1 Week Old with Jaundice

M.: My sister-n-law's had children born with jaundice and they would put the kids sitting in the carseat/carrier in the window. Apparently they need the sun/light to reduce the yellowness...lacking vitamin D or E (can't remember). They said this helped speed up the recovery of the kids.

Good luck,
L.

My son had the same thing they told me to keep him close to a window or at lest were there was a lot of sun light as much as posible, my was over it with in 2 or 3 weeks,he is 17yrs old and is fine just keep youer head up it will be over befor you know it and he to will be fine.

The same thing happened to my girl. We had to go back to the doctor the day after she was born cause she wouldn't eat. She was actually put in the hospital for 3 days. It was really painless. They do have a sugar water that they can put on their pacies that will help with the pain. It's like a tylenol for newborns. Works wonders. She was admitted at the St. Vincents in Carmel. The ped there was abosolutely amazing. If they catch it in time, it's easy to take care of. And they don't always have to be admitted in the hospital to take care of it. Hope this helps.

My daughter was jaundice as well. She was our first child and I had not a clue what to do. We had to go back to the hospital every other day to have her foot poked and blood drawn, I was an emotional wreck, I think I cryed more than she did. We were told to lay her by a window at home and let the sunlight shine on her for ten minutes at a time about 10 times a day. The sunlight rays have the same effect and the lights at the hospital. Also, the more fluids you can filter through their body the faster the jaundice will clear up. I supplementated with formula for a few days and she ate much more and the jaundice went away. Those first few days, a new Mom just does not produce enough milk for some babies and if that is what they need to get better that is what I felt I needed to do. I went on to nurse my daughter until she was one years old so she was fine having a little formula And I relaxed more cause she wasn't yellow anymore.

Hi M.-Natural sunlight will help. Even if you can just stand with him by the window when the sun is shining (if the sun is shining...)it should help

My two youngest kids had it. The youngest one was worst. My doctor recommened putting them by direct sunlight. I moved my daughters crib into the living room for about ten days. That was the room with the most sunlight. She told me to let her lay in the sun with only a diaper, but to make sure that I had a sheer curtain to block some of the uv rays so she wouldn't get sunburned. Fortunately for me she was born in the summer.

Hi M.,

This happened with our son, too. We noticed it when he was about 3 days old. Apparently, it doesn't show up for two or three days. Anyway, we kept taking him in for blood tests. Results were good...bilirubin levels were going down. There's not much you can do. Your pediatrician will tell you if it is at a dangerous level. As long as it isn't and the level is going down, they seem to let nature take its course. Treatment will depend on the levels they're seeing.

Good luck...I know how you feel!

Don't worry about jaundice. Although it can be serious if left untreated, it's very very common with newborns, and even moreso with breastfed newborns. Both of my children were jaundice. Like another mother said, strip him down to his diaper and put him on a warm blanket, maybe one just out of the dryer to keep him warm. Place him in front of a window where sun is coming down on him. If his bilirubin levels reach a certain number, the doctor will order him to wear a wallaby blanket. It's a blanket that you wrap around him under his clothes and is hooked up by a cord into a main part. It's a real pain, but it works. So, in the meantime, try to have him in sunlight through the window as often as possible. Lay him there as long as he'll let you, and if he gets fussy, lay there with him. Trust me, you want to try that method first, because to try and breastfeed or bottle feed with that cord is a real pain in the butt!

One thing the drs. usually suggest is to sit with your baby in the sun...let him get some sunlight. Even if it's cold where you are, just hold him near a window. Also, my niece had a light they sent home with her for her to sleep with. It's really not too serious since they caught it early. He should be fine.

First of all, congratulations! Secondly, remain calm... most babies have jaundice on some level when they are born. My little girl had jaundice for almost two weeks after she was born and did not receive treatment. She had blood drawn everyday during that time. The doctor told us that it peaks around 7 days and begins to taper off from there. He also said there is a certain level they have to be at before they will put them on the blanket or under the lights.

There are two things you can do to help process the extra bilirubin. First, open the blinds and let the sunshine in. Put your baby in the sunshine but not directly. Second, if you are breastfeeding, keep it up, as it acts as a laxative and will help rid of the excess quicker. If formula feeding, you may want to use one without iron for this short period because it could constipate him. Also push for him to eat every 2-3 hours if breastfed and every 3-4 hours if on formula to keep him hydrated as dehydration can occur with jaundice.

Sorry, I took so long, but hope this helps. Again, CONGRATS!

Hi M.,

Congrats on your Newborn!! Both my babies had jaundice, so I know how you feel. Try not to worry though. Sunshine and regular feedings help. If your baby is a sleeper, don't let him/her sleep through feeding time. If you're able and when it's not too cold/wet, a few minutes a day outside (or every other day) also helps baby get over jaundice. Putting baby by a closed window during the day might also help.

