Jaundice

Jaundice is pretty common in newborn babies and you’ll probably notice that your baby has a slight yellowish tinge to his skin in the first days after his birth.

It’s caused by a breakdown of red blood cells, which creates an excess of a pigment called bilirubin. Your newborn’s immature liver is unable to start breaking down bilirubin until he’s around a week old.

In most babies jaundice clears up by itself within two weeks and needs no treatment, but some babies may need phototherapy. This involves your baby spending some time exposed to ultraviolet light, which helps break down the bilirubin.

It’s possible for some breastfed babies to develop jaundice because breast milk can interfere with their ability to break down bilirubin. It can continue for several weeks ands your pediatrician may recommend you take a short break from breastfeeding him so his bilirubin levels fall. During this time you can keep up your milk supply by expressing with a breast pump. Less common causes of jaundice are blood type incompatibility between you and your baby, liver and intestinal problems and prematurity. Simple blood tests can be done to test for jaundice, and to rule out anything underlying causes.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.