Jaundice is a condition that can affect anyone of any age but is more common in newborns

Jaundice is a condition that can affect anyone of any age but is more common in newborns. It's extremely common, affecting around 60% of newborns overall and 80% of premature babies.

Jaundice occurs when there is too much of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow waste product of red blood cells and it's the livers job to remove it. A baby's liver is immature so often are unable to remove the bilirubin quick enough, causing an excess amount to build up.

There are two types of jaundice in newborns - physiological (also referred to as breastmilk jaundice), and pathological.

Physiological jaundice usually occurs around 3 days after the baby is born and causes mild yellowing. It's fairly common in breastfed babies and usually resolves itself after a couple of weeks with lots of feeding. Occasionally it can go on for longer but seldom causes any issues and can be considered to actually be a normal adjustment to life on the outside of the womb for many babies.

Pathological jaundice is not normal and can sometimes occur within 24 hours of life causing severely high bilirubin levels. This type of jaundice may be caused by liver or blood disorders.

If you are breastfeeding and your baby is jaundiced, continue to feed your baby every couple of hours. If there are feeding issues, seek the support of an infant feeding specialist to help.

There are several indicators of jaundice, including yellowing, which is easier to identify in babies with light coloured skin, bright yellow urine, yellow whites of the eyes, soles of feet and palms of hands and yellowing of gums. Gently pressing the tip of the nose may display some yellowing of the skin too.

Some of these signs are subtle, whilst others are obvious. A very obviously jaundiced baby may need a blood test to check how high the bilirubin levels are. If high, your baby may need to go under a UV lamp to help clear the jaundice. In rare cases, the bilirubin levels are high enough to warrant a blood transfusion. A very jaundiced baby may be really sleepy and difficult to wake for feeds. If you suspect jaundice, be sure to raise with your care provider