Still jaundiced

As I posted in an earlier entry, Kayden was diagnosed with jaundice at 4 days old. He underwent phototherapy for 30 hours and seemed to be getting better. He is now almost 3 weeks old but still, I see the yellowness in his skin and definitely still in the whites of his eyes.

To top it off, he seems to be getting the sniffles and quite a bit of phlegm in his throat too. One night, he was even making those throat clearing sounds like an adult! My poor baby didn't sleep well that night.

His paediatrician has requested we go for his check up earlier, at 2 weeks rather than at the 6 week mark to check on his jaundice.

My only comfort is that he is still feeding extremely well, which helps to flush the bilirubin out of his jaundiced system. Still doing lots of wet and dirty nappies.

I wonder what his doctor will say? I get a feeling Kayden is going to need another heel prick, to do yet another blood test. I hate it when they do that to him, that pitiful cry that he makes and the whining he does after, is so heartbreaking! Hopefully the jaundice is not too serious, and he does not have to return to the hospital for more phototherapy. Of which, I might have to be warded too, so I can feed him during the treatment.

Hopefully we have some good news to start our weekend this week...

A different type of list

Some people have a little notebook that that jot down their baby's feed time, when baby does a wet/dirty nappy, just like at the hospital where they write it all down on the clipboard. So do I. But that's hardly interesting for u isn't it?


I have this sheet of paper stuck on my fridge ever since I got back to the hospital.







Its my drug list! I am on several analgesic (pain relief) ever since the delivery.I find it really hard to keep up with what I had. The pregnancy brain has been overtaken by the new mommy brain. So, to make sure that the drug doesn't wear off before the pain kicks in again, I had to keep track of what I have taken at what time! The drugs are to cope with the pain from the bruising and my stitches. I'm starting to come off it these days, but I was pretty much drugged up 24/7 at the very start.


Panadol is a must for my entree everytime, and depending on how I feel, Tremadol and Voltaren for breakfast lunch or dinner haha! I love it when the midwives used to come into my room and say, its time for your drugs! LOL!

My little piglet

Literally. What is the noise that pigs make? Grunts? Snorts? Whatever u call it, he makes that sound when he sleeps! Nobody told me until he was born, that babies are noisy sleepers!! He whimpers, sighs, sneezes, hiccups, stretches and then grunts and snorts in his sleep! Apparently most babies do!



I got frustrated and attempted to 'suck' out whatever was blocking his nasal passageway with this.

A baby mucous sucker.



But I found nothing! I was starting to wonder what was wrong, until the maternal nurse told me that it is normal, and babies do all that because their nasal passageway is so tiny. And they sneeze usually not because they have caught a cold but probably because of the lint from the linen.





But what about the hiccups? I forgot to ask. He STILL gets the hiccups! Its so cute to hear when he gets them, AND LOUD.

Growth spurt

All babies lose a percentage of their weight after birth. By the 3rd day, Kayden's weight was down to 2.8kgs. We were in hospital for a total of 6 nights. On day of discharge, I asked for him to be weighed again, but was gently told by the midwife that unless I really insist on it, she would prefer that we didn't. Being jaundiced, I was already naturally worried and she was concerned it would stress me out more if I knew he was losing more weight. So I left it as it is.


On his 7th day of life, the maternal nurse came for a routine check at home. He was clocked the scales at 2880gms.


When he was a week and 5 days old, the maternal nurse came again, and this time he weighed 3090gms and now measures 50cms!


My baby boy has grown! Kayden is fully on breastmilk, and because of that, I have no idea if he was getting enough. But he has been doing lots of wet and dirty nappies, which I am told is an extremely good sign of a well hydrated baby. The dirty nappies also helps flush the jaundice out of his system.






I was also told that a well fed baby settles and sleeps after a feed, which he does. He is being fed on demand and at the moment, it is every 2-4hours. The maternal nurse was extremely satisfied with his progress, and it gives me peace of mind knowing that I am adequately providing for my child.

My private solarium

Kayden's paediatrician diagnosed him moderately jaundiced on his 4th day of life. They wheeled in the phototherapy equipment into our room and Kayden was to be under treatment for 30 hours.

The little man LOVED it in there! He was mostly all curled up, snoozing away and giving little contented sighs every now and then.

Kayden's birth story

Be careful what you ask for because you might really get it! Baby Kayden came early like I was hoping he would. 13 days ahead of his due date.

Thursday. 5th November. 2.40pm.

Being pregnant can bring about constipation. I think you know where this is going. No need for embarassing public display of my waters breaking. No mess! And true to the fact, like they mentioned at the antenatal classes, contractions do not happen straight away once your waters break. I quickly called Hubby, my doctor and the hospital's emergency department who told me to get to the hospital as soon as I can.








