Off to Dell...

We were released from the hospital on Friday, October 29th and went to see our pediatrician for Colton's first check-up on Saturday, October 30th. Although his billirubin levels were low and normal when we left the hospital, Dr. Reidy decided to check them again just to be safe. Due to his facial bruising at birth and because our blood types are opposite of eachother, she said he was at a high risk for having jaundice. Since he didn't look yellow to any of us, she expected the results to be in the normal range. Unfortunately that afternoon she called to tell us his levels had gone from 7 to 20.4. A level over 20 meant that he needed to spend the night in the hospital under the blue lights, so off to Dell Children's we went. Fortunately my parents were near by and were able to pick up the older boys and the dogs for the night.

We got to Dell, checked in and had to undress sweet little Colton and leave him in an isolette under the billirubin lamps.



It really wasn't too bad except for when he would cry and we couldn't pick him up and take him out. He did look kind of cute in the little "sunglasses" they put over his eyes! He was allowed to come out every 3 hours for 30 minutes to nurse and we had to record his feeding schedule and leave all of his wet and dirty diapers in the bathroom to be weighed. Fortunately when they took his blood again late that night, his levels were down to 12.4 - a much more normal and safer level. Because they had decreased significantly the doctor let us put Colton in a regular crib without the lamps to see if his levels would continue to decrease. We were glad he didn't have to stay in the isolette but we still had to sleep over. Joel and I endured the most horrible pull-out couch ever and I actually felt worse when I woke up in the morning than after he was born! Our nurse took Colton's blood again first thing in the morning and his levels were down to 11.1, so we were able to go home.

Jaundice was quite an adventure for us as Colton was our first baby to ever have any problems with it. Our short stay at Dell made us even more thankful to have a perfect, healthy baby boy.