Bili Be Gone

What a week! Poor Ben is jaundice and has been on photo therapy at home 24/7 since Tuesday. They tested his bilirubin levels before we left the hospital and his levels were not high enough to treat at that time. We have had a lot of issues trying to get him to nurse and once we went home from the hospital, things got worse and they believe that his dehydration made his bilirubin levels raise. He lost weight at the first pediatrician visit last Thursday (never a good thing) and I have been pumping to give him extra food since he still isn't nursing well. I never expected to have such difficulties since I has such a positive experience nursing MB for 10 months without supplementing. We went back to see the doctor this Tuesday and the good news is that he gained four ounces but his jaundice was even worse than before. They sent us straight to the hospital to have his blood drawn and we have been on photo therapy ever since. Fortunately, our pediatrician has a portable light that we could take home but we are so tired of that light since he has to be on it all the time. It makes everything more challenging. We have returned to the hospital to check his levels three times this week and we have to go again in the morning and probably on Monday. The tough little guy hardly flinches now when they stick his heel. He has been such a trooper through all of this and rarely complains. We can't wait for his levels to be normal so we can get rid of the light and start trying to nurse full time again. He is such a sweet baby and we pray that he will be 100% by the end of the weekend! Here are a few pictures from the past week.

5 Day lamb photo. The lamb has returned to looking large with such a tiny subject by his side. I love that their heads are leaning in the same direction.
MB giving Ben a "hug" through the mini crib.
So peaceful with his little jaundice tan.

Lots of sleeping going on around here (for the kids at least).

MB and I had a date at Barnes & Noble for a book reading. This is going to be our Tuesday morning tradition so we can spend some special time together.

Lots of love for this little girl.

Our little glow worm sleeping on the lights.

He even has to be on the lights when we put him in the car seat to go to the hospital. You can't see the lights here since they are under his pajamas but you can see the cords that we always have with us.