If the doctor doesn't think it serious enough for the hospital then I say undress the baby and stick them in front of a sunny window 15 minutes twice a day I had to do this with my daughter. Hope it helps!

My son is 5 weeks old and had jaundice as well. Jaudice for the most part is normal for just as long as it isn't too high. With most babies it will go away on it's own once the liver kicks in to gear and starts to really work. Also if you are breastfeeding they are now thinking that sometimes something in the breastmilk can cause the baby to get jaundice as well. Just make sure that he is eating regularly because that is the best way to get rid of the jaundice. I wouldn't worry about it too much and get yourself all worked but about it unless the Dr. says you need to. If his count is still too high when you go back they will probably have him stay in the hospital for a day or so and put him under the "bili" lights to help speed things along. I hope this helps.

Hi, what's the bilirubin level? My son had high level of bilirubin, it was level 18. he was only 2 days old, and was sent to nicu for light trreatment to help the jaundice for 4 days. We have to make sure he eats every 2 to 3 hrs even thur the night, watch for wet and bm diapers.. The more he pees and bm its better. Hope your baby will get better sooon.

Hi M., I just wanted to let you know if you have a window that you can put your little one by and let the sun shine on him that might help a little. I have 2 little boys one will be 3 and one just turned 6 mths. My oldest i had no problems with but my youngest had pnumonia when he was born and he was in the hospital for a week. On day 3 they told me that his bilirubin was getting higher and so they put him under lights and with in 24 hours it was gone. They continued to do blood work on him every day 2 times a day but we never had any problems after he was put under the special lights. But please try sunlight. When i had our first son he had a little bit of jaundice and the dr told us to put him by a window with sun light and he should be fine. It worked. If you do have to have teatment for him it should only be 1 day (i know it seems like a lifetime) but the jaundice will be gone before you know it. Oh yeah I probably should have started off by telling you congratulations!!!!!! Childern are alot of fun. A. m.

My daughter was also born with jaundice and the doctor ordered a bilirubin blanket immediately after the blood test results back. She is now three, but if I remember correctly, we had to wrap her in the blanket for about a week. I do remember they told us to make sure she was well-hydrated and also before we got the bilirubin blanket to make sure she was put in the sunlight throughout the day. Since she was born in the winter (like your son), we would put her in a patch of sunlight on the floor with only a diaper on. Hopefully, that will help it to go away on its own and if not, then the blanket will do the trick.

Hi M.,

My daughter, now a 2 year old, had a high bilirubin issues, as well. The best thing to do, is to allow your baby to be exposed to UV light. I placed my baby's cradle next to the window,for best results, your baby should only wear a diaper. The UV light breaks down the bilirubin in her blood. Another treatment your Dr. may prescribe is a wallaby blanket which is a UV light source that you will wrap around your baby several times during the day.
I completely panicked, but don't you worry. Your baby will be just fine!! Best of Luck.
T.

About me: My name is T., I am a mother of four; 14, 11, 2 and 1.

I'm not sure if you have tried About.com or WebMD.com yet, but they are VERY helpful when you are in this kind of situation (waiting on tests).

Both my girls had jaundice. One worse than the other. Amazingly enough, when you put them in sunlight (by a window) or just keep them under a florescent light, the jaundice subsides. Daughter #2, the one that had it the worst, stayed in the hospital for about a week for an unrelated issue. The nurses moved her bed close to the window to help with her jaundice. Gotta love the nurses!

My first born had a bad case of jaundice when she was born 2.5 years ago. She had the blood drawn from her heel each day for 10 days straight! After birth she spent one full day inside the bili-lamps and we were sent home with a bili-blanket (a light) that we kept on her at all times. Sometimes the light therapy can work great. Otherwise just keep feeding him (nurse if possible) because each time they go to the bathroom, they get rid of some of the bilirubin. If it gets to a critical level, I am sure the photo light therapy will be used. Good luck!
M.

Hi M.,

All of my children had some form of jaundice because they were three weeks early and their liver just wasn't ready to break down the bilirubin. The first two recovered well on their own which made me not worry about my third, however when she slept 6 hours, then 10 hours I started to worry because she looked orange and wouldn't wake up. We took her to the hospital and they put her under lights, she was very sick. My fourth seemed to be getting darker and the peds had him wear a "light" vest so he kind of looked like ET's finger (but all over) as a precaution. Your child will most likely be fine but keep an eye on him. If he's really sick he'll be literally golden or orange and sleeping a lot and not urinating. It sounds like your Ped is keeping a good eye on it. The whites of his eyes will also be yellow. If it's just a tinge he's fine. If your little guy lookslike he has a tan this morning when he gets up you might want to just get it checked, its' such an easy fix. Good luck, it's so hard with newborns everything worries you. Don't be worried though.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t029600.asp
Here is some info about jaundice from Dr Sears.

