Jaundice

My redheaded, jaundiced baby took about 3 weeks for the pumpkim orange color to completely go away. If his numbers are good, don't worry about his color! He will be fine!

hi my son and daughter both had bad cases of this..... it really depends on what your doing... sitting in the sunlight,breast feeding and all that... my daughter was really bad and i sat outside with her in the sun for 2days as much as i could and she was fine after that... her color had already started to look more babyish ;) hope that is somewhat helpful

My one month old had this and was almost put on lights too. The easiest answer is that once the levels of biliruben (sp) level out enough to where you don't have to have blood draws all the time and they can take your baby off the lights you should notice a big diffrence. Every baby is diffrent, but most reach there peak levels at between 7 and 10 days old then they start to get rid of it fast.

If he is at a 12.2, he's doing great. Most likely it was just physiological jaundice, totally normal for a healthy baby. It's also more common in breastfed babies because the bilirubin is an antioxidant. It's only dangerous if it gets too high, but many Peds go the preventative route and put the baby on bili blankets even when it was passing through all on its own.

The yellow color can sometimes take a month or so to go away. Soaking your baby in a warm bath with only his face exposed will help the bilirubin to get pushed away from his skin by hydrostatic pressure. Also, sunshine helps convert the bilirubin to the kind that is easily excreted in the poop. Breastfeeding often also helps.

Congratulations on your healthy little boy!

The fading color has a lot to do with complexion of the child and if the jaundice is completely under control. Yes, it will clear up.

My son also had jaundice. They put him on the biliblanket as well as under the lights for two days in the hospital. He still had a 12 count when I took him home. Luckily my milk came in pretty quickly (the last day I was in the hospital) (was there 4 days with a c-section) so that helped alot. He still appeared to have a slight yellow tint and tint in his eyes for up to two weeks, but I never I had to do anything special or take him back into the hospital. Feed him as often as possible (if you are nursing especially). If you are breastfeeding, you may even want to supplement if he is not getting enought to eat or frequent bowel movements. (I had to give him formula several times in the hospital and for a few feedings a few days after I came home because he had trouble latching on). Your son should be getting better everyday. And don't worry about supplementing with formula in the very beginning to help him get enough milk - I did and I am still breastfeeding with great success at 14 months. Congratulations and good luck!!

Hi M. ~

Congratulations on your new little baby boy!

I had a billi-baby too. It took about a week to ten days for his jaundice to clear up. he was a preemie, and came home on the 12th day. In his case, we had to wait until he gained enough weight to leave the intensive care nursery.

my son was on a double blanket for two weeks and I think it took at least a week beyond that.... two of my 4 have had it pretty severe and they say the white's of the eyes clear up first then the skin - but I know that 12 is low considering that when my 4th was born weeks ago shet was 10.1 and that was just across the line - also I think my 3rd was at 19 at his worst - it will pass- good luck

Hi M.! My daughter had jaundice pretty bad when she was born. She was born on a Monday. By Wed her biliruben count was 24! She ended up at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati to help it along. She was realeased on Sat with a count around 14. By Monday (one week) she was around a 12. I think middle of that week she came down to around an 8.

The best thing you can do is sunlight. Obviously don't let her get sun-burnt but sunlight is key to knocking it out quick. It's like a HUGE biliblanket. LOL! Good luck.

Hi M.,

My son had Jaundice when he was 5 days old, we kept in the sun by the windows with just his diapers on for several days, and that did the track, sunshine is the best way to get rid of Jaundice, also note that the Jaundice flares up on the 5th day and slowly comes back down, I was a little freaked out when it happened and had to go to the doctor for reassurance, hopefully this will help. God Bless.

A common condition in newborns, jaundice refers to the yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells.

Normally, bilirubin passes through the liver and is excreted as bile through the intestines. Jaundice occurs when bilirubin builds up faster than a newborn's liver can break it down and pass it from the body. Reasons for this include:

•Newborns make more bilirubin than adults do since they have more turnover of red blood cells.
•A newborn baby's still-developing liver may not yet be able to remove adequate bilirubin from the blood.
•Too large an amount of bilirubin is reabsorbed from the intestines before the baby gets rid of it in the stool.
High levels of bilirubin — usually above 25 mg — can cause deafness, cerebral palsy, or other forms of brain damage in some babies. In less common cases, jaundice may indicate the presence of another condition, such as an infection or a thyroid problem. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should be examined for jaundice within a few days of birth.

Types of Jaundice
The most common types of jaundice are:

Physiological (normal) jaundice: occurring in most newborns, this mild jaundice is due to the immaturity of the baby's liver, which leads to a slow processing of bilirubin. It generally appears at 2 to 4 days of age and disappears by 1 to 2 weeks of age.

Jaundice of prematurity: occurs frequently in premature babies since they are even less ready to excrete bilirubin effectively. Jaundice in premature babies needs to be treated at a lower bilirubin level than in full term babies in order to avoid complications.

Breastfeeding jaundice: jaundice can occur when a breastfeeding baby is not getting enough breast milk because of difficulty with breastfeeding or because the mother's milk isn’t in yet. This is not caused by a problem with the breast milk itself, but by the baby not getting enough to drink.

