A DUBBO mother is calling for donations to help purchase four biliblankets for the special care nursery (SCN) at Dubbo Hospital.
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Jenn Clark decided to raise the funds, after her son Theo was diagnosed with severe jaundice at just four-days-old, and was confined to an isolation crib ('isolette') in Dubbo Hospital's SCN.
Theodore had elevated levels of bilirubin in his body, and required phototherapy to break the chemical down until his liver was fully functioning.
For a few hours each day, he could come out to be breastfed. The remainder of his feeding was done through a nose tube.
"His bilirubin levels were at 410 and at 430 you need a blood transfusion, so he was actually prepped for a blood transfusion," Ms Clark said.
"He was in the isolette having phototherapy for a couple of days and you could only get him out for a feed every six hours, for a maximum of an hour.
"This was a tough period for us both... not being able to be held except once every six hours. It broke my heart."
Five months later Theodore is bright-eyed and bubbly, and Jenn is raising funds to help sick babies recover more quickly, and make jaundice treatment easier on mum and bub.
Worth around $3000 each, the biliblankets help to break the bilirubin more quickly.
"With babies that are not as serious they might have the potential to room in with mum and come out to breastfeed more often," Jenn said.
"When I was up there they had four isolettes so if we can get one for each that would be fantastic."
She has already raised $1000, and has been blown away by the generosity of Dubbo businesses and residents so far.
"I'm amazed at how many people have needed the help of the special care nursery, it's like it's helped everyone," she said.
For more information contact Ms Clark on 0412 449 114 or visit www.facebook.com/Dubbospecialcarenurserybiliblanket