Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Soak up the Sun!

I guess, these days, most babies are a little jaundiced. I think I read that somewhere at least. Little J had bilirubin levels high enough that we had to take him in to be checked several times after we left the hospital, and he ended up using his very own Tanning Bed! Well it was Bililights, but it looked like an infant tanning bed.

I thought that Baby B was going to avoid most of that kind of stuff, his bilirubin levels in the hospital were half what little J's were. In fact he was considered Low Risk. On Monday I took baby B in to the doctor for a weight check, because I had been attempting, once again, to breastfeed my baby. (If you were around for Baby J, then you know I had some odd issues, basically no milk production, this time I have produced just a tiny tiny bit more, I thought it was tons more, but I was quite wrong. Baby B told me about it at length and after quite a bit of crying I decided that Formula worked great for J and it would work great for Baby B too. As it turns out, babies who aren't getting enough milk are more likely to be jaundiced....oops. Sorry baby B. So on with the story) I was thinking that Baby B looked a little yellower than he had a few days earlier when we left the hospital and the Doctor apparently thought so too because she wanted to retest his bilirubin levels. They were higher, he went from an 8 to an 11, still not horrible, no need for any medical intervention, but she did want him to sit in front of a window for 10 minutes per day, until he looked less yellow. We started this yesterday and last night he was looking pretty good, this morning we repeated the process. Strip baby down to his diaper, put on his cute Giraffe Slippers that Grandma Wheeler gave him, and sit him in some sunlight, as indirect as I could get it, don't want to give the poor baby a sunburn after all.

Here he is! In all his cute sunbathing glory!
He spent 5 minutes on his back and 5 minutes on his tummy. Baby B is one strong and mobile kid, very much like Little J was. I put him on his tummy and he wiggled a little and ended up on his side, the sun was still on his back so I let him stay there.
Anyone else have kids that can move around in their crib at 7 days old? Both of mine can/could. I don't know how they do it, but J did it all the time and I have already found baby B half way out of his little sleep positioner twice. My boys are strong, and strong willed. Luckily they are also sweethearts.

Hopefully, a few days more of sunbathing and Baby B will get all that bilirubin out of his system. Wish us Luck!

4 comments:

HiccupMeL said...

Congratulations to you guys! That baby is one of the cutest things I have ever seen... I may just burst. So cute with his slippers in the sunshine! I'm glad you are you -- because YOU make me laugh on a daily basis. Just so you know. Hope you get feeling wonderful soon!

angee said...

Oh, Kate. He is so cute! Congratulations!

Jolene said...

Congratulations! I am so excited for you guys! Your baby is absolutely adorable! I can't believe he and J look alike! What a lucky girl you are! =)

Rachel said...

Since he's so darn cute, I suppose I can forgive you for bailing on our playdate at the splash pad to have a baby instead. ;)