Jaundice

Over half of all new babies go a slightly yellow colour after two or three days. This is due to a form of jaundice, which develops because the baby’s liver isn’t yet mature enough to process a particular chemical, called bilirubin, in the blood.

It is so common that it is considered to be quite normal. It goes away by itself, usually by the end of the first week, and doesn’t require any special treatment unless it becomes severe.

You may be advised to feed your baby frequently to help clear the jaundice, as the chemical in the blood binds with the fat in the milk and is cleared more quickly from the system if you feed frequently. But jaundice makes babies sleepy, so you may need to wake him for feeds.

If your baby has jaundice, your midwife may take a blood sample to check if it’s severe enough to need treatment. If the level of bilirubin in the blood is very high, then your baby may be treated with phototherapy, where the baby is put under a special bright light.

Occasionally, jaundice may have a more serious cause, especially if it develops either straight after birth or during the baby’s second week, or if it doesn’t go away after about 10 days. See your doctor, who may refer you to a specialist.