What Is the Solution for Jaundice?

Jaundice occurs in many newborn babies and is caused by high bilirubin levels in the blood that have not been filtered out by the liver. This condition causes a yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes of an affected infant.

Frequent Feedings

• According to the Mayo Clinic, an increased frequency of feedings can cause an infant to have more bowel movements and stimulate the removal of bilirubin from the body.

Supplemental Feedings

• Babies that are having trouble with breastfeeding may have a faster resolution of jaundice if breastfeeding is supplemented with infant formula or expressed milk.

Light Therapy

• Infants may be exposed to special bluish-green light that changes bilirubin in the baby's blood and makes the bilirubin easier to excrete.

Immunoglobulin

• Some cases of newborn jaundice may be caused by differences in blood type between the mother and the baby, and these cases may require an intravenous transfusion of a blood protein called immunoglobulin.

Blood Transfusion

• A blood transfusion may be required in cases where jaundice has not been corrected with other treatments. Small amounts of blood are removed from the infant, bilirubin and maternal antibodies are filtered out of the blood, and the blood is transferred back to the infant.