Neonatal jaundice
Hey parents even the small things can cause us to worry over our babies in this article you're going to learn what jaundice is and how to help your baby recover from it so that you don't have to worry so much about it and you can feel confident in caring for your newborn if they have jaundice.
Jaundice in newborns is very common about three in five babies have it and usually is nothing to be concerned about when treated appropriately and thankfully most of the treatments that we'll be talking about parents are able to do from home.
When parents don't know much about jaundice and how to treat it they can feel overwhelmed worried and helpless so we're going to avoid these feelings by sharing in this session right now about what causes jaundice what it looks like in a newborn and simple remedies to treat it.
What is neonatal jaundice?
Jaundice is one of the most common conditions to affect newborns especially for babies born prematurely before 37 weeks however it's not a condition that poses too big of a concern especially when parents treat it well. jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in baby's blood.
Bilirubin is a yellow substance that is produced when red blood cells are broken down and in newborns there is a really high level of blood cells that are quickly being broken down to bring oxygen to their bodies on top of that babies aren't born with a very mature liver and the function of the liver is to filter out the blood and get rid of waste like bilirubin so because of both of these factors newborns are more prone to becoming jaundiced after birth.
Symptoms of neonatal jaundice :
You'll notice a baby that has jaundice by the yellowing of their skin and the whites of their eyes which makes sense because the bilirubin is yellow as well jaundice is generally first noticed in the eyes and it's also the last place that it will leave which is why parents will typically notice the yellowing of the eyes the longest your baby's pediatrician will check baby's levels of bilirubin in the blood by either getting a blood sample or by using a non-invasive device that is placed on the skin and can measure the bilirubin by utilizing a special light that shines through the baby's skin and this method is most commonly used.
Treatments of neonatal jaundice :
Most babies jaundice is seen as a natural transitional phenomenon as they transition from womb to world it usually goes away within one to two weeks especially if parents do these simple treatments.
1, Feed Baby Often:
The first one is to feed a baby often giving baby adequate hydration is going to help flush out that bilirubin in their blood through their urine for a jaundice baby you should aim to nurse or feed them at least every three hours through the day and the night until their numbers that indicate bilirubin levels go down.
2, Expose Baby to Sunlight:
The second thing parents should be doing is exposing their baby to sunlight Vitamin D helps break down the bilirubin in the body so getting your baby outside in the sunlight with their arms face and if you can their chest bare for 10 to 15 minutes is going to help lower those bilirubin levels. if getting out in the sunlight is not really possible for you supplementing with vitamin D drops which most pediatricians recommend for all newborns anyways is also a good alternative.
Most cases of moderate infant jaundice these treatments are going to help resolve any issues.
3, Phototherapy:
However if baby's jaundice is more severe if it continues to rise or simply just doesn't lessen it might be recommended that your baby has a more powerful type of treatment like phototherapy. where a special blue colored light is shine on baby's skin which helps add oxygen to the bilirubin to dissolve it easier in water in the body and then be passed through the urine or poop out of their little body.
This is non-invasive and typically takes a few days till baby's liver matures and can take over the process on its own. in more severe cases which are very rare a transfusion will take place where babies blood will be filtered out of their body and donor blood will be pumped into their body to remove the high levels of bilirubin.
As i said this is very uncommon and would definitely be the last resort for any care provider to suggest this but it's also very effective and baby is able to leave the hospital within a couple of days if this has to occur situations that call for more medicalized treatment only happen for about 1 in 20 babies so it's unlikely to happen and phototherapy is usually the most common treatment when jaundice is more severe.
So parents if you start noticing your baby turning yellow there's no need to panic or be overly concerned this is something that is highly treatable at home by taking those very simple measures that i told about earlier feeding your baby often and exposing them to sunlight and supplementing with vitamin D.
This is such a common infant condition your baby's care provider is going to be actively assessing their bilirubin levels in the early weeks to make sure that they are staying safe and healthy and now that you know about jaundice and all the ways that you can help treat it you are totally ready if it is something that your baby has and you don't have to experience those feelings of overwhelm worry or helplessness because you are informed you are empowered to make decisions and you know how to help your baby overcome this common and very treatable condition.
Thank you
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