Heeeerrree's Jaundice!!

We fully expected this - it is almost guaranteed in premies (and common in full-term babies too) to get Jaundice. It is an inability of the liver to break down excess red blood cells from the birthing process. Those cells collect in the skin and eye tissue and cause a yellowness. The light helps break it down.



William got it first, and by the time this is posted he should be off it. Then Heather and John followed suit the next day. They should all be done by Monday with the treatment.

--Break--

As far as their progress, everything goes very well. Heather and John are both taking 20cc's of formula/milk at each of 4 daily feedings and asking for more! For their size they need to take about 28cc's before they can come off the IV drip. That should be in the next day or two if they continue as they have. Both are back up over the 1800grams necessary to leave the NICU, too. Once they get off the IV, they are going to be weaned off of the heaters over about 3 days. Once that's done they can come home!!

William is fighting hard, but he's just won't be able to make up the distance between him and his siblings before they leave. He was the first to get and finish his Jaundice treatment, the first to start growing (all babies lose a little wieght right after birth), and the first to take food from a bottle. But he's just too small to come home yet. Poor little guy, he's fighting so hard! He'll probably be another week behind John and Heather.