My Baby Is Yellow: Newborn Jaundice

First let’s talk about what newborn jaundice is. Newborn jaundice is very common and is when babies have a high level of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced when the normal break down of old red blood cells occurs. When a baby is born, it’s liver is not fully developed, therefore, it is less effective at removing the bilirubin from the blood. An estimated 6 out of 10 babies develop jaundice, however only 1 in 20 have a bilirubin level high enough to need treatment (Isla was that 1).

Some symptoms of jaundice in babies include; the yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, yellowing of the palms of hands and soles of feet, dark yellow urine and pale coloured poos.

Most cases do not need treatment, symptoms usually pass within 10 to 14 days. Treatment is recommended when levels are high as there is a small risk the bilirubin could pass into the brain and cause brain damage.

Treatment for a baby with high a bilirubin level is often Phototherapy, which is when a special type of light shines directly only the babies skin. The light alters the bilirubin making it easier to break down by the (not fully developed) liver.

When Isla was born, I honestly didn’t think twice about her skin colour. In my eyes, she wasn’t yellow at all, I was a first time Mum, I didn’t know what to look for, I didn’t even know what newborn jaundice was! The midwife spotted it, she came on when Isla was 3 days old, a routine check up which all babies and Mums receive. She noticed that Isla was a bit yellow (I still couldn’t see it), so she took a little bit of blood to test back at the hospital. Unfortunately, the blood had clotted by the time she got back to the hospital and she wasn’t able to test it, she called me and asked if I would take Isla up to the hospital so she could get fresh blood and take it straight for testing. We walked up to the hospital, the midwife took the little sample of blood and off she went to test it.

When she came back, it was not what I expected, she told me that Isla had high levels and would need treatment. I was scared, what did all of this mean?

Isla has to be stripped off and wearing eye protection, they said she would have to have 24 hours under the light and then they would check her bilirubin level again. It was so weird because I had this tiny 3 day old baby, who I wanted to kiss and cuddle, and just hold! And I couldn’t do that, she had to be under this light in a plastic box, I could only take her out to feed her or clean her if she weed or pooed. The blue light made it extremely hot in the small hospital room, I couldn’t open the window for obvious reasons. I was sick with worry, no one had really told me what was going on and it had all happened so fast. I couldn’t sleep, with the heat, the light and the worry.

24 hours passed, they took another blood sample. The levels were lower, but not low enough. Which meant another 24 hours under the light.

After a full 48 hours under the special light, her bilirubin levels had lowered enough that the doctors were happy that she could come out from under the light. She was still yellow (at the time I didn’t see it, still!) it took quite a long time for her pigment to change. In fact, it took about 3 months for her skin to be a “normal” colour!

When I look back at photographs I see she was quite yellow, but at the time I had no idea!