Lucy's Stay in the NICU

Before you get nervous with the subject of this post, know that Lucy is okay. Our little Lucy's first six hours were uneventful. Around 10:30 or 11 pm, one of the nurses took Lucy to the nursery for some of her routine  newborn tests. While in the nursery, Lucy turned blue around her lips twice within a half hour or so. The nurses and doctors called them dusky spells. She was taken up to the NICU for monitoring.

Flash back to the morning she was born as we were sending Elliott and Dutch off with my parents.



I went up to see Lucy in the NICU as soon as she was settled (Jesse had gone home to get much-needed rest). It was difficult to see our little girl hooked up to an IV and all sorts of monitors but I knew she was getting the best care available. The wonderful nurses explained all the possibilities in a calm and caring manner. It could be nothing, or it could be something scary. They treat for the worst possibility until they know otherwise. One of the scarier causes of dusky spells is a blood infection. The effects are dangerous so they treat with antibiotics until a 48 hour blood culture comes back negative. They explained that the likely causes were either that she held her breath for a bit or that a skin flap in her heart had not yet closed. Blood flows in and out of the heart in the womb, bypassing the lungs. After birth, blood circulates through the lungs. There is a small skin flap that seals after this transition. If the skin flap does not seal right away, there can be mixing of the blue and red blood, causing the baby to turn blue.

We spent the next two days moving between Lucy's home in the NICU and my hospital room. We were with her as much as we could be but I attempted to get some rest, unsuccessfully most of the time.

On her first full day "out," Lucy had an echocardiogram to rule out any heart issues. She passed with flying colors. She stayed in the NICU until her 48 hour blood culture came back clean and was then discharged. The doctors, nurses, and support staff at Sisters Hospital were beyond wonderful. They went to great lengths to make us feel comfortable and safe. We had complete confidence in their care of both Lucy and me. They even let us stay an extra night to be close to Lucy. I was discharged on Thursday but Lucy had to stay until Friday. The hospital has two family suites across from the NICU that are available to parents who have been discharged. And, they are free of charge, an amazing thing in this world.

After our unexpected extended stay, we were on our way home!

Lucy at home, where she belongs.

For the two days Lucy was in the NICU, I was very composed. I only had one breakdown on the first night when Jesse asked if I was okay (dangerous question given Lucy's move to the NICU and my level of exhaustion). As I said, the staff in the NICU and the maternity ward were amazing and made us feel safe and well cared for. We also gained perspective in seeing very fragile babies next to our big, healthy girl. There were babies fighting for their lives in there. We were present when one set of parents was able to hold their son for the first time after he had been born in mid-August. We were the lucky ones. But now, writing this two weeks later, I find myself tearing up. We are already so attached to Lucy. She is part of our family. The thought of her not being okay is terrifying to me. So, with tears now streaming down my face, I think I'll stop writing.