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What
jaundice?

​Many newborns will develop jaundice during the first week of life. Jaundice is the yellow color seen on newborn skin due to the chemical bilirubin. Bilirubin is formed when red blood cells are broken down. It is cleared by the liver and then excreted in stool and urine. Mild jaundice occurs in many babies but very high levels of bilirubin can be dangerous. Most parents will first note the yellow color on the baby’s face and then it spreads to the chest, belly and then the legs.

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What are other signs of jaundice?

Babies can become very sleepy and feed poorly. The baby may cry a lot or be very fussy.

When should I be worried that my baby is too jaundiced?

If you notice that your baby is jaundiced to the belly or legs, he should see a doctor. A blood test will be ordered to check the bilirubin level in the blood. The doctor will use treatment guidelines to decide if your baby needs treatment.

What babies have an increased risk for jaundice?

If a mother is O blood type and her baby is A or B blood type, there is a blood type mismatch that can lead to more trouble

with jaundice. The doctor will often check a “Coombs” test in these babies to see if they are breaking down red blood cells more rapidly. Babies with a blood type mismatch will often need treatment longer because they are breaking down more red blood cells.

Prematurity, poor feeding, and sick babies also have more trouble with jaundice.

How is jaundice treated?

Mild jaundice will resolve on its own after 1-2 weeks. To decrease jaundice, feed your baby every 2-3 hours to help your baby get rid of bilirubin in the stool and urine. Sometimes a baby needs extra breast milk or formula for hydration. Placing your baby in sunlight or by a window DOES NOT work. The baby can be exposed to harmful UVA/UVB rays so we do not recommend this. Your doctor may

recommend phototherapy treatment to decrease your baby’s bilirubin level.

What is phototherapy?

Special lights can be used to change the bilirubin in your baby’s skin into a compound she can eliminate in her urine. This light does not have UVA/UVB rays and the baby wears protective goggles to keep her eyes covered. Use the lights as much as possible until your doctor says they are no longer needed (usually when your baby’s level is several points below treatment levels).

Will jaundice come back?

Usually, jaundice is a problem for just the first week or two of life. When there is a blood type mismatch or the baby is premature, a second treatment with phototherapy lights is sometimes needed.

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