Holly Madison’s baby was in intensive care

Holly Madison’s baby son was hooked up to "a million machines" shortly after his birth.

The 36-year-old beauty had a few "stressful" days after her and husband Pasquale Rotella’s second child, son Forest, was born last month as he had to be treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to a number of health problems.

She told People magazine: "[Hospital staff] took him away to get the fluid out of his lungs. First it was the fluid, then it was jaundice, then his eyes weren’t dilating, and I spent hours thinking my baby couldn’t see."

But after three days, Holly and Pasquale – who also have three-year-old daughter Rainbow together – were told by medics their new baby was healthy and they could take him home.

And while the former ‘Girls Next Door’ star found those first few days "super emotional", the experience has made parenthood even more meaningful for her.

She said "It was such a relief."

Holly is relieved her "sweet" son has settled into the family well, and is thankful Rainbow has "been great" with her new baby brother.

But all hasn’t gone smoothly as Holly is still getting to grips with Forest’s diaper changes.

She laughed: "Diaper changes are way harder with a boy. I’m getting hosed down on a regular basis!"

The television personality – who married Pasquale in 2013, five years after she split from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner after seven years together – announced she was expanding her brood and expecting her second child in January this year, and two months later revealed she was having a boy.