son is 10 days old and his was 18 today we have to go back tomorrow and get it checked again to see if it's going up or down but didn't mention needing a blanket .. he was Coombs positive since we have different blood types .. I'm hoping it is lower tomorrow!  

slfezz

When comparing bilirubin numbers remember that the threshold for needing some type of treatment increases with age. If you google bilirubin chart, you can find out what level is of concern for your baby. 

wsgjmw1

DS was born exactly 2 weeks early but he did not have jaundice while we were in the hospital. When we took him to his newborn appointment three days later he had lost 10% of his body weight and was very yellow. The doc told us to get his blood drawn and he would be tested to be sure. Sure enough the bilirubin number combined with his weight put him in the high risk zone on the chart, so doc ordered us to have him under the bilirubin blanket and had us supplement breast milk with formula. We were to feed him every two hours on the dot - 30 mins of breastfeeding with 2oz of formula. We did this for 24 hours and returned to the doc and DS had blood drawn again. We learned all our hard work of keeping him on the blanket for 24 hours straight combined with the intense feedings had paid off. He gained 6 oz and his bilirubin number dropped significantly, and he was in the low risk zone now. DH and I were elated. DS still was a bit yellow but he no longer needed to be in the blanket nor do to the formula supplements. That was probably the most emotional 24 hours of me and DH life thus far. When I found out he dropped that much weight I immediately felt guilt. I lost my shit and cried right there in front of our doc. I felt like I was a complete failure at breastfeeding and wasn't providing for my baby. THEN watching my baby get his heel pricked TWICE was the worst, cried again in front of the phlebotomist both times. I think my baby blues were at the peak during this time, because I cried so much. I was totally heartbroken. The exhaustion was also playing with emotions. I knew that NONE of this was my fault, 50% of babies get jaundice, but its hard to reason with a women who just gave birth three days ago. DH even cried a few times because he couldn't console me and he felt helpless. It was SUPER rough on us. I couldn't shake my feelings of guilt and failure. Also going back and forth to the hospital was tough with a tiny newborn, he would scream in the car seat both ways combined with me feeling like total shit hobbling along because I hadn't even had time to heal (stitches and tearing). In the end everything is fine now, we learned he gained a full pound at his 2 week appointment is a healthy baby boy in all aspects, plus it made me and DH that much closer to each other and DS. Just know you are not alone in feeling guilty or like its your fault. BUT ITS NOT, please try to remember that as hard as it may be in the moment. Big hugs to you.T&P to you and your sweet baby. Hang in there, everything will be ok!

dshannah

Karenpreggo said:

How did you cope emotionally?  Everytime I look at his perfect little face with its yellow skin, I want to sob.

The short answer is: I didn't.  I was a wreck.  But I'm on the other side now and I know it gets better!  

DS was born May 3 perfectly healthy and beautiful (full term, 8lbs 9oz) and by the next morning he'd turned yellow, especially the whites of his eyes. We hadn't thought too much of his complexion, since I'm olive-skinned, but the eyes were alarming. I wasn't producing enough for him to eat, and had no idea because the lactation consultants at the hospital were too busy to see me (still mad about that).  We just thought baby was a little fussy, not that he was starving, which he was. We had to go back to the hospital for two days under the bili lights, and I was a wreck the whole time, thinking how I'd starved my child and should have noticed sooner and should have insisted on not leaving the hospital til a lactation consultant had seen me and all the things, and *then* I was a wreck because I was a wreck in front of all the doctors, who were doing their best to take care of my son while his mother (me) was melting down over a perfectly treatable illness...

I felt like a failure as a mom, as a wife (making my husband take care of me emotionally), and as a person (we were in a pediatric ICU where I know for sure that all the other little patients had far worse prognoses than my son).

Anyway.  It's been three weeks, baby is now his normal color (peaches and cream, like DH) and while the hospital experience combined with my low milk production means that we are primarily formula feeding and supplementing with breastmilk (another rough thing, emotionally and practically and financially), the bili lights seem a distant memory and we are just enjoying one another now.

You'll get through this:)

But there are some things that helped me melt down a little less, I guess?
1.  Being mad at the absentee lactation consultants did help me keep my shit together.  If you can find someone to be mad at, do it! Anger is a powerful emotion.
2.  Also, DH reminded me (when I had my full meltdown, after we came home) that I was a good mom: that I'd prepped everything for the baby, that I'd carried him for nine months and gone through physical trauma for him, that I'd crocheted him blankets and bought him diapers and all that... Being a good mom is not something that hinges on just one thing, but it's an accumulation of all the things you do and want to do for your kids.
3.  One of the nurses who was trying to help me breastfeed in the PICU was very helpful with the transition to formula (which was a huge part of my own emotional roller coaster, since I'd always assumed I'd be breastfeeding)--she told me that kindergarten teachers can always tell which kids had their parents read to them at bedtime, but could never pick out which kids had been formula fed and which had been breast-fed.

