Leaving the hospital

We were told on August 11th that we would be discharged from Brookwood Hospital on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 and could leave anytime we were ready to go that day. I knew it was going to be a very exciting day and a very busy one.

The night before we were supposed to be discharged, Mom(that's me), went with Jillian to the well baby nursery at around midnight to see what they do there when they come pick up the babies from your hospital suite. It was very interesting and systematic, yet loving. They put their rolling cribs in a line and attend to each one as they come into the nursery. They weigh them, give them a bath, put the good smelling baby lotion on them, check them out, swaddle them, and send them back to their rooms, if they are rooming in, which is what we chose to do every night.

The next morning, the pediatrician visited us first thing and let us know that Jillian had a slight case of jaundice and he would like to see her back in his office tomorrow for follow up check up. It wasn't enough to warrant keeping her at the hospital so that made me feel a little better. I got a little breakfast to give me energy, then I got a shower while Dad tended to Jillian. We packed up our bags and gifts from family, friends and co-workers, called the valet for our car and got Jillian dressed in her coming home outfit. We ended up leaving afer lunchtime and Jillian was so cute in her coming home outfit. Since her nursery is mostly duckies and froggies, it was fitting to dress her in a yellow duck gown complete with a yellow duck cap to cover her little head.



We bought the lovely layette set at Strasburg Children's in Brookwood Mall, right down the hill from the hospital where she was born.

Here she is all swaddled up and ready for the ride home:





Dad got the car and our bags situated. It was a rainy afternoon but thankfully the valet area was covered. Dad positioned himself to videotape our exit from the hospital with me in the wheelchair and Jillian in my arms. After we did that, we loaded into the car for the first time as the new Philpott family of 3. Jillian slept most of the way home from the hospital which allowed us to stop by the drugstore and fill my prescriptions, as well as a quick grocery store trip by Dad. We were glad to get home that afternoon and Grandma and Grandpa McDonald (aka Bon Bon and Papasan) were waiting for us to arrive and help us get into our home. Once we were settled in, we kissed the grandparents goodbye and they headed home to Mobile, Alabama. We were all very tired and ready to start the next part of our journey with Jillian!