My daughter, who is now 11 mos., had jaundice and we had to take her back to the pediatrician because we, like you, noticed our daughter's eyes turning yellow. They told us the same things to look for as they did you. It's really important to keep pusing fluids because it will flush the baby's system. Good luck and don't worry. :)

my son had jaundice when he was born to and they put him on a special light which he had to lay on all day and all night for like 3 of 4 days, I doctored with Dr. Einhorn. We had to go get my sons bilirubin checked every morning for like a week. hope I helped and good luck.

Hi M.,

My daughter had the same thing. I laid her on a blanket on the kitchen floor with nothing more than a diaper on, in the direct sun for about 5 minutes several times a day. That gave her the Vitamin D she needed to lick it. Hope this helps!

M., I know this is SO hard - All 3 of my kiddos were jaundice - My 1st was the hardest b/c we had to be admitted back into the hospital and they put her on the light 24/7 - the other 2 just had 'the glow worm' blanket at the house - It is very frusterating and troublesome going back and forth to the doc to get them pricked and tested - But rest assured your baby buddy will be fine - I think the reason they are so glib about it is b/c they see it so much, it is very common - New mommas need more info - I was freeked - by the time I went through it the 3rd time - I was not so offended by the carefree attitudes of the nurse - I hope and pray you find peace in this little note - He will be OK -

If you are breast feeding, offer the breast every hour. Sunlight does wonders. It is overcast today, but still plenty of uv rays. place him in front of a window for 30 min, 3x a day
at nap time. Treatment is in the hospital, overnight in a light bed. Try to keep him home it should clear out of his system in a couple of days. Best wishes

I am sure you probably heard this but put the baby in the window in the sunlight, it really does work. My daughter had jaundice at a few days old and I was told to make sure she ate on a regular schedule and to put her in the sunlight. Children who are hospitalized with jaundice are put under lights, it does help! Hang in there.

My son had jaundice and was in the hospital for 7 days under 3 lights to bring his levels down. In our experience the things to be doing is make sure he is getting enough to eat. The more he eats and moves through him the faster the bili rubin can leave his system.
From what I understood it isn't something you can simply treat and be done with. You don't really want to be stuck in the hospital unless you have to up all hours without the comfort of home, feeding your son under the lights, weighing him before and after feedings, writing out all dirty and wet diapers and what they look like and weighing those as well at times.
Another thing is you should ask the Dr. what his thoughts were on treatment. What his options were. If he would send you to the hospital, give you a bili blanket to keep on him or what. You should also ask what level your son is at now and what level the different treatment should happen at. Unfortunately ins. companies sometimes have too much to say about that as well.

Here is more information I found for you.

http://www.medicinenet.com/jaundice/article.htm

Keep me posted and I will pray for your little boy and for your time of transition to go as smoothly as possible.

Amie =)

2 of my kids had this...both were tested for the first 2 months. No lights needed or anything. I breast fed all my kids and it eventually went away on its own. I would just wait til your next blood test and go from there. Just an FYI...after like 3 weeks or so, I would ask for blood draws from the arm b/c the foot poke was not good when our son got a little older.
Good Luck!

Hello my name is L. i am a mother of 4 and a nursing student. The best advice i can give you is provide lots of natural light place him close to the window, make sure he is going to the bathroom enough and i dont know if you are breastfeeding or not but there is a study that indicates children who are breastfed have a higher risk for Jaundice,because they may not be eating enough to help flush out the Jaundice and i know a lot of times pediatricians will suggest formula feeding. The treatment for Jaundice is usually the use of what they call a billiblanket which is a blanket equiped with special lights to help with Jaundice and in more severe cases they may require the baby to go to the hospital to be under a billi light which helps a lot too. Well i hope i helped out a little and GOOD LUCK

Hi M......Here is something you can do for your son. I know there isnt alot of sunny days due to it being winter but anytime there is sun outside put a chair in front of a window and just sit there with your son Letting the sun rays hit your son....The best thing for him is natural sun light....I hope this will help alittle bit since it is winter....Good Luck

Two of my kids had jaundice. One thing that is really good for it is sun light. If you can, when the baby is sleeping, put him by a sunny window. It helped tremendously.

M.-

Congratulations on your new son! What a blessing. I went through a similiar situation when my son was born. He was readmitted to the hospital 4 days after birth and his billiruben was 25!! The doctor had a heap of tests run just to make sure there was nothing else to be concerned about and thankfully there wasn't. After 4 days under intense, triple phototherapy, he was able to come home and was just fine!! I know how scared and worried you must be. Frequent feedings (every 2 hours) we required while in the hospital and we continued that at home for a while. Just keep in mind that jaundice is common and you're son should be just be okay!! Stay strong...he needs you!

