What Happens if My Baby Has Jaundice?
Jaundice! What in the world is that? When you imagine meeting your baby and those first few days together as a new family, you probably planned for a lot more snuggles and a lot less of whatever that is. But jaundice can be a common condition for newborns. And even if your baby never develops a serious case of jaundice, your baby’s providers will at least test for it before leaving the hosptial and at your baby’s first peditrician visit, so it’s worth knowing a little more about what to expect. Read on to find out what happens if your baby has jaundice.
What is Jaundice?
Jaundice is the medical condition that results when bilirubin builds up in the system and reaches concerning levels. When red blood cells break down in the body, bilirubin is produced; it is normally processed through the liver and excreted from the body via stooling. But sometimes bilirubin begins to back up and is not excreted fast enough. The result is a condition known as jaundice.
According to the March of Dimes, about 3 in 5 babies will develop some degree of jaundice after birth. It is actually quite common. We also know that babies born prematurely, breastfed babies that are struggling with feedings, and babies of Mediterrean or East Asian ethnic backgrounds are at an increased risk of developing jaundice.
When a baby is jaundiced, one of the tell tale signs is that their skin might appear yellowish or orange-ish, starting on their face, or they may have yellowing of the whites of their eyes. Other signs that a baby might have jaundice:
Is extremely sleepy, hard to wake, or even lethargic
Has trouble breastfeeding or feeding from the bottle
Is not making enough wet or dirty diapers
Becomes extremely fussy
If you notice anyof these things, it’s important to call your baby’s pediatrician right away.
Treatment Options
It is imperative that you reach out to your baby’s doctor as soon as possible if you suspect your baby has jaundice. If left untreated, jaundice can lead to a more serious condition called kernicterus, which can cause brain damage, hearing or vision loss, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disabilities. Because jaundice is routinely screened for and diagnosed and effectively treated, these conditions are rare.
Your baby will first be checked for jaundice before you are even discharged from the hospital following birth. The providers at the hospital will either perform a heel prick to test your baby’s blood or will use a special device aimed at the forehead to check for bilirubin levels. Your baby’s pediatrician will want to see your baby again somewhere between 3-5 days after birth in order to test their bilirubin levels again.
Many babies will have mild levels of jaundice, however this normally does not require any special treatment. Your baby’s provider will probably recommend frequent feedings to make sure that your baby is making plenty of dirty diapers, as this is how the bilirubin leaves the body, but otherwise usually does not require anything else.
However, if your baby’s bilirubin levels are elevated, or more severe, there will be a special course of treatment needed to make sure that bilirubin breaks down and leaves the body more efficiently. This normally involves phototherapy, exposing the baby to special light that will help them process the bilirubin through their urine. Depending on what the provider recommends, your baby will either spend time under the phototherapy lights, in just a diaper and with their eyes covered. Or they might be wrapped in a light therapy blanket, which is sometimes a more convenient option as it can be done at home.
Very rarely if the phototheraphy treatment is not enough, your provider might explore an exchange transfusion. This is a type of special blood transfusion that infuses fresh blood into your baby’s system to replace the bilirubin.
Feeding Goals and Jaundice
Because jaundice can be more common in breastfed babies that are struggling to eat well at the breast, your baby’s provider may suggest supplementing in order to ensure the baby is eating well and having plenty of wet and dirty diapers. If your goal is exclusive breastfeeding, this can sometimes feel like a setback. But you can still keep your feeding goals on track even when supplementing.
If your baby is being supplemented with formula, remember to pump your breast every time you feed your baby a bottle in order to keep up your own milk supply. If your supply is doing well, you may even be able to provide supplemental bottles of breastmilk and move away from formula if that is your goal.
Also remember to feed your baby’s bottles in a slow, paced feeding method, using the slowest flow nipple possible. Paced bottle feeding more closely simulates how your baby feeds from the breast and can discourage creating a flow preference for the bottle. This will also keep your feeding goals on track and encourage your baby to easily come back to the breast when ready. For more information about paced bottle feeding, you can check out our blog here.