Kaylee Paige

by Jennifer Redmon

On Wednesday, February 18th, 2004, the day started out like any other ordinary day since I had returned to work from my maternity leave just the Monday before. I dropped the kids off (Kaylee Paige now 7 weeks and Taylor 3 years), went to work, came to the babysitter's for Kaylee's 11 o'clock feeding on my lunch hour, picked the kids up at 5 and headed home. Nothing was different at home with the same routine of dinner, dishes, baths and bedtime. But during Kaylee's bath, she had diarrhea in the water which was very unusual. And, it was green, even more unusual. I got her out and cleaned her off, got her dressed and ready to begin her nightly feeding when I noticed that she was very warm. She had a fever of 100.5 F (rectal reading). More diarrhea followed, this time it was neon green. I called the pediatrician who recommended we undress and watch her, possibly put her back in the bath to cool her down a bit. We did all of this and to our dismay, the thermometer read 101.9 F. We called back and were instructed to go to the emergency room.

We were checked into the ER and her temp was taken again, it was 102.9 F and seemed to be steadily climbing. The increase in temperature had taken place all within a matter of 1 hour. Still, she had been given no Tylenol and was red as a beet. The doctor examined her and called our chief pediatrician. After consulting with him, he returned to deliver the news to us. "She is going to have a spinal tap, blood drawn, antibiotics administered through IV, X-rays and we are going to admit her", the words still ring in my head. My husband held me as I sobbed uncontrollably. They believed that she could have meningitis or Group B Strep even though I had been treated for that in labor just 6 short weeks ago. Then the miracle began. It was almost as though my brain and body had a very in depth conversation and my breasts instantaneously began to fill with milk. Not just a little bit either, it was a gushing event, I could feel my skin bulging out underneath my sweatshirt.

I nursed my sweet infant by leaning my breast over the hospital bed while they poked their way through her arm in search for a vein. She screamed and cried all the while comforted by my breast in her mouth and the milk she was half-hazardly drinking. After each attempt, I would pick her up, put her to my breast and sing to soothe her...our eyes gazing at each other's. I held her and fed her while they gave her an Ampicillin injection in her tiny little leg since they could not get the IV in. It seemed to calm her and again, I made more milk. The real test on our nerves was the spinal tap. We were not allowed to be with her. It was the most heart-wrenching thing I have ever had to hear in my life. My poor baby daughter was being held in a fetal position, naked, by the nurse and doctor while a needle was being put in her back to draw spinal fluid out. I believe that I don't have to say anymore, you can imagine our horror. As soon as it was over I cried while she nursed feverishly to calm herself. Eventually they did get the IV in her tiny little arm after attempts to her thighs, feet and even her head.

We waited for the results of the tests....spinal fluid, negative, Thank God. We got settled into our room at 5 a.m. I sat on the bed in a tailor position while I had Kaylee on two pillows beside me nursing in an almost football hold, her IV splint had to be kept straight so she wouldn't repoke herself. We had her arm propped on a pillow and a soft fleece blanket covering the rest of her since she was still warm. They administered Tylenol and her fever broke. She was ill and sleepy, not wanting to nurse. I pumped every two hours because my breasts would engorge. I stored the milk in the nurse's freezer and they were very happy to oblige.

Eventually all the tests came back negative except for one, the Rotavirus. Extracted from her feces, it was the one straw that broke the camel's back. A virus obtained from fecal material, often from changing a baby's diaper and then changing another's at a childcare facility. My children are in a private home, it can happen anywhere. The solution, frequent hand washing after changing each diaper and sanitizing gel all over the house. The remedy for the dehydration, frequent breastfeedings. I was happy to oblige. I nursed baby Kaylee every two hours the second day and napped in between feedings with her. She was feeling much better. They sent us home after two days in the hospital.

The nurses congratulated me on providing enough nourishment for our daughter that she did not need an additional bag of fluids with her antibiotics. I told them to pay their respects to my body because it only did what a mother's body should do, protect it's young. Breastfeeding will always be a rock and source of strength for our family!