What Causes Infant Jaundice?
Jaundice is caused by excess amounts of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells by the liver. Bilirubin has a yellow tinge and is removed from the blood by the liver; it leaves the body through stool. When too much bilirubin is produced, the liver can’t process the bilirubin quickly enough, and the yellow tinge of bilirubin in the blood stream taints the skin and eyes of your newborn. Jaundice is quite common because a newborn’s liver is immature and therefore usually does not process bilirubin quickly enough. This is coupled with the fact that newborns produce a lot of red blood cells, which means more byproduct (bilirubin) is produced. Symptoms of Jaundice The foremost symptom of jaundice is the yellowing of the skin and eyes. It is also sometimes accompanied by lethargy and poor feeding. Are you having a hard time identifying the color of your baby’s skin? How can you tell if your newborn has jaundice? Simply use your finger to press the tip of your n
