Hey mamas, papas, and soon-to-be parents π If you're staring at your newborn and thinking, "Why is their skin looking kind of yellow?" β you're not alone.
I totally panicked when I first saw it too. But let me walk you through what I learned (the hard way) about newborn jaundice β and what's actually nothing to freak out about.
Wait, why is my baby yellow? π€
Newborn jaundice is super common. It shows up as yellowish skin or eyes, and it's caused by extra bilirubin in their little bodies. This is just the leftover stuff from red blood cells breaking down after birth β and yep, their liver is still learning how to deal with it.
Doctors told us that more than half of newborns will have some level of jaundice in the first week. Totally normal! So if your baby looks like a glow stick under soft lighting... you're not failing β it's biology.
When is it okay? βοΈ
Here's what our pediatrician said was normal jaundice:
β’ Starts around day 2 or 3
β’ Peaks by day 4 to 5
β’ Clears up on its own by the end of the first week or two
β’ Baby is feeding well and still alert
As long as your baby is eating, pooping, and seems content, you're probably just seeing that classic early-days glow.
When should we check in with the doctor? π©ββοΈ
Call your doctor if:
β’ Jaundice appears within the first 24 hours
β’ It's spreading super fast or getting darker
β’ Baby is super sleepy, not feeding well, or not gaining weight
β’ It's still there after 2 weeks
In our case, our little one had it until day 10, but since they were feeding well and had no other symptoms, our doctor said it was okay to just keep an eye on it.
What can we do at home? πΌβοΈ
Here's what helped us:
β’ Feed often: this helps flush out the bilirubin
β’ Sunlight time: gently exposing baby to natural sunlight for 5β10 minutes near a window (not direct sun)
β’ Track diapers: count wet and dirty diapers to make sure things are moving along
We didn't need any treatment, but just doing these simple things helped us feel proactive and less anxious.
You're doing great, I promise π
If your baby looks a little yellow, take a deep breath. You're not missing anything. You're not alone. This is a very normal part of early baby life, and in most cases, it clears up all by itself.
Have you ever experienced this with your little one? Or are you currently in the "searching every symptom" phase? π Drop a π below and let's talk! We're in this together β one worry at a time.
