Gigantababy PANIC stations

Okay, so Connor (Gigantababy)has turned yellow. His eyes aren't, but his skin is definitely and interesting shade of yellow. Nick took him to the doctor two days ago and was sent for blood tests (so glad the hubby had to hold him for those). Five little vials of blood out of his little foot later and we were told not to expect to hear anything unless something was wrong. This morning at 9.20am we had a phonecall from the nurse at the clinic - Connor's blood test results are back and we need to make an appointment to see Dr Wong (the coolest kiddie GP on the planet) immediately. PANIC. BIG PANIC. MORE HUGE PANIC. Needless to say, I got on the phone to the hubby straight away. Except he wasn't there. He and his largely English team had gone on an extended 'tea' break. Twenty minutes of non-stop phoning, emailing and messaging later, I phoned the company receptionist to send someone up to his floor's tearoom to retrieve him. Then another 20 minute wait for him to get home. Then 10 minutes to get to the doctors and 15 minutes of waiting in the reception while the grumpy woman behind the desk complained to all of the patients that provided cash for their overpriced appts rather than having the correct change or using EFTPOS. For the record, I can't believe how many people carry around $50 notes. In any case...the waiting. Nick and I were completely beside ourselves. Completely. It was just like when he went pale, floppy and passed out when he was 4 days old. Same panic. Just several months later. (Have I built up the level of panic we were feeling up to a climax yet?) In any case, we sit down in the room...and Connor has.....serious aneamia. Apparently breastfeeding ISN'T great if you are aneamic and the fact that Connor has been on formula for the past three weeks is the reason that his iron is starting to return (he had hit 0 stores apparently). So, we've got a little guy that is going to be introduced to the wonders of liver with almost every meal over the next three months. Then hopefully, he'll be back to a nice shade of pale rather than yellow and it will rule out any of the diseases that cause a lack of iron absorbsion. So, things learnt today - if your baby turns yellow but doesn't have yellow eyes - check out the iron levels.

Edited by emeldee

ewwwwwww Liver!

I'm glad the panic is over. In some ways it would have been worse if she had made you an appointment for in a couple of days and you would have stressed every day until then!

Do you know why he's anaemic? Are you anaemic?

I KNOW!!!! For an hour and a half I was completely out of my tree with worry, with a gazillion things going through my head...and I even asked the evil troll nurse "Is this something I should be really worried about?" when she rang and she told me that she couldn't say but that Dr Wong had asked to make an appointment as soon as possible!!!! Grrrrrr. I'm anaemic - have been on iron tablets for years - but apparently having two children (and big ones at that) so close together has completely destroyed the reserves and the six months breastfeeding that I did because they told me he had a milk (formula) intolerance meant that the complete lack of iron went down the food chain to the little guy. His health is improving with the formula. Dr Wong seems to think that if he is retested in 3 months time (and after he gets at least two servings of liver a week over that time) that his reserves will be up to normal. I'm soooooooo grateful to the universe that iron deficiency is all that it is. I can cope with the yukky smell of liver.

I find that really interesting. My mum is anaemic (but is a bit "a la naturale" so refuses to have iron supplements but still doesn't buy enough good meat). She also recently found out that she is dairy intolerant and she suspects the younger children may also be dairy intolerant. Those children were bf for around 2yrs each.... so I often wonder if there was a link.

Yeeeepppp... dairy and iron are NOT good friends.  You're fine if you have them 2 hours apart though.  I'm glad he's going to be OK - far out what a drama for you guys - I'd have been packing myself with worry!  Poor Connor - get well soon, little gigantababy! 

For the record... my bro turned orange as a young toddler.  Carotine poisioning, they called it!  (went through a v fussy stage - nothing but carrots would do).  No bad side-effects of it, so I think the word 'poisioning' is a bit over the top.  But if your bubs starts looking like a member of the Simpsons family, consider how many carrots they eat as well! 

you are a great big meanie making me panic like that, I had tears welling up in my eyes!

Glad Connor is OK and that the problem should be easily solved

Eek Maree, scary for you! Glad to hear wee (or not so wee as teh case may be) Gigantababy is going to be OK. You must have been terrified! Mmmmm, liver

Gosh what a scare! Grrr at the nurse, and Grrr at DH for not knowing you would be trying to get hold of him!

Hope everything gets back to better than normal quickly!