The first week was a bit rough for us! Bronson's bili counts were a bit high when we left the hospital, so he had to go in for a check the day after we went home from the hospital on Monday. I hated this - They want you to keep your baby away from germs and then they ask you to take them back to the germ-infested hospital lab. And they want you to rest, but they ask you to go back and forth to Dr appointments and the lab! So frustrating! (We ended up going to the lab every day Bronson was home for his first week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday!) Anyway, his count had gotten higher on Monday than when he left the hospital, so they called Monday night and told me he needed to be on the bili lights and they delivered the little bed that night. It was the saddest thing! The man who brought them told me he needed to be in them at all times unless he was sleeping. That made me mad! I think it was the hormones but I was so bugged that they would tell me I couldn't snuggle my sweet new baby! Bronson hated the bili bed. He would do OK at first, but then he wouldn't sleep because he wasn't wrapped up so he would get fussy and then when it was time to eat, he was so tired he wouldn't eat very much before he would fall to sleep. It was a bad cycle and wasn't helping things. I was up with him most of the night that first night because he wouldn't stay asleep on the lights. The one time I did get him to sleep on the lights the next day, I checked on him and he was drenched with sweat and the whole bed was wet! I felt so bad for him!
Luckily, on Tuesday when we took him to the Dr for his appointment, the Dr told me Bronson was gaining weight great and even though his count went up again on Tuesday, he was confident it would be coming down and that he didn't feel that we needed to be too worried about having him on the lights. He said to do it when we could but not to interfere with his schedule too much because he wanted him to be eating since that is the best thing to help with jaundice. So, we did. I would put him in for about 15 minutes in between feeding and sleep and he started to sleep better afterwards and eat better, too. After his check on Wednesday, they called and said his count was down, so I didn't need the lights anymore (hooray!) but that I couldn't return them just yet and that he needed to be checked on Thursday again. So, he had him checked Thursday and his counts went down again so they told me I could return the bed and be done! I was so happy I think I cried. I realize that there are a lot more infants that go through much worse than a little jaundice and I shouldn't complain, but when you are tired and hormonal, you just don't want to worry about these things and you want to hold and snuggle your baby, not put him in a bed that makes him cry and not be able to pick him up! Anyway, I was SO glad when that was all over!!! I was also so glad for all the help I received. Most of the time when I have a baby, I tell everyone not to worry about meals. That we are Ok. That I can handle it all. This time, I decided to let people help. I never refused a meal and I had lots of people bring them and it helped so much! I also had a dear friend, Bethany, who always seems to know when I am in need and she took my girls a few times that first week so I could get a nap. What a blessing! I was so grateful!!!
And here are the pictures I took of his first week after going home....
Those pretty big eyes!
Here is what I wrote in his baby book about him at 1 week....
May 3 - Bronson at One Week
Bronson is the sweetest thing! He hardly ever makes a peep! He is a sleepy baby - It has been hard to get him to wake up to eat, but he is getting better and the last 2 days he has been quite the little piggy!
He is perfect! He has so much hair and it is so dark! It covers all his shoulders and back and even down his arms. He is so hairy! He has long gorgeous eyelashes and even perfect little eyebrows. He has a sweet perfect little nose and chubby cheeks and a sweet mouth.
He makes some pretty funny faces - My favorite is the "Blue Steel" with the pursed lips. He gets big huge smiles when he gets gas. I love them! And tonight he even laughed really hard when he had a little tickle in his tummy and it was so cute! Logan was really concerned when I told him that Bronson smiles because he has gas. He asked if it was the kind that burns. I told him it wasn't. Someone was over to see the baby and he got a little tickle and grinned and Logan said, "Oh. He has some gas. Not the burning kind. That is what my mom mentioned."
Because he was so sleepy, his blood sugar was really low the first day and we had to give him a little formula to get him started. When we came home, we had to have his bilirubin levels tested. We have had to do the bili bed for 2 days. They delivered it on Monday night. it was the saddest thing! At first, he didn't seem to mind it but then he had the hardest time sleeping. It looked like a little straight jacket! I hated having him in there because it was less snuggle time for me! It also meant that he had to go EVERY day to the hospital to have a blood test. It is sad to have to have his little heal pricked and stresses me out when he goes to the germy hospital. On Wed his count was down enough we could stop the lights and today it was down enough that we could return the lights and stop testing! Yeah!!!
The kids adore him...maybe a little too much! They ask to hold him a million times a day and are always right in his face! I don't think he really minds it. It just seems to stress me out. They think everything he does is amazing! Rylee is always telling me he said his first word or did something for the first time. They are really good about using the "han-itizer" each time they hold him. I love that they call it that! It makes me laugh every time!
The only time Bronson really cries is when you change his diaper or change his clothes. He doesn't like to be naked! He also doesn't like his little sponge bath. He does really like his hair washed though.
He has the funniest little squeaky cry - It seems a little different than my other kids. It is very high pitched but really quiet.
He loves to snuggle on your chest and I love doing it. I have the hardest time putting him down to get anything done because he is so cuddly and sweet and I know it is going to go much too quickly! It is hard to find a balance between enjoying him and spending time with the other kids.
Bronson still has his little umbilical cord but it is almost off.
So far, he has been to the hospital every day since he came home and to his newborn checkup, and to Logan's soccer game that we watched from the van. That is about it for venturing out. He LOVES his carseat! He seems so comfy in there and will sleep longer in there than anywhere else.
He doesn't seem to like his bassinet too much - He loves his bouncy seat and swing and LOVES to be swaddled!
Tonight he found his thumb and was sucking it
He likes to find something to hold on to and if he gets upset, if you hold his hands in close he will usually calm right down.
He has been a good little nurser, despite the sleepiness. He is really good about latching on. Nursing has been really easy with him. It is just getting him to wake up that is hard! Sometimes he just falls asleep before he eats much, which I guess is part of the bili problem... One of my favorite things is nursing and watching them look up at you with their big eyes. Or grab your finger. Ahhh...Love babies!
He weighed 7 lbs 5 oz when we left the hospital and was 7 lbs 6 oz at his well check so he is doing great at gaining back his wieght!
He sleeps so much we rarely see his big eyes. When they are open though, he seems to be quite curious and checking everything out. He looks like such a little man! His eyes have been a bit yellow from the jaundice
Bronson is so easy - Rarely spits up or cries - Just so calm
He has a big dimple in his left earlobe - It almost looks like a piece is missing and he has a small skin tag there, too.
Love how he opens his mouth like a little bird when he wants to eat
Now that he is getting the hang of eating for the last 2 days, he wakes up and wants to eat right THEN! He starts chewing on his fist and he gets mad quite quickly if I don't feed him. It is just about the only time that he cries!
If he is not swaddled, then he loves to sleep with his hands by his face
I love his sleepy little yawns
He LOVES to stretch! He has some long arms and feet and BIG hands! He also has the skinniest little legs! I love them! He likes to have his legs all curled up underneath him.
No comments:
Post a Comment