Landry's NICU Stay

Around two hours after delivery, Landry Kate was taken for evaluation and I was moved out of labor & delivery to the maternity ward.  We got settled around 2AM and got a little rest.  However, it was at that time we were told Landry had some breathing issues when she was being evaluated and she was being held by the doctor for further examination.  Since Carter had the same issues, we weren't too concerned at that point...plus we were so exhausted and were happy to get a little more rest.  

However, early the next morning (Friday, January 2nd), the nurse practitioner from the NICU came by to talk to us.  She told us that Landry had been admitted to the NICU because of the "episode" she had when being cleaned up. She apparently stopped breathing for a bit and needed stimulation to start up again. After this, her oxygen saturation was low. She said that could possibly be due to her having trouble transitioning to being outside womb or that it could be a sign of infection. However, the NICU was full at that time and she warned us that unless some babies were taken out of there soon, that she might be transferred to Kosair's Hospital in Louisville (around 4 hours away from home!).  They started her on IV antibiotics in case it was an infection and took a culture to test to see if there was one, which would be checked 2 days later for any growth. During that waiting time, she would stay on the IV and be closely monitored and I was to go down to the NICU to nurse her every 3 hours.  It was quite scary going to see her the first time since she had the IV in her head and all of the other cords and monitors everywhere else.  And trying to nurse a baby with all of that was quite challenging...it made nursing seem like a breeze once they were all off! 

Carter got to meet Landry that night through the glass of the NICU.  He wasn't quite sure what to think of her!  He probably had more fun in my hospital room pushing buttons on my bed (paging the nurse's desk on accident!) and acting wild.  He was not upset at all about leaving us there and going back with my parents, which was my biggest worry.  

The next day (Saturday, January 3rd) we got more bad news.  We were told Landry's sugar levels were not maintaining the levels they needed to be at.  Apparently this is really common in bigger babies...who knew chunky babies weren't the healthiest!?  Anyways, they were now also concerned by that, although they reassured me that with more feedings that should take care of itself.  They tried several different things over the next couple of days to try to get the levels in check in addition to giving her some sugary fluid through her IV.  I nursed her then pumped, and she was given that extra milk by bottle just in case she wasn't nursing efficiently.  They also tried some very high calorie formula once just to give her a boost. 

Once the labs came back negative for infection on the morning of the 4th, the IV was removed. Her blood sugar finally leveled out to a place the doctor was happy with on the 5th.  Then there was another scare with her oxygen levels, but it turned out to be a problem with the equipment, not her! 

The NICU policy is to have the baby sent out to room-in with the parents for 2 nights after the baby is released just to get the parents comfortable and still keep a check on the baby. We got really lucky and were only made to room-in at the hospital for one night, the night of the fifth.  She was still hooked up to the oxygen monitor when we got her, so we had even more reassurance that things were fine.  It was so nice to be able to have her to ourselves so we could hold her as much as we wanted...in the NICU they were very nice and all, but we felt like we needed to get out of their way and not bother them for a long time after feedings.  So we snuggled her a lot that night! :)  

We got to check out of the hospital around 2PM the next day, January 6th, miss Landry Kate's original due date.  We had a few hours alone around the house until my mom had gotten off work and picked up Carter man from his babysitter's to bring him to us.  Carter checked her out a bit, kissed her, and gave her his favorite blankey, but then he was off to play with his toys!  I guess he really missed them from being away from the house for nearly a week.  

And finally we were able to settle in and start living as a family of four!