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KiwiWonder 
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 Topic: Phototherapy for Jaundiced Newborn?
Posted: 04 April 2008 at 9:55am |
Has anyone had to do this? There's a good possibility that we'll need to do it as K's blood tests have been very borderline, but rising  Just want to know what to expect, really....
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Margo
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cuppatea
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:03am |
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Spencer had to go in the bilibed for about 36 hours. The one he went in has the lights underneath. The billibed is just the same as the hospital bassinets except that it has to be plugged in. He was stripped down to a nappy and then there is a little paper suit built into the bed, so his back is next to the light and then his arms and front through the paper suit and then we put blankets on him. He was still able to be next to me whilst I stayed at the hospital. Spencers levels went up over 300 and they had to be back to below 250 before they let us home.
He loved being in the bilibed it was lovely and warm and it made a humming noise which helped him settle and sleep.
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monster
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:16am |
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If you can expose her to a bit of sunlight regularly(even through a window) that should help with her levels - might prevent the need for the bilibed.
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cuppatea
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:18am |
This is a pic of 3 day old Spencer in the billibed. Shows it a lot better than I could ever explain it.
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KiwiWonder
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:28am |
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We have been doing the sunlight thing as much as possible - silly Auckland hasn't been cooperating much with the weather the past couple days though! Looks like it might be better today, fingers crossed.
Her levels were at 280 on day 3 and 300 yesterday - we were only allowed to go on the promise that we feed as much as possible (as we'd had some feeding issues previously that probably contributed to the jaundice) and sunbathe her. But we've had another test this morning, and I suspect that if the levels have gone up any more at all, we're going to be told to go to the hospital...
I think my main concern with the hospital is space for me - we've been lucky enough to never have to be admitted with Z, so I don't really know what to expect! I guess I was picturing something like NICU where there's not a lot of space for the mums... but if I have a comfy place to sit / lie and can be with her the whole time (and still breastfeed) then it won't be nearly so big an issue IYKWIM?
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Margo
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Redbedrock
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:30am |
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Fay spent 48 hours under UV light. slightly different set up to Cuppatea. It was an incubator with a UV light box above it, the closer to Fay it was the more UV she got. She had to wear these foam goggles to protect her eys and temperature is monitored. We were unable to hold her for this time as any time out of the incubator was time out of the UV, but she was prem and they are more prone to high bilirubin levels. I will find some pics to show you
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Bizzy
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:34am |
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wow margo i didnt even know you had had bub... congrats.. and i hope she is fine and you dont have to go to hospital. your right tho the weather looks better for sunbathing her today...
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cuppatea
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:44am |
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Yeah I had spencer in the room with me still and would just feed and change him as normal but would try and get him back in the bilibed as quick as possible rather than having cuddles or whatever. I was kept at the birthing clinic until his levels went down and luckily they have their own bed so I expect if readmitted you would just go back onto the maternity ward.
Yep breastmilk helps with jaundice, my milk was a bit longer coming in cos of having c/s and Spencer was a couple of weeks early so that didn't help either.
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cuppatea
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:44am |
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Oh and forgot to say, hopefully her levels are coming back down and you don't need to go back to the hospital.
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Kelpa
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 12:38pm |
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Ooooh lots of feeds and sunlight...Blake was very jaundiced being prem...I used to lie him in the portacot with the sunlight coming in (but not on his face) with sleeveless/legless bodysuit on and he would lie there and love it.....Saved us from needing to go back to hosp.....
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FionaS
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 12:41pm |
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Congrats on your second baby girl! Didn't realise she was here. Hope you are both well and that her jaundice improves naturally soon. Looking forward to seeing pics!
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Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley
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tishy
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 2:30pm |
Here's a photo of DH and the girls in their incubators on the sunbed, aka Phototherapy:
And here's a close up of Aoife:
Don't know about Auckland but in Wellington the babies could be taken out to be fed. We always had to get a staff member to take them out. Also they were fed every 3 hours and cares were done every 6 hours. They encouraged parents to participate as much as possible. There was only once in 10days that I was left feeling like I shouldn't be there and that nurse we've since labeled the 'Filipino Nazi'. Horrible horrible woman, all the other nurses were absolutely fabulous!
There were comfy chairs available to sit in and feed baby with as well.
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KiwiWonder
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 6:37pm |
Well the good news is that it looks like we won't need it now  This morning's blood test came back at 285, so down from yesterday - as long as she continues to wake / feed well we won't have to do another test even! Still keeping up with the constant sunbathing though.... have to admit I almost burned her today as I'd fallen asleep next to her and when I woke she was in the full-strength sunlight as the sun had moved while we were sleeping  She seems to be ok now though, at least in that regard 
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Margo
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 7:22pm |
Me and Andrew had to go back in to hospital when he was 4 days old. He was in the same sort of set up as Spencer was here in Palmy.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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Maya
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 7:22pm |
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Yay Margo! All three of mine avoided phototherapy by the skins of their teeth, but in hindsight I wish Maya had had it as she stil had elevated bili levels at 10 months.
At Akld if you get readmitted then you're back on the PN ward so there is plenty of room for you and baby.
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tishy
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 8:27pm |
yayy that's great Margo! 
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cuppatea
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 8:27pm |
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That's great news
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Kelpa
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Posted: 04 April 2008 at 9:08pm |
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Eeek thats scary aye waking up and they are in full sunlight...I did that a couple of times with Blake and FELT AWFUL!!!!! :(
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babyg
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Posted: 07 April 2008 at 12:51am |
Sounds like you won't need it anymore which is awesome, but here's a cute piccie of my gal under lights -
She only needed 12hrs to bring her levels down and was due to being prem. I didn't mind her under the lights as she was so contented sunbaking away, and she made a very cute blue baby! Carys' levels didn't drop below 225 for yonks but the m/w said that was because she was 'breastmilk jaundaced' as many babies get.
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Ev, Mum to:
Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007
Spencer James - 2 July 2010
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babyg
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Posted: 07 April 2008 at 12:51am |
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ooo, sorry - photobucket is doing weird things today!
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Ev, Mum to:
Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007
Spencer James - 2 July 2010
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Phototherapy for Jaundiced Newborn?
