Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia)

Home Treatment

Parents are often asked to watch their newborns for signs of jaundice, which produces a yellow tint to the skin and eyes. Many mothers and their newborns leave the hospital within 48 hours of the baby's birth, often before signs of jaundice develop. It is recommended that your infant have a follow-up exam with your health professional within the first 5 days after birth.

If a baby develops jaundice but at this point does not need phototherapy, your doctor will ask you to watch for and report any signs of increasing jaundice or changes in behavior. To check for signs of increasing jaundice:

• Undress your baby and look at his or her skin closely twice a day. For dark-skinned babies, look at the white part of the eyes to check for jaundice. Remember that your baby will get cold quickly when undressed. Cover your baby after about 1 minute.
• Check your baby at the same time of day, in the same room, under the same lighting conditions each time. If you think that your baby's skin is getting more yellow, call your health professional.

The best home treatment for jaundice is frequent feedings, whether breast-feeding or bottle-feeding. Feeding your baby frequently (8 to 10 or more times a day) will provide him or her with the fluids needed to get rid of the extra bilirubin.

Babies with jaundice who are otherwise healthy may be treated at home with a type of phototherapy that uses a fiber-optic wrap, usually a blanket or a band. These wraps usually reduce blood bilirubin levels more slowly than standard phototherapy, so generally they are used only for mild jaundice. Sometimes standard therapy and fiber-optic wrap therapy are used together.²

If your baby is being treated at home for jaundice, it is important that you understand how to use all the equipment. Ask your health professional for help if you have questions or concerns. A home health nurse may visit to make sure all is going well. The amount of bilirubin in your baby's blood may need to be measured every day.

If your baby has been treated with phototherapy, the yellow tint to the baby's skin and eyes may not disappear immediately. However, if the yellow tint intensifies, report it to your health professional.

Sometimes parents try to treat their jaundiced babies on their own without the proper equipment. Placing a baby under lights at home, near a windowsill in the sunlight, or outside in the sun will not lower the amount of bilirubin in his or her blood. Your baby's skin may get burned by the lights or the sun. In addition, your baby may get too cold. Special lights and controlled surroundings are always needed to treat jaundice safely.

Some mothers who breast-feed their babies are concerned that they will need to stop breast-feeding if their babies develop jaundice. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages women to continue breast-feeding newborns with jaundice who are otherwise healthy and to focus on increasing the frequency of feedings (8 to 10 or more times every 24 hours).¹ If your baby is hospitalized, you may need to pump your breasts to maintain your milk production. You can then take the milk to the hospital for your baby's feedings.

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Author:	Amy Fackler, MA Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: June 2, 2006
Medical Review:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
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