I tried to read most of the responses but what concerns me are the people that say it'll go away on its own and not to worry. I've been a new mom now three times and trust me when I know what it means to see information that scares you. Jaundice should be taken very seriously and checked regulary. My last daughter had a level of 24.6 five days after she was born. That is really high and she had to be on a biliblanket for 5 days. There is something called kernicterus which happens if very high levels aren't treated properly. http://www.pickonline.org/ (there's a chart on that website that tells you how high of a risk your baby's at depending on what level he is. My daughter was so high off the scale that I was sure she'd have kernicterus but she's perfectly fine. Just be aware.) I'm sorry if it scares you but I'd rather you be scared a little than anything happen to your baby. Good luck and keep an eye on him... you're his advocate so if you think he needs to be checked then you make the doctors do it.

Two out of three of my kids had it - one from the day he was born until he was 2 weeks old had to have the blood drawn every day. The other one didnt start until like a week after he went home from the hospital. The reason that they are having you monitor food intake and poop and pee is to make sure that its coming out. His number might be low enough but still enough of a concern to have them take his blood every day but not high enough to have a blanket or lights. You can put the baby in the car seat with just the diaper on while he is napping and place the car seat in a sunlight area. Sunlight also helps take the bilirubin out but with the cold right now you have to use what sunlight comes in through the window. It can be a scarey situation but I am suspecting by your doctors reaction that he might be at the very low end of the scale and he is taking a proactive approach rather than an aggressive one. I do also know with my second son he was breast feed and they called it breast milk induced ( there's like 7 different kinds of jaundice) and they said to push fluids so have him try and eat more than he would normally because that pushes it out!! Good luck

My son had the same thing but it was severe enough to be put into the hospital, plus he was falling asleep and not nursing enough so he wasn't getting the bilirubin out. I think it just depends on the level of it in the bloodstream. It does come out naturally as long as he is eating and pooping. They treat it with ultraviolet light, your child has to be in an incubator so you can't hold him and it's not a great thing, (though nothing terrible either)so if he doesn't need it- good.To me the worst part was they way they stabbed my baby's foot to get the blood! I'm sure your doc would insist on treatment if the levels were dangerous. Just don't let the little guy sleep through feedings.

Hi M., (congrats on your newborn!!!)Just wanted to let you know that alot of babies are born with jaundice. although it is something to worry about please do not panic! It sounds like your doing the right thing by keeping it monitered by the doctors!! LOTS of sunshine and warmth will help, as many have suggested. If you are breast-feeding, keep doing so unless a doctor advises you to switch to formula.It's been about a week since you've posted your concern so I hope your baby is doing better by now. good luck to you and your baby!

First and foremost, my congratulations to you and your family on your new baby boy.

My youngest was jaundiced after he came home as well. We took him in for more blood work and after a couple of weeks he improved. My baby was boarderline and so we didn't do anything other than watch his diapers and make sure he nursed regularly. He did tell me that the next step would be a billi blanket. Its like a little tanning bed blanket with bright light. Basically it helps filter the crud out of his little liver. If you think he could handle it. Bundle him up REALLY well and take him outside into the direct light for a few minutes. It would serve the same purpose as the blanket. It was October when I brought my son home, so he could be a bit more undone. However, it did make a difference.

It was unclear whether you are breast or bottle feeding. But here is a little tidbit my pediatrician shared with me.He said it is NOT uncommon at all for jaundice to show up later in breastfed babies because of the hormone changes in both of you. I mean if you think about it, the mother is sweating off all of the toxins from birth. You've had an overload of fluid, blood, waste from you and the baby. It makes sense. Hang in there and best wishes to you!!
Jaime

Are you breast or bottle feeding? You need to make sure baby is well hydrated. Jaundice makes babies sleepy so nurse every 2-3 hours during the day or more!!! Good hydration will help the baby pass the bilirubin in his stool. You will see dk green to blackish stools. If the bili level gets high enough your son will need phototherapy, this can be done at home with a "biliblanket" or "wallaby". Ask your doctor if this becomes necessary. Don't worry too much!!! Worry can reduce your milk supply. This will resolve.

M.
Just keep after the docs to make sure that it doesn't get worse. Both of my children were born with jaundice, but yours is probably from something different, if you asked what is causing it and they could tell you, then I don't think you should worry, especially since the baby will feel that.

My son had the same problem. He was also a winter baby. Put him in the sunlight. The more skin that is in the sun the better. Good luck...I know it's scary, but he'll be ok.

Exposure to sunlight and bowel movements help clear the jaundice. I know it's really chilly outside, so sit with your baby next to a window or sliding glass door where there is a lot of sunlight.

In my "before Mom" life I was a Nursery/NICU nurse. Jaundice is normal. In utero your son relied on your liver to breakdown billirubin (which we ALL have in our blood), now his liver is just working on taking over.

Here are some things you can do:
Allow as much sunlight on his skin as possible. It is difficult now that it is so bitterly cold outside but if you can, lay him in the sunshine near a window in just a diaper.

