My newborn story

Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the baby’s blood. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that comes from the breakdown of red blood cells(RBCs). It is present in the Liver. The liver removes bilirubin and passes it out through the stool. In some babies, bilirubin builds up faster than the liver would break it down. At this time jaundice occurs. The baby’s skin looks yellow when you press the skin.

After childbirth, through the C-section or vaginal birth, the baby has to be kept under observation for one hour or two, to check his overall health normal heartbeat levels, breathing problems, jaundice, or any other problems. If they are normal and healthy they can go back home or else they will be kept under observation till they become normal.

Healthy newborns get physiological or normal jaundice. This occurs because the newborn baby has more red blood cells(RBCs)  when they are in the mother’s womb. After coming out these extra RBCs die slowly and bilirubin is formed when they break down. This type of jaundice is seen in babies after 2 to 3 days and goes back on its own when the baby is 2 weeks old.

In my case, after my C-Section delivery, my baby was also taken to the observation room and checked. He was overall healthy so the doctor told us that we could go back home. But since I have to stay in the hospital for at least five days due to my operation we took a room in the hospital and stayed there. The first day the pediatrician came to check on my baby, he told me that there was very light jaundice that could be seen in his eyes and told us that it would be better if we kept him under Light Therapy(phototherapy) treatment.  At first, my parents thought it would go away on its own because many newborn babies get jaundice when they are born and it goes away automatically after some time. The next day my baby was fine, but his eyes were a bit yellow, the doctor told us to keep him under treatment to cure faster and I also had to stay there for more than 3 days with the baby for breastfeeding. We didn’t give that much importance to the doctor again and went back home after 5 days.

Now his jaundice increased so much that his face, chest, hands, and legs were all yellow and we got tensed and called the doctor, he told us to come to the hospital. We went and a blood test was taken of the baby to check bilirubin levels and the report said it is increasing every day. The doctor told me that phototherapy has to be done immediately before it is too late. in this therapy, the baby is placed under a special lamp that emits blue-green light. This light changes the structure and shape of the bilirubin molecules and they are excreted out through urine or stool. Babies have to wear only diapers and clothes to cover their eyes.

I remember that was a very difficult moment for me because he was separated in a room and I could just see him through the door. I just went one or two times inside to breastfeed him and missed his smooth skin touching me. It’s tough for a mother who just gave birth to a beautiful baby and suddenly she is not able to hold her tight the whole day.

As I was very weak due to C-section, my parents told me to go home and take a rest and they will be in the hospital to take care of the baby. I didn’t want to go but my parents forced me as staying there can affect my health again. So I went back home crying. That one night, when I didn’t have my baby beside me, was like torture to me. I cried the whole night and missed him so much. I was so tense as I don’t know how he is now if he curing or not what will happen etc. The next day I went back to the hospital to see my little angel and breastfed him and felt a little happy. After 3 days I was very happy that my baby was coming back home. My parents bought the baby home and I was in tears after seeing him.

His jaundice was all gone but still, there was a little bit in his eyes. He looked at me seriously as if I had left him for life. The doctor gave drops to cure his jaundice and told him to keep him in the sunlight for 10 min twice daily. We followed the same every day for at least 40 days. We used to keep him under the yellow bulb also for 2 to 3 hours twice a day for one week.

Due to phototherapy, his body color turned completely black and he was no longer fair. But for a mother, however, the baby is, he is always like an angel to her. I felt the same, color does not matter, what matters is his health and how active he is. I gave him drops and took good care of him and my family helped me with everything as I was not able to do some major things due to my C-section incision like bathing the baby, massaging him, etc. After 40 days he cured completely and started getting his color back.

We all were very happy about his health and everything was normal. But soon another disaster hit me. My baby was again unhealthy with a serious sinus problem. He had a runny nose and a light cough for over a week. We gave him cold and cough drops suggested by our pediatrician, but still, it didn’t go away. One day he started crying continuously as he was not able to breathe properly. We rushed to the hospital and the doctor told us that this was a very serious condition and she asked me how can a 35 day’s old baby get that much cold. The doctor told me that he had to be admitted to the hospital immediately for 3 days. We again were shocked. If anything like this happens with your baby your heart will break down into pieces. We went back home and thought the whole day and thought of visiting our family doctor to get advice. He told me the baby was fine and he just needed some antibiotic drops. So wholeheartedly, we took the drops and came back home and started giving antibiotics for 7 days. By God’s grace, he was cured completely and he was a healthy baby again.

Sometimes it’s better to take advice from more than two experts to come to a correct solution or solve a problem. Babies are like feathers, very delicate and soft. It’s our responsibility to take good care of them and give them a healthy lifestyle.