"Mommy, I Don't Feel Good..."

Charlotte was a PERFECT baby in the hospital. She rarely even whimpered! Our first night at home, however, was a very different story. She cried, and cried, and cried some more. There was nothing we could do to console her. Ryan and I joked on Saturday that maybe the hospital had sent us home with the wrong baby because this one cried. Little did we know, her discomfort was not a joking matter.

On Sunday, we had to take Charlotte back to the hospital for some tests that had been ordered. The hospital's pediatrician wanted to check up on her bilirubin levels. As naive new parents, we thought nothing of this and followed orders and took her in. I had noticed that she appeared yellow, but I also knew that jaundice was a pretty common occurence for newborns. Sunday evening, however, we got a call from the hospital's pediatrician about her lab results. Charlotte's bilirubin level was at a 16 - up from 8 when we were discharged on Friday. He ordered at home photo therapy and Cooks Childrens delivered equipment to us that night.

The light therapy consisted of two light paddles (for lack of a better description) that needed to be placed on her front and back touching her skin at all times. This may sound like no big deal, but getting a sick, wiggly, tiny baby in position on these paddles was almost impossible! The paddles were bigger than her little body. Ryan was the most amazing father and slept in a chair holding his little girl because that was the only way we could get her to be still with the lights on her. He has a way of calming her like no one else can do - even me! He jokes and says it's because he's always so hot it's like a human incubator.

Charlee and I are so lucky to have a man like him!

First thing Monday morning I made an appointment with our pediatrician, Dr. Hunt, to have her evaluate the situation. We got an appointment that morning and took her right in. She was still very fussy and I was an emotional wreck knowing something was wrong with my baby and I couldn't make her happy. I even cried in the waiting room at the doctor's office. I'm sure the rest of the patients thought I was a freak - or maybe suffering from PPD!

She weighed in this morning at 4lb 14oz - we were shocked!! Obviously, some weight loss is normal and expected, but not a pound off an already tiny baby. Dr. Hunt ran some more labs and told us to continue with the photo therapy and allow her to get as much direct sunlight as possible. We followed orders...

That afternoon, we got a phone call that Charlotte's labs were back and her bilirubin levels were now at 19 and she was suffering from dehydration. Obviously, the home therapy wasn't working, so her doctor wanted more intensive treatment... at the NICU. We were rushed to Baylor Grapevine's NICU and our sweet baby was immediately put under 5 different lights to try to get her bilirubin levels down as quickly as possible. We also started to supplement with formula right away as it was evident she wasn't getting enough breastmilk from her momma. :(

Being in the NICU was a scary, scary experience for us, but we were relieved to have our baby getting the best care possible. All of the NICU nurses and doctors were incredibly kind and helpful and tolerated our myriad of questions. Charlee made huge progress very quickly and was taken off the lights on Tuesday to be monitored. We had to make sure her bilirubin levels didn't peak again and that she was able to regulate her temperature on her own.

Wednesday afternoon, we were discharged from the NICU and headed home (again). We had our happy baby back though! Ryan and I are so thankful for the wonderful care given to our baby girl. We are truly blessed to live in a time and place where there are options to help our children when they are suffering. We are definitely saying our prayers and thanking our mighty God for his guidance and provisions to our family in our time of need. God is good!