Feed him whenever he is hungry! The more he eats, the more billirubin is broken down, also the more he poops out that meconium. If you're breastfeeding get some help from a lactation consultant if you feel that you need some pointers. Your son eating well will help with the jaundice. If he is sleepy wake him up to be fed if it's been 3-4 hours. The jaundice can make him sleepy.

Lastly, if you doctor didn't seem concerned, I wouldn't be either. It is possible that the jaundice can be treated at home with a "bili blanket" that looks like a blue light that is wrapped around your baby. If it has escalated significantly it may require admission to the hospital for some time "under the big lights" which are just bigger and better blue lights.

Rarely does jaundice require serious, more involved medical treatment. It sounds like your doctor is monitoring your son well.

Try the naked baby in the window (just make sure he's warm enough!) and cheer that guy on to eat, eat, eat! Good luck and I'll be thinking of you!

Hi M.,

Congrats on your new baby! Those first few weeks are excited and completely draining.

My little boy had some very minor jaundice upon hospital discharge. Certainly you pedi can provide some ideas on how to help, although as I understand there isnt much for you to do at home. UV light helps to breakdown the bilirubin, so exposure to sunlight is helpful. We would breastfeed and hang out near a window allowing the sunlight to reach his skin. You might want to discuss trying that option.

Good luck and good health!
Kim

M.:

some jaundice is perfectly NORMAL. how high was the level?

what is your ethnic origin?

are you breastfeeding or formula feeding?

the more he eats, the more he stools, the more the billirubin level will decrease.

P., RLC, IBCLC, CST
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
www.lactationsupportgroup.com

When my son was born (8 year ago!)he had a touch of jaundice and my doctor told me to sit him in front of a sunny window with his shirt off. The vitamin D that they get from the sun helps with the jaundice. But with it being winter I would crank up the heat to make sure he stays toasty and warm! Good luck!

M.,
My five year old boy had jaundice also when he was born. I put him in front of a window with only a onsie on (you might have to crank the heat or use a space heater). I kept him in the sun as much as possible and after two weeks, it was gone. He's fine- rambunctious!
Sarah

HI M.,

My name is N. I read your story and Yes I have gone through this with 2 of my children. I was told my daughter who is now 17 and my son who is now 8 were both Jaundic it was because my blood is O+ and it spawned to A+ blood types. It will be fine they have to check the billi rubins in the blood that is why they have to prick the foot. Once the billirubens are where they should be the blood drawing will stop. I did put both my children in direct sunlight that definetly helps and hopefully your baby is on a light machine that will help too. Hang in there the baby will be just fine.

Sincerely,
N.

All four of my children had jaundice, and each at varying degrees. One of my sons went under the "bili" lights (bilirubin) for treatment. With my second daughter, the doctor had us sit her in her carseat in the doorway where sunlight could be exposed on her. We also lived in Arizona at the time, so we had sunshine more often out there. It was scary at first, but then I found that they recover from it fast as long as you can get treatment in some form. I did find one of my kiddos just "outgrew" it, but his levels weren't too high. I hope this helps!!

I have a 5 week old boy and just went through the same things with him. The only thing that I was told to do was to put him by a window with as little clothes as possible so he could get some sunlight. That's the best thing you can do. It's the same thing the hospital would do to.
Good luck. S..

I know it can be scary when things are "not normal" with our babies. Jaundice is very common, but should not be ignored. It is good that you took him in to get a blood test. The best thing to do for today is feed him frequently (if you are breastfeeding) or make sure he finishes his bottles. Babies eliminate the excess bilirubin in their blood (the cause of the jaundice) through stools, so the more he poops the better. You can also put him in a sunny window, sunlight helps him get rid of some bilirubin through his skin. He needs to have as much skin exposed to the sun as possible (only wearing a diaper is best), just make sure he stays warm by keeping the room warm, wearing a hat and/or skin to skin with mom/dad. If he does require treatment it would be phototherapy, which are bluish colored lights that mimic the effects of the sun. It is a very effective and non-invasive treatment, and is usually only needed for a day or two. Most babies receive treatment at the hospital, but home therapy might also be available. If his blood level is down at all tomorrow he most likely will not need treatment, if it is the same or higher he may. Don't be afraid to ask questions, like what his level is, what it was last time, what it would need to be at to initiate treatment, etc. Most babies clear it on their own without treatment, but if he needs phototherapy just know it is usually pretty short term and non-invasive. Good luck, and try to enjoy the sunshine today.
S.

Our son developed jaundice and at one week old we had to admit him to the hospital for a couple of days so he could be treated with the special light. When we had our daughter I did not want to go through that again so we tried holding her by the window. The sunlight is the best thing to combat jaundice. At her one week check up she was fine. So try as much natural sunlight as possible. Good luck.

try to place him in his car set place him in the sun light that does help get the yellow down do it for 10 to 15 mins a day. That is what my daughters doctor told us to do.

