6 weeks

Ryan turned 6 weeks old last Saturday. Today 6 weeks ago I was told he had jaundice and would need to go in the NICU. Kaiser in West LA doesn't have a nursery (all babies are roomed with their mommies) and he needed the lights for jaundice so the only place for him to get treatment was in the NICU. I cried so hard when the doctor told us he was leaving our room. I knew that jaundice wasn't serious (both of our brothers had it as well as several of my nieces and nephews) but I was a bit hormonal and emotional. It was so sad walking him down the hallway to the NICU and having to scrub up to visit our son. It was so sad to see him hooked up to all the monitors. The NICU staff was very supportive of me breastfeeding during the day and pumping at night. We would supplement the breast milk with formula.

On Tuesday the NICU doctor on duty was concerned about a possible infection on his head. During delivery monitors were connected to his scalp and they left marks, especially because the doctor tried a vacuum.

Ryan's jaundice count was good by Wednesday evening but they need to keep him until Friday because they need the test results from his scalp.

The doctors were nice and we stayed at the hospital until Thursday and we walked out to our car after the 5pm feeding. We returned on Friday morning and were so relieved when they said he could come home that day, healthy, with no infection, and with only ointment to apply to his head. It was such a relief and incredible to nurse our baby with no cords attached to him. It didn't know how I would survive another night without him home with us. I know that we are so blessed because he didn't qualify to be in a NICU, it was just that our hospital didn't have a nursery to treat him. I have so much more compassion for parents that have children in the NICU for extended periods of time.

 just out of the womb!!

 working on my summer tan!!

 Grandma Chambers feeding her youngest grandson.