Karenpreggo

Thanks everybody. Its been a rough 24 hrs with another 24 to go.  He had to go on oxygen (combination of jaundice/not feeling well + altitude + being a baby at altitude) and hasnt been able to wean off. He'll have to go home on oxygen unless he can wean tomorrow.  Im having a really hard time with that - if I had caught this earlier, would he be ok without oxygen? The tubes are like a horrifying physical reminder of my failure as a mom.  And as stupid as it is, I just keep thinking that all of his baby pictures will have these stupid tubes as a reminder of this.  Then I feel shitty because what a stupid thing to worry about when other people have so much scarier situations.  Im just totally devastated by all this - he's too little to be so sick and I cant shake the feeling that its my fault :-( 

lisatib

Oh mama, don't feel like that! Our emotions are so crazy right now, so I know you can't really help but feel shitty, but he will be just fine! It's not one bit your fault at all! I'll say a prayer for you and your sweet boy tonight. I was a wreck the entire three days we had to stay in the hospital because of jaundice. It was awful even though I knew my boy was going to be fine. I just felt so helpless and like I was missing out on so much. My two older kids were scattered between family members and missed their mama. We all survived though and now it's just a tiny memory that probably no one but myself will remember. 

Karenpreggo

So another update and HELP NEEDED

We were discharged from the hospital yesterday with a bilirubin of 13.8.  I asked about a photoblanket at that time and was told that "Once the bili starts going down, it typically just continues to do that.  Keep putting him in a sunny window and feeding every 2 hours.  We don't typically do photoblankets. We feel if they need the lights, they need the lights and nothing is a substitute." They wanted to recheck Friday at 3:30.

I called this AM to get in for a recheck today because he was starting to look a little more yellow to me again.  Had an 11am appointment in which I had a complete meltdown.  Doctor said, "nah, he's not even that yellow, normally I wouldn't even check it but since you're so anxious, we will check."  I asked AGAIN about photoblankets and she said, "Yeah, that's a great idea!  Unfortunately, we're a small town and no one does them here.  Just keep sunning him and feeding him."

They just called back.  Bilirubin is UP to 15.7!  They want to recheck Monday, and again, I'm supposed to just keep sunning and feeding.  I'M FURIOUS.  For starters, it went up 2 mg/dl in 24 hours.  If it continues to rise at that rate, by Monday, it will be 23 which is a scary level and guarantees hospitalization.  Besides that, I've been sunning him as I was directed and feeding every 1.5 to 2 hours since Saturday and IT HASN'T HELPED.  I can't make him eat more, he produces well over 12 wet and poopy diapers per day, drains my breasts each time and WANTS to eat q2 hours - it's not like I'm even forcing him. 

They keep saying, "No one around here does bili blankets."  I know that to be bull shit because I know several parents HERE who have had bili blankets at home. 

So what I need to know, from those of you who have used the biliblankets:
-Where did you get them?  Medical supply company? Pharmacy?
-I found one on Amazon, but obviously I would be doing the therapy myself until our recheck on Monday since my pediatrician refuses to be proactive.  How did therapy work? (Hours per day, goggles needed, etc?)  Desperate mama here.
Thanks everyone.

wamam027

@Karenpreggo do you have a breast pump? If so I highly recommend pumping and feeding him breast milk from a bottle every other feeding to ensure he's getting enough to eat. The problem with breastfeeding is we can't tell how much baby is actually eating. We fed 2 ounces every two hours for 24 hours and baby was an entirely new baby. Make sure to pump until you're empty to ensure you're getting hind milk. When I was solely breastfeeding she'd be at the breast for 30-45 min but clearly wasn't getting enough milk. Our pediatrician told us TOO many wet diapers isn't a good thing with jaundice, as they aren't holding onto those nutrients and staying hydrated; you need those poopy diapers. Jaundice is pooped out; the bili lights break down he particles allowing a second evacuation route in the urine; so unless baby is having enough poopy diapers, the bili levels will continue to go up. It could also be that baby isn't getting enough fatty hind milk to hold onto weight and produce enough poop; the foremilk is watery and hydrates/satisfies baby and isn't all that helpful in weight gain and making poopy diapers. 

tgortney

Karenpreggo said:

So what I need to know, from those of you who have used the biliblankets:
-Where did you get them?  Medical supply company? Pharmacy?
-I found one on Amazon, but obviously I would be doing the therapy myself until our recheck on Monday since my pediatrician refuses to be proactive.  How did therapy work? (Hours per day, goggles needed, etc?)  Desperate mama here.
Thanks everyone.

