Update on baby Ben and more...

#1 · February 18, 2003, 9:38 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on February 18, 2003, 9:38 pm
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Hello Hope Chest friends,

I wanted to send you a little update on Benjamin, who is now 5 days old. When we took him to the doctor today, not only did we find he had lost 18 ounces since birth (typical of our last few babies), we also got sent back to the hospital for a jaundice blood test. He scored at 20.5, so my doctor's office arranged for a home health nurse to come out and set up a portable double bili light station in Ben's crib. He has to be in it about 50 minutes of every hour for an estimated three days or so. (You can guess that I won't be going much of anywhere soon!)

My main concern, since the doctor told me not to nurse him at least until his bilirubin is measured again (tomorrow afternoon), is that I am going to risk my milk supply, which is obviously not that good anyway. From past experience, I know that I don't have very good success with manual pumps. If any of you who live in the Orlando area have an electric pump or high quality battery pump that I could borrow for a few days, I would be quite grateful. Fortunately, he has taken well to the Lipil formula we've been feeding him this evening. (My midwife did say I can probably nurse him a little, anyway...)

My mom has been here this past week and a half, but is gone for the next few days at least. This morning, she was planning to take three of my children and go visit her parents in Port Charlotte, Florida for a couple of days. However, she got a call this morning that her 90 year old father was going into the hospital with chest pains. He didn't have a heart attack, but might have had one soon without the treatment. He will spend tonight in the hospital, and hopefully go home tomorrow. My mom drove down there this morning by herself, and we don't know how long she will be down there, or how long she will stay here when she comes back. She was planning to sing in a National Christian Choir concert this Sunday evening near Washington, D.C., but might have to miss it. It's actually providential that she was already here in Florida when this happened, because she was able to drive right down to my grandparents' home rather than try to get a flight out of snowbound Baltimore, Maryland.

Thad is going for a job interview (of sorts) tomorrow morning at 9:30, but that's a story for another day.

And finally, the print shop where I've had my books produced for the past three years is going out of business, and I am looking for one with comparable prices. I think I've found one that is a little higher, but still reasonable. I still need to work out the details, and hope that things go smoothly in the transition.

Please say a prayer for my baby Ben, Grandpa Hess, and husband Thad!

Thanks!

Virginia Knowles

www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Hello Hope Chest friends,

I wanted to send you a little update on Benjamin, who is now 5 days old. When we took him to the doctor today, not only did we find he had lost 18 ounces since birth (typical of our last few babies), we also got sent back to the hospital for a jaundice blood test. He scored at 20.5, so my doctor's office arranged for a home health nurse to come out and set up a portable double bili light station in Ben's crib. He has to be in it about 50 minutes of every hour for an estimated three days or so. (You can guess that I won't be going much of anywhere soon!)

My main concern, since the doctor told me not to nurse him at least until his bilirubin is measured again (tomorrow afternoon), is that I am going to risk my milk supply, which is obviously not that good anyway. From past experience, I know that I don't have very good success with manual pumps. If any of you who live in the Orlando area have an electric pump or high quality battery pump that I could borrow for a few days, I would be quite grateful. Fortunately, he has taken well to the Lipil formula we've been feeding him this evening. (My midwife did say I can probably nurse him a little, anyway...)

My mom has been here this past week and a half, but is gone for the next few days at least. This morning, she was planning to take three of my children and go visit her parents in Port Charlotte, Florida for a couple of days. However, she got a call this morning that her 90 year old father was going into the hospital with chest pains. He didn't have a heart attack, but might have had one soon without the treatment. He will spend tonight in the hospital, and hopefully go home tomorrow. My mom drove down there this morning by herself, and we don't know how long she will be down there, or how long she will stay here when she comes back. She was planning to sing in a National Christian Choir concert this Sunday evening near Washington, D.C., but might have to miss it. It's actually providential that she was already here in Florida when this happened, because she was able to drive right down to my grandparents' home rather than try to get a flight out of snowbound Baltimore, Maryland.

Thad is going for a job interview (of sorts) tomorrow morning at 9:30, but that's a story for another day.

And finally, the print shop where I've had my books produced for the past three years is going out of business, and I am looking for one with comparable prices. I think I've found one that is a little higher, but still reasonable. I still need to work out the details, and hope that things go smoothly in the transition.

Please say a prayer for my baby Ben, Grandpa Hess, and husband Thad!

Thanks!

Virginia Knowles

http://www.hopechest.homestead.com/welcome.html