Post Delivery Story

Thursday October 6 - Saturday October 8 2011 - POST DELIVERY:

Because I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy both the baby and I were monitored and our blood sugar tested.  We both were free and clear the next day - no diabetes here!  We did both however have fevers and remained in the hospital until Thursday.  Before being discharged from the hospital they did a jaundice test (one where they scan her forehead) and it came out a bit high.  The pediatrician decided a blood test for a more accurate reading was necessary.  That showed a lower level then the first scan and so they went ahead and sent us home with instructions to come back in Saturday to the clinic to check up on her.

This is where the stress began ... she basically slept the entire time from Thursday through Saturday.  We had to wake her to try and feed her which seemed like an impossible task.  We would strip her down to her diaper and rub a wet wash cloth over her to make her cry and wake her up.  We rarely even saw her blue eyes - they were always shut tight!  She would fall asleep instantly when I tried to nurse her and because she never ate she didn't poop the entire time.  I knew that newborns slept a lot but this seemed like too much.  My gut told me something was wrong and Nate and I were panicked.  Through my sobbing we spent Friday night praying and trying to keep her awake as we constantly tried to get some food in her.  I know our prayers were answered as she ate more that night than the past few days combined and our minds were eased while we waited for our follow up appointment with the doctor.

Turns out there was some need for concern - she had lost a pound from her birth weight and looked increasingly more jaundiced.  We were re-admitted to the hospital right away and again I was a sobbing mess, although grateful that they were going to help us.  She immediately was put under glowing blue lights - bilie lights - to address the climbing jaundice levels.  At this point my milk had started to come in but since she disliked nursing so much I was in a lot of pain.  I began the process of relieving my swollen breasts through pumping and we also bottle fed donor milk to the baby.  These were hard days because we couldn't hold her very much - we could only take her out of the lights for feeding and diaper changes.  The good news was that she continued to be agreeable and not cry while under the warmth of the lights.

Grandpa Soelberg and Stella giving each other similar looks

All in all we were in the hospital from Saturday afternoon through Monday afternoon.  She still was not extremely enthusiastic about breastfeeding but I was now producing a little bit of milk and could pump as much as possible and supplement with formula.  She was gaining weight and her jaundice levels were way down.  It was sort of a "chicken and the egg" scenario - she was tired because she wasn't eating, she wasn't eating because she was tired, the jaundice made her tired and not want to eat, not eating made her more jaundiced because she wasn't pooping and ridding her body of the toxins, etc.

With Grandma Soelberg in the hospital

Each day at home she is getting more and more interested in breastfeeding and we are having more of the typical experience of having a newborn.  She is waking up when she is hungry, we see her eyes more often because she is actually awake, and she is gaining weight!  We get excited over poopy diapers in this house and when she cries out for food we smile and snuggle her because we are so happy she is improving!

As for me ... I had a second-degree tear and required quite a bit of stitching up, making the recovery a little challenging.  I continually forget that it hasn't been that long since I gave birth and to take it easy.  Just being around the house I am okay but doctor's visits and errands quickly ware me out and require a nap.  But the good news is that I have lost A LOT of water I had been retaining for the past few months - 20 lbs off already which is half of what I gained during pregnancy.  I still have another 20 to go plus an additional 35 of my own so we shall see how this goes.

i can't stop kissing those cheeks!

Right now I am thankful for a healthy baby that is nursing every 2-3 hours and getting even chubbier cheeks!  I am also thankful to have my feet back!  My feet have been swollen since month 5 and they got even worse a few days following Stella's delivery.  But just two days ago they came back!  I look forward to wearing shoes again!