Two Days Old

August 5, 2009

I was discharged from Proctor earlier than they normally discharge maternity patients based on the fact that Lydia was at OSF and I was eager to be with her. My doctor came to check me early in the morning and determined that as long as my antibiotics were completed (the IV had been taken out at 3am) and I didn't spike a fever, that I could be discharged. I was elated! The hardest part of the labor, delivery, and hospital stay was when they had to take Lydia away to OSF and I had to stay and recover. I quickly started packing up my things and was out of the hospital and down to OSF by 11am. I was so happy to see my baby girl and begin bonding with her. I couldn't put her down and wasn't planning on it. I starred at her for hours as I rocked her. The only issue was trying to get comfortable with her while she was still attached to the monitors and IV line. Reunited with MommyOur Family Back Together!

Soon after I got to OSF, the lactation consultant came to help me begin to nurse Lydia. She did a great job and it was so helpful to have a 'pro' there to make sure we were doing everything right.

Lydia was also being dressed in "donor clothes" as I called them. The clothes were provided by the NICU for babies staying there. I really wanted Lydia to be able to wear her own clothes, although I appreciated the loaners. The nurse then placed the sign below on her crib. I laughed every time we saw it. I know she is gifted as she can write notes at 2 days old:) The doctors made their rounds and our friend, Dr. Dan O'Brien was one of the specialists responsible for Lydia and some of the other babies in the NICU. They had run a spinal on her as a precaution to make sure she didn't have meningitis (it was negative) and began monitoring her billirubin to ensure she didn't develop jaundice (she didn't). The doctors commented that as long as Lydia's levels remained consistent than she could go home Friday. Yay! We were elated!

I will say it is not fun to watch your baby have to experience so many pokes and prods as they had to do with Lydia. I hated watching her have an IV in her arm, but knew it was better than having her develop an infection and get sick. I also felt blessed looking around the room and knowing my baby was going to be ok and some of the other babies there were literally fighting to stay alive. A mom with a premie in the isolette next to us said she would tell her baby to listen to Lydia when she cried or when she was eating because he needed to learn how to do that too. (That baby was going to be okay he just needed to be in the NICU a couple weeks because he was born too early- but not as early as some of the other babies).

We stayed at the hospital until shift change and quiet hours at 11pm. Brett and I got a good night's sleep at home and were confident our baby girl was being taken care of properly.