Baby Jaundice
Around 20% of newborn babies suffer from jaundice. The condition is not normally serious and usually clears up after a week or so.
What Are The Symptoms of Baby Jaundice?
Baby’s skin will develop a yellowish tinge and she will look as though she has a suntan. Black babies will have a yellow tinge to the whites of their eyes.
What Causes Baby Jaundice
Babies are born with a high level of the chemical bilirubin in the blood and it may take a week or so for the liver to break this down. Baby will suffer no pain or discomfort as a result of having this condition.
How Is It Jaundice Diagnosed?
The first sign of jaundice is the change in skin tone. A blood sample will then be taken (usually a small sample from baby’s heel) and the levels of bilirubin levels are checked.
What Is The Treatment?
Exposure to sunlight will help break down the chemical. If you are still in hospital, baby will be placed under bright fluorescent lights for set periods; a few days of this treatment is usually sufficient and the yellowish tinge will fade. If you’re at home, place baby in as much daylight as possible (without clothing) – but be careful not to expose baby to direct sunlight as she could suffer from sunburn. Breastfeeding will also help (but you were going to breastfeed anyway, right?), and feed on demand so that the chemical clears the system more
quickly.
What If The Baby Jaundice Symptoms Persist?
If the symptoms persist after two weeks, a rare occurrence, it can be a sign of other complications and you should consult your
doctor.
