When babies are born they have a lot of red blood cells going around their body. As these naturally break down they produce bilirubin which is yellow. This has to be cleared from the body by the liver. In the early weeks the liver is not fully developed so some of the bilirubin carries on travelling around the body causing the yellow of jaundice.
About
80% of babies will have some jaundice – mostly it will be gone in two weeks. It could take three weeks if your baby was premature, or 4 weeks if fully breastfed. Most babies will have no further problems because of their jaundice.
Having jaundice does NOT mean your baby has liver disease. However if jaundice makes your baby so sleepy they cannot feed as much as they need to, or lasts longer than usual it can make them unwell. If this happens they may need treatment to help them clear the bilirubin from their system.
To make sure your baby does not get poorly from jaundice midwives, health visitors and GP's will talk to you about your baby whenever they see or speak to you. They will ask you about the colour of your baby’s skin and how well they are feeding. They will want to know how often they are pooing or weeing as well as what colour that poo or wee is.
What Should I Look For?
Newborn babies should;
Tell someone if;
If you are worried that your baby is unwell – please don’t wait for a visit or contact from a health professional.
Call your Midwife, GP or 111 straightaway to get advice. There is always someone to ask.
Tests For Jaundice
You and the healthcare team are likely to spot if your baby has jaundice just by the colour of their skin. Keeping a close eye on how they are feeding and their nappies is important. You might be advised to wake them more often for feeds, to make sure they get the fluids they need. This is often enough and the jaundice levels will naturally get lower over the next few days.
If your baby is jaundiced and this is affecting their feeding, they are very sleepy, or there are concerns about their wee or poo, your midwife or GP might decide they need a test to see if their jaundice level is high enough to need treatment. Only about 1 in 20 babies will have a level high enough for treatment.
The common tests are;
Babies may need to be retested over a few days and more if the level needs treatment.
Jaundice Treatment
If medical staff are concerned that your baby’s jaundice levels are high enough to need treatment they will explain what happens next. There are several ways newborn jaundice can be treated. It is very important that high levels of jaundice are treated as it can be harmful if the level is not reduced as soon as possible.
If the jaundice does not clear up in the expected length of time for your baby, they will need further tests. This is because in very rare cases it can be a sign of liver disease. It is important any baby who has a liver problem finds out and gets early treatment. Your health visitor or GP will answer your questions about this.
If you feel worried and would like more advice you can speak to your midwife throughout your pregnancy and up to 28 days after the birth of your baby.
If you live in Norfolk
If you live in Suffolk
Other parents who are going through or have been through this before can be a big help. You could join our online forum to speak to other Norfolk Parents below.