My sone was very Jaundice. H was put on a Bili Blanket which is a UV Pad that they have to wear on their back. If there was alot of sun light right now I would say put him in an open window cause that will help alot too! Hope this info helps you :-)

K.

Grandma from Hebron, IN . Our grandaughter 10 mo old had the same thing when she was born. About the 8th to 10th day she was jaundice free. Just upsetting to have to have their blood tested every other day.
Gayl

There's been a lot of good advice given - we dealt with some severe jaundice when my daughter was born and the one thing I'll suggest is making sure that you speak to the same doctor each time they call with results. We had someone different telling us to do different things, which resulted in her going on the lights, off the lights, waking to feed, not waking, etc. So request the same dr./nurse each time to help limit the various opinions! Congrats and good luck!

I agree with all the other advice. Lots of fluid it needs to get flushed out and sunlight, but be careful they can get sunburn through glass. As long as her levels are being monitored and you're following the Dr's instructions then she should be fine. My daughter had it also(but no one told me before I left the hosp) and at 5 days old I had to take her back to the hosp. to be put under bili lights because her levels were in the danger zone just 24 hrs. and she was released to go home, I stayed with her the whole time. Good luck.

Hi M.
My son had to be admitted back into the hospital for jaundice. We were discharged on Thursday and he was re-admitted on Friday afternoon. His bilirubin level was 23 and anythng over 20, they will admit to the hospital. He was in an incubator under lights all weekend. We finally got to take him home on Sunday afternoon. So, here's what I learned from that...How big was your baby when he was born? I was big on just nursing but any baby over 6lbs should also have some formula while your milk comes in (all the nurses told me that). It will keep them hydrated and flush out the bilirubins. Deft give him some formula along with nursing (if you are). And don't worry about nipple confusion or your baby wanting only formula. Once his count is down you can put him back on your milk full time if that's what you want to do. Also, what is his level? Is it close to 20? Then lots of sunlight and hydration will help him with the jaundice. I know it's stressful and scary (I was crying in the hospital room all weekend) but it's very common. Let me know if you need anything else. Good luck sweetie! He'll be fine...Lots of milk and sunlight :)

My daughter had jaundice after she was born; our MD told us to set her in front of the window in the sunshine. Easy, inexpensive, and it worked. Good luck.

Make sure he's getting enough milk/formula. When he pees and poops, it's leaving his system. My boys both had it pretty bad and had to have a biliblanket at home. It's a little strange that the doctor isn't having his blood drawn everyday. If tomorrows is high the doc might suggest the light/blanket. I don't know where you are from but if it's warm where you live being out in the sun helps a lot too. If the doc doesn't suggest the light I would say something to him.

Hi M.,
I know what you are going through. My son was 5 weeks early and had severe jaundice- it is a scary thing to go through. When our daughter was born she was released fine, but to prevent anything we simply let her sleep in the sun. We have a large window in one of the rooms, so for a few hours everyday we just let her sleep in there with the sunlight pouring down on her. She never had any problems. Try letting him sleep in the direct sunlight and see if that helps. Good luck, if not there is always the wallaby light that they can wrap him up in (we had to do that with our son).

My son had pretty bad jaundice when he was born as well - his bilirubin levels got up to 19.4, but we never put him under the lights and it went away on it's own. (The typical treatment is putting them under artificial lights to get levels down, but we didn't want to do that if we didn't have to.) It was from breastfeeding, and I believe it peaks at day 10, and then should naturally go down. We were advised to put him outside in the sunlight, although if you live in Chicago, that's probably not an option right now. I know this doesn't help much, but from our experience, we just waited it out a few more days, and he did great! Good luck.

My daugther,who is 17 months old, had the same problem. What helped was exposing her to natural sunlight. Sunlight helps breakdown the bilirubin. Put him to sleep in a warm sunlit area of the house and something to protect his eyes. I had my daughter out in the sun with a onsie on and sunglasses. Also keep him well hydrated. Feed him breast milk or formula on demand, usually every 2 hours that will flush things out. This helped me. Hope this helps you.

My daughter who is now 16 months old was jaundice. It is kinda scary but it will go away. I think all babies get it. I was breastfeeding my daughter and the doc told me to alternate her feedings with formula. They also told me to get her down to her diaper and sit with her by the window. I was told that the natural sun light would help the jaundice as well. I hope this helps you some and I hope everything goes well for you and your family.