The hospital sent us home with one, they contacted the medical supplies company and had it delivered to us same day (it was a Sunday too). Not sure where you live, but we used Aeroflow Healthcare. They just file the charges with insurance. We returned directly to them when we were done with it.

I'm not sure about the one you're looking into, but the one we got, we kept DS in it all hours straight while at home. He wore it for 4 days. Even diaper changes and feedings. They say you can take it off at changes but we were determined to make it work. Also, no goggles needed for the one we got, just kept him swaddled and wrapped up since they can't wear anything but a diaper. And it prevents the light from shining through during night time. The guy who delivered it gave us all the instructions on how to use it.

lisatib

Oh mama!! I would be furious as well and finding a new pediatrician! 

Same exact thing happened to us, but my doctor knew he was going to rebound once coming out of the hospital since he was no longer on the lights. We were at 11 and then jumped back up to 16 three days later. I demanded a blanket and he knew exactly where I was coming from (to avoid another hospital stay). Aire care brought us the blanket, but our doctor had to put the order in for them to bring it to our house. They called daily until we no longer needed it. I also refused any home care that went along with it, since every visit was close to $200. I just brought him in for his labs at the hospital instead of having the lady come to the house. 

For what it's worth, my doctor said the sunlight is kinda old school and most windows nowadays have the UV blocked. He said my son would have to sit in the sun long enough and get burnt for anything to help. 

We went again yesterday for blood work and it is slowly declining to 9.6 and last week was 12. We no longer have to go get poked and it should eventually be gone soon! He's 4 weeks today. 

No goggles are are needed for the blanket either. 

JessicaB0627

@Karenpreggo How old is he? When DD1 was born she was always very borderline for needing therapy for her jaundice. The doctor told me that the jaundice would peak at around 2 weeks before it would start decreasing. Someone else mentioned here that the acceptable level of bilirubin increases with age up to a certain point. You're completely justified in being upset with your pediatrician for blowing you off like that, but *maybe* he's still in an acceptable range for his age? I would hope so, at least!  

ETA: According to what I found online, babies 48-72 hours old only need phototherapy if their levels are greater than 18 and babies older than 72 hours only need phototherapy if their levels are greater than 20. It also says that they expect bilirubin levels to peak around 72 hours for full-term babies. I hope that helps! 

Karenpreggo

Thanks everybody, we're a week old today.  The hospital checked his hydration status with bloodwork and said he's well hydrated.  

Interesting about the windows. Fortunately ours are ancient and terrible so they probably dont block it (?) But it does feel like another thing to be annoyed about with the ped.

Also, Ive been waiting for a pediatrician to call me back for 4 hours now.  Its a message on the after hours service and still no call back.  Ugh

and_peggy

Karenpreggo said:

So another update and HELP NEEDED

We were discharged from the hospital yesterday with a bilirubin of 13.8.  I asked about a photoblanket at that time and was told that "Once the bili starts going down, it typically just continues to do that.  Keep putting him in a sunny window and feeding every 2 hours.  We don't typically do photoblankets. We feel if they need the lights, they need the lights and nothing is a substitute." They wanted to recheck Friday at 3:30.

I called this AM to get in for a recheck today because he was starting to look a little more yellow to me again.  Had an 11am appointment in which I had a complete meltdown.  Doctor said, "nah, he's not even that yellow, normally I wouldn't even check it but since you're so anxious, we will check."  I asked AGAIN about photoblankets and she said, "Yeah, that's a great idea!  Unfortunately, we're a small town and no one does them here.  Just keep sunning him and feeding him."

They just called back.  Bilirubin is UP to 15.7!  They want to recheck Monday, and again, I'm supposed to just keep sunning and feeding.  I'M FURIOUS.  For starters, it went up 2 mg/dl in 24 hours.  If it continues to rise at that rate, by Monday, it will be 23 which is a scary level and guarantees hospitalization.  Besides that, I've been sunning him as I was directed and feeding every 1.5 to 2 hours since Saturday and IT HASN'T HELPED.  I can't make him eat more, he produces well over 12 wet and poopy diapers per day, drains my breasts each time and WANTS to eat q2 hours - it's not like I'm even forcing him. 