We grabbed my bags and quickly left for the hospital as soon as Hubby got home from work. By 4pm, I was already having regular contractions that were about 5 minutes apart. Whatever happened to the contractions that were supposed to start gradually starting from 30 minutes apart? Liars I thought to myself! At that point, I was coping with the pains, which felt alot like period cramps, which I used to have severe cases of.
This was only the start of a looOOooong night ahead of us.
Time : 4pm.
Got the hospital, still smiling and coping. Midwife strapped me onto the machine that tracks my contractions and baby's galloping heartbeat. She officially tells me I am now in labour.
Obstetrician was with another patient delivering her baby, so I had to wait until he was done. Meanwhile, while waiting, my contractions were getting stronger. And the pain was getting to me. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, Hubby keeps reminding me.
Time: 7.30pm
Obstetrician finally arrives and tells me I am 3cm dialated. We took a slow short walk to my birthing suite. Midwife settles me into the calm and serene room, dimmed the lights and brought out a fit ball and a beanbag and tells me what positions I can use to help with the pain. But, all I could think of was I feel soooo feral. Waters still trickling and all I wanted was a shower. So I did. I must have been in there for the longest time. The 2 shower jets designed for the birthing suite aimed at my belly, and my lower back gave me some relief at last. Still, the contractions were getting even stronger. Back in the birthing suite, midwife asked if I wanted to try some of the gas to take my mind off the pain. It helped.
Until around 10.30pm.
After 3 agonizing hours, I was devastated when my obstetrician checks and tells me that I am 4cm dilated now. What!?!? After all that and only 1cm!!?? Arrrrrrrrrrrgh! I was ready to strangle someone. He suggested I go for an epidural. I declined but somehow ended up with a pethidine injection. It lasts about 3 hours he tells me and we are still a long way from delivering baby, so it will not affect baby when he arrives. (Pethidine makes the baby drowsy and hard to feed after delivery). I say yes, just do it already.
My anesthesist who was on standby this whole time, comes into the birthing suite to tell me he lives 1/2hour away. And he is going home to rest for the night. He asks me if I wanted the epidural now. I said no. Not yet. GO! Do whatever u want to do and leave me alone!! Obstetrician later tells me I didn't want to talk to anyone then LOL!
Friday. 6th November. 1am.
Not coping with the contractions anymore. I told hubby lets do the epidural. From there things happened fast. Anesthesist quickly returns and performs the insertion of the epidural. By 2am, I was pain free!!! I finally relaxed and managed to get some rest. Extremely strong contractions were still happening, but I was numb from chest down. Midwife had to keep an extremely close eye on me from then. I was only meant to be numb from waist down with even a little feeling in my feet. They were afraid it would seize my lungs up and cause me to stop breathing. I was extremely sensitive to the epidural.
8am.
Obstetriciam returns and tells me I am now 9cm dilated. YAY! Instructs the midwives to get ready for baby's delivery at 9am and I was to start pushing then.
9.24am.
Baby Kayden's cries filled the birthing suite. Hubby cuts the cord and Kayden was promptly handed to me bright and alert. He weighs 3.05kgs, head 33cm and 48cms in length. Midwife assisted me at breastfeeding shortly after. He was a natural at suckling at the breast , I heard some babies don't know how to.
Kayden is an averaged sized baby, but was considered large for my small frame. Obstetrician describes his birth like a train that came crashing through me. He told me shortly after that he had to perform an episiotomy, and that I was badly bruised internally because of his size. My long labour lasted 19 hours. Boy! Do I have a story to tell him when he is older!
The delivery was considered very successful, and the medical team left us 3 to bond.

Welcome to our world my baby boy!

Baby Kayden

Our little mini, Kayden, born 6th November at 9.24am.

Birth story to come soon....

37 weeks pregnant

On the home run! Another 2 more weeks or so to my due date and I can hardly wait! Bring on the soiled nappies and sleepless nights! I am ready! I am looking forward to being able to see and paint my toenailstoes, rid of my clumsiness, turn over in bed without heaving and panting after, be able to moisturize my legs more effectively, get rid of the soreness on my butt when I sit, go out for walks without feeling exhausted only after 1/2 of leaving the house, and this increasing pressure down there where baby feels like he is going to fall out!

But more importantly, to hold and cuddle a healthy mini me, after carrying him for 40 weeks. I whinge about all these pregnancy discomforts now, but I think somehow, I will miss having him inside of me. Sometimes it feels like I have a little friend I have with me all the time, where ever I am. Have him finally meet everyone around us who have been so generous with their caring words, help and gifts!

This week, I have been experiencing even more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. They used to only happen mostly at night, but I am now even feeling them in the mornings. To date, I have put on about 11kgs. There is a slight backache that comes on and off throughout the day too. Groin pain is still there, but lesser, probably because I am eased off being on my feet. But that's probably what is causing the backache.

I try and sit on the fit ball more often, firstly, because it is more comfortable and it encourages an open position for the cervix which will help in an easier labour later on. I try to also sit cross legged whenever I can for the same reason.

Just playing the waiting game now....

What do u think?

Antenatal classes, friends and people I have met have told me there are a few ways u can soothe a crying baby. One of the ways include strapping baby in the baby capsule and driving around in circles for abit. The motion is supposedly meant to calm a distressed child down.

I get a very strong feeling that may not work for my mini.

Whenever I am in the car, baby really active. He starts wriggling and I feel his arm/leg/back pressing extremely hard against my skin. U know that maneuver in cartoons where dogs and cats are so terrified and they stretch out all 4 limbs against the 4 corners of the box or whatever they are contained in? I hope you know what I mean here. But that's exactly how I imagine or rather feel baby is doing whenever I am in a moving vehicle! I imagine him with his eyes opened startled and wide, arms and legs stretched in front of him, trying to steady himself!!!

He's either loving or hating the car rides. I am guessing the latter.