JAUNDICE AND YOUR NEWBORN
To make sure your baby’s first weeks are safe
and healthy, it is important that:
• Your baby is checked for jaundice in the hospital
• If you are breastfeeding, you get the help you need
to make sure it is going well
• Your baby is seen again by a health care professional
at 2-3 days after discharge
Q: What is jaundice?
A: Jaundice is the yellow color seen in the skin of many
newborns. It happens when a chemical called bilirubin builds
up in the baby’s blood. Jaundice can occur in babies
of any race or color.
Q: Why is jaundice common in newborns?
A: Everyone’s blood contains bilirubin, which is removed
by the liver. Before birth, the mother’s liver does
this for the baby. Most babies develop jaundice in the first
few days after birth because it takes a few days for the
baby’s liver to get better at removing bilirubin.
Q: How can I tell if my baby is jaundiced?
A: The skin of a baby with jaundice usually appears yellow.
The best way to see jaundice is in good light, such as daylight
or under fluorescent lights (not a regular light bulb).
Jaundice usually appears in the face and then moves to the
chest, abdomen, arms, and legs as the bilirubin level increases.
The whites of the eyes will usually be yellow. Jaundice
may be harder to see in babies with darker skin color.
Q: Can jaundice hurt my baby?
A: Most infants have mild jaundice that is harmless, but
in unusual situations, the bilirubin level can get very
high and might cause brain damage. This is why newborns
should be checked carefully for jaundice and treated to
prevent a high bilirubin level.
Q: How is my baby checked for jaundice?
A: If your baby looks jaundiced in the first few days after
birth, your baby’s doctor or nurse practitioner may
use a skin test or blood test to check your baby’s
bilirubin level. A bilirubin level is always needed if jaundice
develops before the baby is 24 hours old. Whether a test
is needed after that depends on the baby’s age, the
amount of jaundice, and whether the baby has other factors
that make jaundice more likely or harder to see.
Q: Does breastfeeding affect jaundice?
A: Jaundice is more common in babies who are breastfed than
babies who are formula fed, but this occurs mainly in infants
who are not nursing well. If you are breastfeeding, you
should nurse your baby at least 8 to 12 times a day for
the first few weeks. This will help you produce enough milk
and will help to keep the baby’s bilirubin level down.
If you are having trouble breastfeeding, ask your baby’s
doctor, nurse practitioner, or lactation specialist for
help. Breast milk is the ideal food for your baby.
Q: When should my newborn get checked after leaving
the hospital?
A: It is important for your baby to be seen in our office
when the baby is between 3 and 5 days old because this is
usually when a baby’s bilirubin is highest. The timing
of this may vary depending on your baby’s age, when
the baby was released from the hospital, and other factors.
Q: Which babies require more attention for jaundice?
A: Some babies have a greater risk for high levels of bilirubin and may need to be seen sooner after discharge from the hospital. Ask your doctor about any early follow-up visits if your baby has any of the following:
A high bilirubin level before leaving the hospital
Early birth (more than 2 weeks before the due date)
Jaundice in the first 24 hours after birth
Breastfeeding is not going well
A lot of bruising or bleeding under the scalp related to labor and delivery
A parent or sibling who had high bilirubin and received light therapy.
Q: When should I call my baby's doctor or nurse practitioner?
A: Call you baby's doctor or nurse practitioner if:
Your baby's skin turns yellow
Your baby's abdomen, arms, or legs are yellow
Your baby is jaundiced and is hard to wake, fussy, or not nursing or taking formula well.
Q: How is jaundice prevented?
A: Most jaundice requires no treatment. When treatment is necessary, formula supplementation to increase digestion and bowel movements, or placing your baby under special lights (prescribed by our office) while he or she is undressed will lower the bilirubin level. Depending on your baby's bilirubin level, this can be done in the hospital or at home. Jaundice is treated at levels that are much lower than those at which brain damage is a concern. Treatment can prevent the harmful effects of jaundice.
Q: When does jaundice go away?
A: In breast fed infants, jaundice often lasts for more than 2 to 3 weeks. In formula fed infants, most jaundice goes away by 2 weeks. If your baby is jaundiced for more than 3 weeks or is getting worse, see your baby's doctor or nurse practitioner.
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