Day 2: Second Day After the Baby was Born

Since Haley was born late Saturday night, it was well past midnight by the time we got taken to the family unit at the hospital.  My body was getting really tired and I could feel the epi was getting worn out a little.  I really wanted to sleep and although I was hungry, I had to try breast feeding her.  Haley cried and cried.  I was assisted with a breast pump to see if colostrum milk was present, but I saw nothing.  BF was harder than I thought and she woke up crying every 5 min that night.  She was like a contraction 5 min apart!!  Joe slept on the couch bed, but we didn't get any sleep at all. 

A nurse came into the room every hour or 2 to check on Haley.  Since one of my feet were still numb, I had to have nurses support me to go to bath room.  I didn't feel any pain, but oh my....I was bleeding heavily.  The "sexy" gigantic pantie, pad & ice pack were all new to me, but so necessary for a recovery.

Even though I was so exhausted from the labor and lack of sleep, I couldn't take eyes off from Haley when we did skin-to-skin contact.  This is my baby who was in my belly for 10 months and I am finally holding her.  The feeling was just surreal. 

A doctor came into the room in the morning to check on Haley.  He said, "She might develop a jaundice because she didn't inherit mother's blood type, so we will be monitoring her closely.  The best way to get rid of a jaundice is to breast feed as much as you can.  It will get worse in a day or 2.  The jaundice will make her sleepy and she wouldn't eat at all which will cause her to dehydrate"  I've heard about a jaundice, but I had no ideas what it really is and a blood type can cause an issue, so I looked it up on google.

Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems): if a baby has a different blood type than the mother, the mother might produce antibodies that destroy the infant's red blood cells. This creates a sudden buildup of bilirubin in the baby's blood. Incompatibility jaundice can begin as early as the first day of life. Rh problems once caused the most severe form of jaundice. 

When I learned this, I couldn't stop crying.  I know it was not my fault, but I felt like I was hurting her and it was my lack of BF skills that she might get really sick.  I had a serious meltdown on day 2.  A nurse / lactation consultant came in many times to coach me on BF, but Haley screamed and didn't latch.  I also know no colostrum was coming out, so what baby wants to be breast fed?!?!  I don't remember being this emotional in an exhausted condition in my life.  I really thought I was going to break down at day 2 of my daughter's birth.  Joe kept encouraging me and told me it wasn't my fault, but I felt so responsible for causing this and couldn't stop blaming myself.                

Day 1: My Little Cherry Blossom's Arrival

Haley Sakura Borchelt was born on her due date of March 23rd, 2013 at 10:22 pm on Saturday at Christ hospital in Cincinnati, OH. 

She was a healthy girl weighing 7 pounds 1 oz and 19.5 inch long. 

We have been waiting for her arrival for a long time and are over the moon to finally meet our little cherry blossom baby!!!!!  Welcome to the world!!!



Hello, Haley Sakura!!