Jaundice of newborn baby

Jaundice is common in newborn babies because babies have a high number of red

blood cells in their blood, which are broken down and replaced frequently. A newborn baby's liver is not fully developed, so it's less effective at processing the bilirubin and removing it from the blood.

How to know if the baby is jaundiced:

The main sign of infant jaundice usually appears between the second and fourth day after birth.

To check for infant jaundice, press gently on your baby's forehead or nose. If the skin looks yellow where you pressed, it's likely your baby has mild jaundice. If your baby doesn't have jaundice, the skin color should simply look slightly lighter than its normal color for a moment.

Other symptoms of newborn jaundice :

1. Dark yellow urine(a newborn baby’s urine should be colourless )
2. Pale-coloured poo.(it should yellow or orange)

When to call a doctor

Most cases of jaundice are normal, but sometimes jaundice can indicate an underlying medical condition. Severe jaundice also increases the risk of bilirubin passing into the brain, which can cause permanent brain damage.

Contact your doctor if you notice the following symptoms:

The jaundice spreads or becomes more intense.

Your baby develops a fever over 100°F (38°C).

Your baby’s yellow coloring deepens.

Your baby feeds poorly, appears listless or lethargic, and makes high-pitched cries.