My daughter (now 4 months) was in and out of the doctors office the first month of her life with jaundice. I ended up supplementing 2 bottles of formula a day along with nursing. I was told there is something extra in the formula that will help get rid of the jaundice. We ended up having to put our daughter on a billirubin light at home. She stayed wrapped in the light blanket 20 out of 24 hours each day for 2 weeks. We called her our "blue Light Special" baby because the blanket let off a blue glow!!!! She is now healthy and doing well. My advice is to feed your son as much and as many times as you can. The more he eats and poops, the better he will get. The blood tests are difficult, though, so take a deep breath. Make sure you get a warming pack to put on his heel before they draw the blood-it will make it go a lot faster.

my middle child suffered from jaundice, and it was no big deal. we had to go back and forth to the hospital for the first week of his life, and have his blood drawn to check the levels. they ended up putting him on a billiblanket, and after about 18 hours of him being on it, his levels dropped, and he was better within a day or two. it was a little aggravating, just because he had to be on it constantly for those hours, but it really wasnt that bad of a process. if i were you, i would ask if you could have one of these blankets. it emits a green light while on, we jokingly called him our little "glow worm". he should recover from it just fine.

Try and make sure he's drinking enough. My son had it too, cuz we were having trouble nursing. My milk finally came in and he sucked it down and got better : )

M....if the sun comes out today lay him by the window and the sun will help break down the red cells causing the jaundice This is not unusual in a new baby. Do not worry about it but nurse him often or make sure he has enough fluids because they get kinda lazy with jaundice. M. ..x ob nurse

UV, is what your little one needs. My girl was a little jaundiced, we had to have her lay on a UV blanket for a few days after she got home. You can specifically request one from your doctor. If it were the summer I would suggest tummy time outside. Keep feeding him and getting him changed, each time his liver will be active and flushing his system.

Good luck.

Both my children were jaundice. The oldest wore a light belt for a couple of days--no big deal. The only thing that was hard for me was that a nurse came every day to poke the bottom of her foot for a blood sample. The youngest wasn't put on a belt but it was recommended to breast feed as much as possible. It will go away within a week but keep checking the bilirubin levels.

My baby also had jaundice when she was born, they told us to put her in the sunshine as often as posible, not direct sunlight, but near the window. It seemed to work for her.

Your message doesn't say what you are feeding him. Breast milk is, by far, the best thing for jaundice. It's a natural laxative and helps flush out the jaundice that can be caused by quite a few things. If you are breastfeeding, don't let anyone tell you you need to suppliment with formula, it's an old myth that some doctors and nurses still believe is true with no evidence. Stay extra hydrated so you have plenty of milk and your son gets LOTS of fluids. If you aren't breastfeeding, think about starting. At only a week out from delivery, it will be very easy to start lactation.
Many times, jaundice is created from maconium sitting in the in the intestines. In the ideal situation, mom's first milk, colostrum, is what flushes it out because it is even more of a laxative than breast milk! But that's not to say that breastfed babies don't get jaundiced.
As long as the biliruben score is in the low-mid teens, there really isn't a need for extra treatment. If it's above twenty, spending some time under lights or with a special machine will be recommended. Put a dab of sun screen on his face and lay him in the sun by the window on days like today where we are getting some strong winter sun, it can do wonders!

The only things that I have heard of doing are exposure to the sun when you can and plenty of "milk". The better they eat the faster the billirubin is suppose to go through their little bodies. Otherwise I am sure for a cost the dr would give you the heat/lamp treatment like they do at the hospital.

All 3 off my children had jaundice. The first two after a while just went away on its' own (they were bottle feed). My third was nursed and it took her a while to completely get it out of her system. Not only did I stop nursing her at that time but she had to do light therapy (her bilirubin score was over 20), which is basically a light that is inserted between her back and her shirt. After getting some formula in her system and the light therapy, her numbers started going down and I started nursing her again with the light therapy. A month later, she no longer needed the light therapy, but just continual fluids. She is doing great without any type of problems. From our experience the doctor is waiting for the magic number until they start light therpy. Hope this helps.

Hello, my son also had jaundice when he was born. He was discharged from the hosipal, with instructions just to watch his coloring. We ended up taking him 3 times for blood test. The first time it was higher, and then the levels started to go down on their own. I was told that is a very common thing. I tried to keep him near a window, for the sunlight. I was told that if the bilirubin levels did not go down on their own, that one of two things would happen. One that I would be sent home with a biliblanket, or that he would have to be re-admitted to the hospital, and put under a bililight. Everything turned out ok. He is now a happy healthy 13 month old.

M.,
Our Pediatrician told us to keep our son by the windows by the sunlight. Every time I wasn't nursing and Blake was sleeping I put him by the window, with the blinds open. This should help.
C.

I wouldn't worry yourself too much. My youngest, 10 weeks old, had the highest level his pediatrician had seen (28). Burke had to go into the hospital for 4 days under the UV lights. We came home and he was on the billiblanket for almost a month. We also had to have Burke's blood drawn daily for 3 weeks. Breatfeeding is suppossed to be best to help them poop, however, we used formula while going through this problem. If he's not pooping enough with breastfeeding, try some formula a day, that might get him going, then go back to breastfeeding. If you are already doing formula, I don't have any suggestions. The most important thing is that they poop. Jaundice can be dangerous, but Burke is perfect and seems to be growing and developing just fine now. Stay strong. It's hard not to worry, but this one will be fine. Most babies are a little jaundice when they are born in the winter, can't get the sunlight.