ContinueBreast milk jaundice: in 1% to 2% of breastfed babies, jaundice may be caused by substances produced in their mother's breast milk that can cause the bilirubin level to rise. These can prevent the excretion of bilirubin through the intestines. It starts after the first 3 to 5 days and slowly improves over 3 to 12 weeks.
Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems): if a baby has a different blood type than the mother, the mother might produce antibodies that destroy the infant's red blood cells. This creates a sudden buildup of bilirubin in the baby's blood. Incompatibility jaundice can begin as early as the first day of life. Rh problems once caused the most severe form of jaundice, but now can be prevented with an injection of Rh immune globulin to the mother within 72 hours after delivery, which prevents her from forming antibodies that might endanger any subsequent babies.
Symptoms and DiagnosisJaundice usually appears around the second or third day of life. It begins at the head and progresses downward. A jaundiced baby's skin will usually appear yellow first on the face, followed by the chest and stomach, and finally, the legs. It can also cause the whites of an infant's eyes to appear yellow.
Since many babies are now released from the hospital at 1 or 2 days of life, it is best for the baby to be seen by a doctor within 1 to 2 days of leaving the hospital to check for jaundice. Parents should also keep an eye on their infants to detect jaundice.
If you notice your baby’s skin or eyes looking yellow you should contact your child's doctor to see if significant jaundice is present.
At the doctor's office, a small sample of your infant's blood can be tested to measure the bilirubin level. Some offices use a light meter to get an approximate measurement, and then if it is high, check a blood sample. The seriousness of the jaundice will vary based on how many hours old your child is and the presence of other medical conditions.
When to Call the DoctorYour doctor should be called immediately if:
jaundice is noted during the first 24 hours of life the jaundice is spreading or getting more intense your baby develops a fever over 100° Fahrenheit (37.8° Celsius) rectally if your child starts to look or act sick Also call the doctor right away if the color deepens, your baby is not feeding well, or if you feel your baby is sleepier than usual. It is difficult to tell how significant jaundice is just by looking at a baby, so any baby who has yellow eyes or skin should be checked by the doctor.

Treatments In mild or moderate levels of jaundice, by 1 to 2 weeks of age the baby will take care of the excess bilirubin on its own. For high levels of jaundice, phototherapy — treatment with a special light that helps rid the body of the bilirubin by altering it or making it easier for your baby's liver to get rid of it — may be used.

More frequent feedings of breast milk or supplementing with formula to help infants pass the bilirubin in their stools may also be recommended. In rare cases, a blood exchange may be required to give a baby fresh blood and remove the bilirubin.
If your baby develops jaundice that seems to be from breast milk, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop breastfeeding. During this time, you can pump your breasts so you can keep producing breast milk and you can start nursing again once the condition has cleared.
If the amount of bilirubin is high, your baby may be readmitted to the hospital for treatment. Once the bilirubin level drops and the treatment is stopped, it is unlikely that treatment for jaundice will need to be restarted.

It depends on what you are feeding him. Breastfed babies lose their jaundice faster than formula-fed babies because the breastmilk cleans their system out better. As long as it doesn't get worse, it should be fine. Feed as often as possible, especially with breastfeeding. No 3-hour schedules, just keep baby in a sling close to the body and FEED FEED FEED.
Sunlight can also help.

Hi, M.!

Congratulations on your little one!! What an exciting time for you! And probably a little scary..... I know I was scared when everyone went home after the first week and hubby back to work and there I was with this tiny baby and no idea what I was doing. (No matter how much you've cared for children in your life, it's totally different when it's your own.)

Anyway, as for the jaundice, it took my son two and a half weeks to clear up. I did lay him on a blanket on the front room floor of the house where we got INDIRECT sunlight. I'm sure that's what everyone meant when they said put him in sunlight, but I wanted to make sure YOU understood, since you're a new mom. Never put an unprotected baby (or child) out in the sun.

And, if you are still worried after reading other moms' advice, do not be afraid to call your pediatrician if you need reassurance. A good pediatrician is NOT going to have a problem with a new mom calling for that.

Lastly, just a sidenote about being a new mom.......Experienced moms are a HUGE blessing, and provide lots of great advice, which is why this site is awesome! But above all, trust your instincts. No one will know that sweet boy better than you, and though it may not seem like it right now, you WILL know what to do when you need to. You're his mama. And you will be great! :)

Blessings to you both,
J.

Don't worry too much.... 12.2 is pretty low. Has it been going up and just came back down? My kids went well into the 20+ range on the bilirubin. My kids levels starting going down way before their color got to normal. If you are breastfeeding it usually takes a little longer than formula fed....at least that's what the docs say. Are you going back for more counts to make sure it is going down? My last child went back to the hospital for a day to go under the lights....that was a long 24 hours! I think his counts were around 22 when we got there and started going down slowly....he is a very energetic and happy 3 year old now....with normal skin color :-) So...if you notice the color getting worse then get him checked. I think the yellow starts to fade first from the belly area. Best wishes for you and congrats on your new little boy....they grow up soooo fast.

It may take a couple of days. The best thing you can do is take him for a walk. The sunlight is the best thing to help his body breakdown any remaining excess bilirubin. Good luck

I never really noticed my daughter's color was anything other than normal. But she spent time on the blanket and under the lights. I would say 2 weeks and all should go to "normal".

My son was also jaundice. Things will get better. He was at a count of 14 and i was told breastfeed babies are more prone to getting jaundice. I was told that laying him by a window with sun or daylight would help because of the u ray lighting and if you take him out to the store helps to. Also you can test his jaundice by pressing gently on his nose. Every baby is different but the color should go away in a couple of weeks.