Neonatal jaundice is a very common condition that almost all newborns experience in the first few days of life. So why is this?
Before birth, the mother’s liver removes a chemical called bilirubin that has accumulated in the baby’s body. But after birth, it takes some time for the baby’s liver to fully play this role. This causes bilirubin to build up in the baby’s body, giving the skin and whites of the eyes a yellow tint. Most of the time, this jaundice is harmless and will subside on its own within a few days or weeks.
How to judge whether the baby has jaundice? The easiest way is to look at the color of the skin and the whites of the eyes in white light. Generally speaking, jaundice first appears on the face and then gradually spreads to other parts of the body. Darker skinned babies may be slightly harder to see.
While most neonatal jaundice is harmless, in rare cases, high bilirubin levels can have serious consequences, including brain damage. Therefore, it is very important to check bilirubin levels regularly. The doctor will usually perform an initial examination within 24 hours of birth and again before the baby is discharged. If bilirubin levels are high, your doctor may recommend further monitoring or treatment such as phototherapy.
There is also a relationship between breastfeeding and neonatal jaundice. Studies have found that breast-fed babies are more likely to develop jaundice than formula-fed babies. This may be due to insufficient breast milk supply in the first few days after birth. Therefore, doctors recommend breastfeeding 8-12 times a day for the first few days to help improve milk supply and reduce bilirubin levels. If breastfeeding is difficult, you can seek professional help.
In addition to regularly checking bilirubin levels, there are some conditions that require timely medical treatment. If you find that the baby’s skin or whites of the eyes become more yellow, or there are symptoms such as difficulty in waking up, irritability, and inability to eat normally, you should inform the doctor in time. This may indicate that the bilirubin level has risen to a level that requires treatment.
For neonatal jaundice requiring treatment, the most common method is phototherapy. Placing the baby under a special light source can effectively reduce the level of bilirubin in the body. Phototherapy can be done in the hospital or at home. In some extreme cases, a doctor may recommend a blood transfusion or other adjuvant therapy.
In general, neonatal jaundice is mostly harmless and resolves spontaneously within a few weeks. However, parents still need to pay close attention to the baby’s symptoms and check the bilirubin level on time to ensure timely detection and treatment of possible problems. At the same time, for breast-fed babies, ensuring adequate milk supply can also help alleviate jaundice.
