moms of jaundice babies

somethingchangd

How long did it take for the jaundice to clear and with what treatment?  We started the bili lights on Friday and have upped his feeds by switching from BF w/syringe supplement of breastmilk to closely measured bottle-fed breastmilk - he wasn't sucking on the breast like he needed to.  On Friday we were at 15.3, then started the lights.  Yesterday was 14.5 and today we're at 13.1.  I kind of thought we'd be clear to stop by now (need to get to 10 to stop), although I don't know what gave me that idea.  He's peeing and pooping like a champ, so I feel like he's doing everything he can to get past it, but at this point he is definitely going to be under the lights until at least Tuesday.

Did your numbers fall at a consistent rate or did they fall slowly at first and then plummet?  I'm just ready to be done with these lights and the daily blood draws.  I want to snuggle my sweet baby, but it's just so hard when he's plugged in 24/7.  Poor little Borg Baby.

ucalum93

Slowly at first, but once they start going down it is a very good sign from what we were told. Some days it wasn't even a full point but it was less so they told us not to worry as it wasn't likely to go back up once they were on this path.  We went through the daily lab trips for about a week, I think. Then, one day that was it.  Done.

I know it's really hard right now but hang in there.  Sounds like things are already turing around.  

 

 

BritanyV

It honestly depends on the doctor.  I had a pedi tell me that he doesn't put them under the lights until their level is 20!  

 My ds had to stay in the hospital an extra night because it was at 13.5 but was slowly going down from 14.5.  After we left the hospital they never checked his levels again.  His level was only 13.1 when we left the hospital.  All our pedi had us do was go in for an appointment and the pedi said she thought he was looking good and didn't have us do any bloodwork!

 So it really is at the pedi's discretion!

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DS was admitted to Texas Children's at 4 days old with a level around 19 (pedi sent us there). ?He received double phototherapy - lights above and a bili blanket below him. ?I don't remember his level at 5 days old (maybe 15-16?), but he was released at 6 days old with a level around 12 or 13, I think. ?We had no more blood draws - just a follow up visit with our pediatrician maybe 3 days later to check weight, and she thought he looked fine.

Unrelated - It's supposedly rare, but DS was still just a touch yellow at 6 weeks. ?I took him in, and the pedi sent us for a blood draw to be safe (rule out liver issue). ?I don't remember his level - but it was probably around 7, and she said he had breastfeeding jaundice (different than the original jaundice - not dangerous) that would go away on its own with no treatment and it was nothing to worry about. ?It did go away within the next few weeks.

I know you can't wait to snuggle him again - these things just make you appreciate it so much more!?

jen5-03

I think it depends on your pedi too. DD stayed an extra day in the hospital under lights. We had to go have a blood draw the next day and I think 2 days after that, but not again even though it was still elevated some. We did not have bili lights at home, pedi just said to take her outside for 15 minutes at a time several times a day.

The numbers fall slowly, but if you look at a biluribin chart, whats a high risk  bili number at 12 hours is a low risk bili number at 72 hours is a normal bili number 2 days later. As long as it's decreasing, even a tiny bit, it's good.

TexasHarmony

Avery's was around 20 (I think) and started going down when she was in the bili bed at the hospital. ?We brought her home and it started going back up, but I did the trick the nurse told me and they went way down.

kjr

I think it does depend on the pedi.  Alex had jaundice and we had to go to the doctor several times the first week to get blood drawn. 
I want to say his level was around 14 and then two days later was at like 12. 
With Foster the pedi looked at him and said he had jaundice and just to keep feeding him as much as possible and it would go away.  We never did bloodwork, though.

vlcms

We got out of the hospital on Thursday, had pedi check  up on Friday morning to check his levels. His levels had gone up to I want to say 18 so he sent us to the hospital. He stayed from Friday mid morning to Sunday early afternoon. We then had another pedi appointment on Monday to make sure the levels were staying down.

kennifer7

My DD was a 17 when we started with the bili blanket.  It took about a weeks for her to be in the clear.  The pedi also has us give her some water about a oz or two and that seemed to help flush it all out of her system.

nvp05

Rena had to stay on the bili blanket for about 5 days. Her numbers dropped slowly at first but by the 3rd day they really went down. Hang in there, I know it's so hard not to be able to hold your little one!