*** So sorry if you stopped by and we didn't get a picture, so many pictures have been taken and I am sure some are missed or are on my mom's computer and not mine. I didn't back up to hospital visits, I started when we got home....more to come! I am going to attempt now that we have a "routine" and I have some free time to catch up...somedays there may be multiple post from the past!12/19 So we walk into the door Saturday for the first time as a Mommy and Daddy, after spending several minutes trying to unlatch the car seat and Lacey screaming by this time the girl is starving so I nurse her before we even begin to settle in. Garrett's parents are here waiting for us to arrive home. My family is in town, but out and about. Teresa, Garrett's mom has broccoli noodle soup waiting and helps with Lacey and allows me to shower. The shower was so refreshing at home, but overall I was feeling really good!! We unpacked, set around just looking at her, I was so surprised climbing the stairs was so easy!! My mom came in and she had already been to wolf camera and was stuffing photo albums, man was I thankful for her to think of going out and getting started on that while we visited with Garrett's family.
Lacey after getting home from hospital
Visitors stopped by and my precious friend Amanda came to stay a few nights.
My cousin Denice and her husband Bill
As we left the hospital Saturday we were told to make a pediatrician appt for Monday because Lacey's bilirubin was up and she had a touch of jaundice. Even though I am a nurse, I had no idea what to expect the next several days. Lacey had a good feeding at midnight Saturday and then just became lethargic. My mom chose to keep her in her moses basket down stairs and text me to come down when it was time to feed. Hours would pass and I was getting good sleep, but Lacey was not waking up to eat. When she would arouse she would not latch on and would not stay awake for long.
12/20 Sunday arrived, more visitors came and family was still hanging out.
One of our closest couples Amanda and her husband Mitch
My hairstylist and very special friend Stephanie, and her family
My cousin Donna and her daughter Kendall came to stay the night. I had a really uneasy feeling about Lacey, she had not had a good feeding in over 12 hours. She was jaundice on her face, lethargic, and just limp at times. I made a phone call to the pediatrician for the first time as a mother. She was wonderful and informative and recommended I give her some milk via a syringe and come in as scheduled on Monday.
Cousin Donna and her daughter Kendall
Part of the Reeves Family came for visit!!
With the help of some family and visitors it took an hour at least to get 15ml of milk down her and then wondering if the majority of it ran down her neck. I felt better just that the Dr. was not overly concerned or freaking out that she was not eating. Sunday night was uneventful just a sleeping baby.
12/21 Monday came Kristin arrived to see our precious girl. With everyones help we got Lacey dressed, packed diaper bag, loaded in carseat and Mom, Garrett, and I headed to Dr. office.
My sweet friend Kristin
Lacey and her daddy!! I ADORE THIS!!!
He is not mentioned much in this post, but please know he has been such a support and encouragement!! He shows us so much how he loves us, there just isn't much happening for him to be involved in yet!
She had a weight check, she was 5lbs15oz when born and that morning she 5lbs3oz. The Dr. said that was expected. Lacey was still just "out of it", she had a heel stick for her bilirubin level and I have heard most babies go crazy and she did not even wimper. As her mommy I wanted her to scream and cry to let me know she was okay. We will follow up 12/30 for a weight check if no problems before then! We left there awaiting a call with the results to find out if bili light therapy was necessary.
We got back home, Kristin and Amanda were waiting and ready to assist me in trying to get more down Lacey. We were choosing to do a syringe to avoid nipple confusion. I began to pump, up until this point I had just been doing manual expression. The doctor's office called and said her level was normal, PTL!!!
When Amanda and Kristin were holding Lacey her eyes would roll back in her head, she would get in this blank stare and not blink, then she would just go to sleep again.
I was scared to death, tears were running down my cheeks. I was able to talk to a girl I know who works in Baptist nursery and she said I was describing a storybook jaundice baby. I felt much better after talking to her, she explained to me the goal would be to push as much fluids as I could. During the night she just was letting the milk I had pumped run down her neck when we would do the syringe. So I decided to give her the bottle. I pumped and mom fed her the bottle, her tongue just seemed to quit it stayed rolled back in her mouth and the challenge was to get the nipple around it. During bottle time she seemed to still be very lethargic even though she did a pretty good job sucking.
12/22 Tuesday morning arrived and after an emotional night with attempting to nurse and not being successful I knew the goal was to get Lacey to eat, so...was still giving her the bottle. I was calling the pediatricians office because I was so concerned that they told me her level was normal but she seemed even more lethargic and jaundice than before. In the midst of waiting for triage nurse I was attempting to pump. When I picked up the tubing and realized the $300 pump I had borrowed from a friend had a part that had broken off from it over night, I had BREAKDOWN #1. Whew I cried and hung up phone and cried and cried!!!! Mom was just looking at me pretty much crying herself, as she held my little baby I felt like such a little baby. I have never in my life cried so hard. Now in my mind I was going to have to go spend $300 to replace my borrowed pump and give it back to my sweet friend Lauren(who has let me borrow so much). Mom said "Leah you needed to cry", well I did and I showered and cried even more during it. It felt good to cry after it was all over, however I was still sick about the pump situation. My cousins were coming over this day so I dressed myself and got control! LOL!! I spoke to the nurse finally and the issue was Lacey's level had gone up since discharge from the hospital but it was in range where no treatment was needed, which explained her symptoms worsening.
The sun seemed to be shining so we placed Lacey in her moses basket next to the window.
Cousin Jim
Jim's wife Jill and little girl Allie ( a little over 10months)
Their son Aden (4 1/2 yrs)
Jim and Aden
Jill feeding Lacey or attempting :)
Later in the day more visitors came! Lauren stopped by and we realized there was a customer service number on the pump and they agreed to overnight the part free of charge! :) I was feeling much better!!
My sweet friend Holly, she came over with several premie outfits since I was not prepared for this little peanut!
Deanna, a friend from the village. She just had a baby 2 weeks ago. They brought over dinner.
It was still a struggle with the bottle, but that night a friend Lacy was here and we had a very successful feeding, she took the 1oz bottle in 10mins!!! This was a record. Afterwards my mom returned from errands and we bathed her for the first time. She seemed to like it and she was more alert!!!
Our precious friend Lacy
Look at these hands, guess Lacey was joining Mommy in praying for her jaundice!!
First bath time! She finally began to open her eyes a bit!
12/23 Lacey began to nurse and we were not even having to offer the bottle.
My sweet friend Kelley came over, brought dinner and a very special gift..it is a framed print with Lacey's name across the top and a prayer calendar.
Kelley, Emma, and Georgia
Next post Christmas time!!!
ck the entire weekend of Christmas. If you know me very well you already know that I LOVE FAMILY time and SENTIMENTAL moments, let me tell you there was alot of them.....and they continue. We are so thankful for the love, support, encouragement, many prayers etc that our parents have shown towards us! (again I am sure I will elaborate more on this to in a later post)
Jim's wife Jill and little girl Allie ( a little over 10months)
Their son Aden (4 1/2 yrs)
Our precious friend Lacy
First bath time! She finally began to open her eyes a bit!
Kelley, Emma, and Georgia
