My newborn baby's skin is turning yellow. What do I do?
Yellowing of the skin is medically called Jaundice. This can happen at any age, and the causes are very different for each age group. We will only talk about PHYSIOLOGIC JAUNDICE OF THE NEWBORN today.
There are a lot of reasons your newborn's skin might be jaundiced. The most common is Physiologic Jaundice. Physiologic means this is a normal body process. Bilirubin is what causes this yellowish discoloration. Bilirubin is a byproduct of the death of red blood cells. Yes, you read that right. Red blood cells of the fetus have shorter life spans, so as they die, they release a byproduct called bilirubin. When a certain level of bilirubin in the blood is reached, the yellow color becomes visible in the different body parts following a downward pattern (head to toe). Usually, the yellowing starts from the head or face, then gradually goes down to the chest and arms, then later abdomen then legs. It's not just the skin that might be yellow. The sclera, or the white part of the eye may be yellow too. Even under the tongue can be jaundiced as well.
Physiologic jaundice usually occurs on days 2-4 of life, peaks between 4-5 days and resolves in 2 weeks. Physiologic jaundice NEVER occurs in the first 24 hours of life.
If the jaundice becomes too much, you must consult with your pediatrician. He or she will probably have blood bilirubin levels taken. If it reaches a certain threshold, your pediatrician may recommend phototherapy. This is a non-invasive treatment where baby's skin is exposed to either white light or blue light. Ideally, blue light is used because the wavelength of 460-490 nm is the most ideal. Blue light is within the very wide range of white light, which is approximately 400-700nm.
If the bilirubin levels are not too high, and does not reach the threshold, you may be advised to expose to sunlight. Usually morning sunlight is the more common advise, between 6 to 8am, for about 20-30 mins (approximately 5 minutes per side). Expose the skin directly to the sun, no clothes, diaper only. If morning sunlight is not possible, afternoon sunlight is also ok, usually between 4-5pm. Exposing through the window is also possible. You will probably be advised to expose for a longer period, around 45 minutes.
Giving enough fluids is just as important as sunlight exposure because elimination of the converted bilirubin is through the urine. Sometimes, pediatricians will advise giving formula milk. Personally, as a breastfeeding advocate, I advise to continue breastfeeding. Offer the breast per demand or more often. DO NOT give water to newborn infants up to 6 months old. If baby is already formula fed, just continue feeding as normal. DO NOT add excess water. DO NOT dilute the milk further.
Best advise: consult with your pediatrician. He or she will be able to examine your little one and give the best advise suited for you and your baby.
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