Treatment:

Treatment will depend on:

• Your baby's bilirubin level, which naturally rises during the first week of life
• How fast the bilirubin level has been going up
• Whether your baby was born early
• How old your baby is now

Often, the bilirubin level is low (20 mg/dL is the usual normal limit for babies who are over a week old). Sometimes no treatment is needed, other than close follow-up.

Sometimes jaundice is caused by not enough breastfeeding (instead of from the milk itself). Extra fluids are helpful for babies who have not been getting enough breast milk.

• Nursing more often (up to 12 times a day) will increase the baby's fluid levels and can cause the bilirubin level to drop.
• Ask your doctor before giving your newborn formula. It is still best to keep breast-feeding.
• At times, fluids given through a vein can help increase the baby's fluid level and lower bilirubin levels.

To help break down the bilirubin, your child may be placed under special blue lights (phototherapy). If the bilirubin level is not too high or is not rising quickly, you can do phototherapy at home.

• You can use either a fiberoptic blanket that has tiny bright lights in it, or a bed that shines light up from the mattress. A nurse will come to your home to teach you how to use the blanket or bed, and to check on your child.
• You must keep the light therapy on your child's skin and feed your child every 2 to 3 hours (10 to 12 times a day). Feeding prevents dehydration and helps bilirubin leave the body.
• Therapy will continue until your baby's bilirubin level is low enough to be safe.

If the bilirubin level is above the usual limit and other causes have already been ruled out, the mother can stop nursing for 24 hours to see if the baby's bilirubin level goes down. Giving the baby formula will cause the bilirubin level to drop quickly in babies with breast milk jaundice.

• During that time the mother can express the milk or pump her breasts (to stay comfortable and maintain the flow of milk) while feeding the baby formula.
• In most cases, when nursing is restarted the bilirubin will not return to its previous levels.

Expectations (prognosis):

The baby should recover fully with the right monitoring and treatment.

Complications:

With the right treatment, there are usually no complications. However, babies who do not get the right medical care can have severe effects. High bilirubin levels can be harmful to the baby's brain and other organs.

Babies whose bilirubin levels have been unusually high may need follow-up hearing screening after the newborn period.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider right away if you are breastfeeding and your baby's skin or eyes become yellow (jaundiced).