Treatment for newborn jaundice
A – C – T
Ask your baby’s doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test.
Create a follow-up plan before leaving the birth hospital. All babies 3 to 5 days old should be checked by a nurse or doctor, because this is usually when a baby’s bilirubin level is highest. The timing of the follow-up visit will depend on how old your baby is when you leave the birth hospital and on any other risk factors. Babies with jaundice in the first 24 hours of life or with high bilirubin levels before hospital discharge should have an early follow-up plan.
Treat jaundice seriously.
CDC Your Guide to Newborn Jaundice Safety Brochure
When to Get Help
See your baby’s doctor the same day if your baby:
- Is very yellow or orange (skin color changes start from the head and spread to the toes).
- Is hard to wake up or will not sleep at all.
- Is not breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle well.
- Is very fussy.
- Does not have enough wet or dirty diapers.
Ask your baby’s doctor or nurse about a jaundice bilirubin test.
Get emergency medical help if your baby:
- Is crying inconsolably or with a high pitch.
- Is arched like a bow (the head or neck and heels are bent backward and the body forward).
- Has a stiff, limp, or floppy body.
- Has strange eye movements.
For more information about newborn jaundice testing and treatment
Please see the Center for Disease Control’s jaundice and kernicterus web site for additional information and resources.
