What should be paid attention to when caring for neonatal jaundice at home?

In the hospital, the neonatal jaundice index may not be that high. Doctors will advise parents to observe carefully after returning home. So what should parents pay attention to when taking care of neonatal jaundice?

1. Pay attention to the color of your baby’s stool

Pay attention to the color of your baby's stool. If there is a problem with the liver or bile duct, the stool will turn white, but it will not turn white suddenly, but will become lighter and lighter. If the body suddenly turns yellow, you must take it to the doctor. This is because under normal circumstances, the bilirubin processed by the liver will be excreted from the bile duct to the intestine, so the stool has color. However, when the bile duct is blocked, bilirubin accumulates in the liver and cannot be excreted, which will cause liver damage. At this time, surgery must be performed within two months of the baby to make the bile duct unblocked or create a new bile duct to improve the condition.

2. Observe your baby’s daily life

If you feel that your baby is looking increasingly yellow, has poor spirits and appetite, or has an unstable body temperature, is drowsy, or is prone to shrill crying, you should go to the hospital for a check-up.

3. Carefully observe changes in jaundice

Jaundice starts from the head and fades from the feet, and the eyes are the first to turn yellow and the last to fade, so you can start by observing the eyes. If you don't know how to look, experts suggest that you can press any part of the body. As long as the skin you press turns white, it's fine. If it turns yellow, you should pay attention.

4. Don’t make your home too dark

After your baby is discharged from the hospital and goes home, try not to make the house too dark, and don't draw the curtains too tightly. During the day, your baby should be close to the natural light near the window. It doesn't matter if the light is on or off. It won't have any effect. If your baby's jaundice index exceeds 15mg/dL in the hospital, the hospital will illuminate the room to change the structure of bilirubin due to photochemical reaction, so that it will not harm the brain structure and be metabolized (it must have a fixed wavelength to be effective).

The reason why you should continue to expose your baby to natural light after returning home is that natural light has all wavelengths, so exposure to light will help more or less. In addition, if the house is too dark, it will affect the baby's absorption of vitamin D. However, do not expose your baby to direct sunlight, as it may cause sunburn and damage from ultraviolet rays.

5. Breastfeed frequently

If it is proven that jaundice is caused by insufficient feeding, the mother must feed the baby frequently, because milk secretion is a normal physiological reaction. Frequent sucking will stimulate the secretion of lactogen and more milk will be secreted. Never supplement with water or sugar water, thinking that the baby is not eating enough or that jaundice persists.