They keep saying, "No one around here does bili blankets."  I know that to be bull shit because I know several parents HERE who have had bili blankets at home. 

So what I need to know, from those of you who have used the biliblankets:
-Where did you get them?  Medical supply company? Pharmacy?
-I found one on Amazon, but obviously I would be doing the therapy myself until our recheck on Monday since my pediatrician refuses to be proactive.  How did therapy work? (Hours per day, goggles needed, etc?)  Desperate mama here.
Thanks everyone.

Hang in there! I know it's frustrating and hard to deal with. My LO had an extra 2 days in the hospital, under the lights the whole time. Needless to say, I was an absolute wreck. Something that they may have not told you is that it's normal for the bili levels to go up each day, but they can actually be getting better. It didn't make sense to me until they explained it in detail. My girl's level were steadily increasing each day but because she was getting older, the amount of bilirubin was in the acceptable range because her body could handle more. It does peak around 2 weeks. Definitely trust your momma instincts though. If you think something is wrong, fight for your baby.

Charissadeats

Alex had a high bili reading in the hospital after his NICU stay so had to go under the lights for two days after which it went down. 

Today, at his first pedi visit, they did another count and it was super high. 

All this time I was told it was MY fault for not feeding him enough (which I was) and because he was a preemie (which he most defs was not). Anyways, a nurse came out today and set up lights at our house, and he has to stay like this for at least 3 days. She then asked about my blood group and his, and then explained that because I am O- and he is A+ that is more than likely the reason for his jaundice. 

Anyways, I am super down sitting next to my boy on the lights. He's luckily not crying but he doesn't look very happy. I have to start supplementing with formula as well. 

Pic of Alex chilling. 

tgortney

@Charissadeats wow I can't believe they blamed you and literally told you you were starving your child! How rude! As if you would do that on purpose. Hoping your ordeal gets better soon after using the home light!


This is my son under his blanket

Charissadeats

@tgortney your son looks like he is a super hero. How does the blanket work?

tgortney

Charissadeats said:

@tgortney your son looks like he is a super hero. How does the blanket work?

haha that's what my husband said! The blue lantern lol

the blanket wrapped around his whole torso, from under the armpits to just above the waist so the diaper can fit. 

Charissadeats

tgortney said:

Charissadeats said:

@tgortney your son looks like he is a super hero. How does the blanket work?

haha that's what my husband said! The blue lantern lol

the blanket wrapped around his whole torso, from under the armpits to just above the waist so the diaper can fit. 

I love it! The blue lantern. Cute. 

So is the lights in the blanket? Sorry, very curious about it (haha)

tgortney

Charissadeats said:

tgortney said:

Charissadeats said:

@tgortney your son looks like he is a super hero. How does the blanket work?

haha that's what my husband said! The blue lantern lol

the blanket wrapped around his whole torso, from under the armpits to just above the waist so the diaper can fit. 

I love it! The blue lantern. Cute. 

So is the lights in the blanket? Sorry, very curious about it (haha)

Yep! It's a panel of bendable LED lights that go into a blanket sleeve and velcros around the baby's torso. Overall, very transportable. He was chained to an outlet but it was small enough that he could fit into his swing and slept in my arms at night. 

This is what it looks like actually.


Hope poor Alex gets out of his bed soon!

Charissadeats

tgortney said:

Charissadeats said:

tgortney said:

Charissadeats said:

@tgortney your son looks like he is a super hero. How does the blanket work?

haha that's what my husband said! The blue lantern lol

the blanket wrapped around his whole torso, from under the armpits to just above the waist so the diaper can fit. 

I love it! The blue lantern. Cute. 

So is the lights in the blanket? Sorry, very curious about it (haha)

Yep! It's a panel of bendable LED lights that go into a blanket sleeve and velcros around the baby's torso. Overall, very transportable. He was chained to an outlet but it was small enough that he could fit into his swing and slept in my arms at night. 

This is what it looks like actually.


Hope poor Alex gets out of his bed soon!

Very interesting! 

I put his friend Ollie with him, but I think he is not bothered by the bed. I hope not! Hope your boy will be better soon x 

baby-2-due

My LO had it. She was 3 weeks early and when we had the pediatrician give her th ok to leave the hospital she was fine, but two days later she was extremely jaundice so they admitted her for the lights. It was hard and I felt responsible, I cried when they told me she had to come back and stay. They say it is fairly common and even when the dr had me supplement between nursing with formula, it didn't help her levels were higher the next day so she had to be admitted and I felt like o failed her. She only had to stay for 12 hours though so don't stress, even though it's easier said than done.