Hi M.. My daughter also had jaundice. She was born a month early. I was breastfeeding which also always causes some jaundice. They drew her blood and made some adjustments in formula. I know they will sometimes have them go to the hospital to lay under the lights. My mom told me to turn the heat up in my house when it was sunny (it was winter) and lay her naked in the sunlight but make sure she is warm. It really helped! Dont fret too much. AND I always say, ASK DIRECT questions! I find doctors dont always offer direct information. They forget this might me our first time dealing with something. Call your doctor and ask. Should I be worried about this and are you going to have a treatment plan and what is it. Your the mom. Your the boss! Good luck,

M.,
I am not sure where you live, but the best thing is natural sunlight. even if you can lay him on the couch and open the drapes and let the sun shine on him.
Have you tried to google it?

Feeding him as frequently will help, also put him in a sunny window for a few minutes at a time, that is what we did for my daughter.

When my daughter had this, the hospital got us in touch with Apria to rent a UV light. This was put directly on the baby to break up the bilirubin; use it only a litte bit each time. The levels were normal in a week. Other moms with this (if weather permits), faced the baby in mild sunlight.

It seems like you got more than enough info, we went thru this too and make sure when he is sleeping and all day long the blinds are wide open, the sun can bring his levels back to normal.

I take a girl with jaundice, each month I’ll send some money for medical expenses, I did not know what that looked like jaundice was in a web page and a known resulted commented me and a Adamo'sgirl and every month we send photos.

http://www.jaundiceweb.com

My son ended up with jandice too after he was born (it started on day 3 also). The main thing is to make sure he is eating enough. When he eats he will push out all the black tar-like stool (can't think of the name right now) which is in his system for being in utero.
My suggestion would be to feed him on demand (not every X number of hours) or try to get him to eat a little every hour. You want him to eat in order for his digestive tract to keep moving.
In my experience, I was nursing my son and he was not getting enough to eat. Because of this, his biliruben levels went up and he had to first be wraped in a biliblanket, then he had to stay over night at then hospital under the bililights in and incubator. I ended up having to supplement formula until my milk came in so my son could get more to eat.
Everything will turn out fine. Just make sure to follow the advice of your doctor. If your son does need to stay overnight under teh bililights, it will probably be upsetting for you but it will help him and his health. By the way, my son is now a healthy 2.5 year old!

When our daughter was first born, she developed jandice.
The doctor suggested that we put her under a billi-blanket for a few nights, which I think was harder on me than her (could have been hormones)and it cleared up within a few days.
The other thing was that we had to wake her up for feedings every three hours so that she could flush out the rest out of her system.

Hi M. my daughter had jaundice too except my sitution was different. She was a preemie so she was already in the hospital so she was treated with the "bili lights" right away. What i had over heard while in the nicu is that breast fed babies that have jaundice should be fed formaula for a couple of days. I dont know the reasoning for this. Good luck

Jaundice can be scary. But relax, you need your breast milk to be as good as you can get it - drink lots and lots of water and try breast feeding as often as possible. (if your body can take it every hour and a half for a day) - you can literally wash the bilirubin from his system. And sunshine - find a sunny spot in the house - sunlight through a window is good - lay down a blanket, close doors to stop drafts maybe even put the furnace up a notch for 30 minutes and let the little guy lie on the blanket with nothing but a diaper on (if you have a plastic sheet you can even get rid of that ;-) We presently have winter sun so about 20 minutes should be more than enough. In harsher sun you need to monitor your baby and maximize at maybe 10 minutes to avoid burning his delicate skin

This is pretty common. Both my kids had jaundice when they were born... my son was worse... put your baby under sunlight... especially morning sunlight is the best... my son was also a winter baby.. I would turn up the heat and/or put a space heater nearby so he wouldn't be so cold and take off as all his clothes and let him be in the sunlight for a while. Both my kids usually fell asleep right there on the floor on the blanket that I lay them on...
Good luck. I know it seems scary but he will be alright.

Aarti.

Hi there
We have been there with our daughter. But in our case they knew she had jaundice the next day she was born and they made her spend 2 nights under a strong light with her eyes covered. Then at the house, I put her as much as I can in her swing under the sunlight in our sunroom, one week and it was gone. So make sure to expose him to light as much as you can. Don't worry he will be ok.

Hello M.,, First of all Congrats on your new son!! But regarding the jaundice it normally is a harmless thing. It goes away faster when the baby is exposed to uv rays, frequent feeding... If you can lay him as naked as possible( diaper only or naked in a warm room) in the sun coming in the window. It is going to be sunny today so that helps. All three of my kids had it and also a grandson. They keep a close eye on it because it can cause problems. I think my daughter's ped said that the bilirubin #'s were ok til they went over 15?? Good Luck and give that baby a hug!
R.