Jaundice

[Pencil72]

I am very anxious and wanted to share my story and see if anyone had similar experience. My DS was born at 36 weeks. On the day of discharge the doctor said he looked a bit yellow and did test but level was not high so we were let go (level was 180 ish). On day 5 when the nurse came at home for visit she said his back was yellow and to put him near the window. On day 6 I noticed his eyes was yellow and called the hospital i told them I have another nurse home visit the next week. So they said no need to come and just follow with the nurse. The next week the nurse said the yellow was better so I was relieved. On day 5 at night I also started to top off after breastfeeding since he lost weight. Day 6 he started to gain weight again. The next few days I didnt look at the jaundice anymore since I felt the yellow in the eyes was better. But latter on i started to read about jaundice and heard stories where the nurse had said jaundice looks better with visual examination but latter on baby ended up having high bilirubin and even caused brain injuries. So I freaked out and at 22 day I brought baby to er to get level and it was 174. They said its not high level. But I am just worried that he had high level somewhere btw those days. Thanks

 

[Scout]

My daughter was born at 35w2d, and was jaundiced. I had to rent one of those light box things (looked like a little tanning bed) to keep her in at home. I could only take her out of it for 30 minutes every 3 hours. I don't recall her numbers, but they stayed high enough for her to need the phototherapy for an entire week. I had to take her in every day for a heel stick and it wasn't until day 6 with the constant light that I was told I didn't have to use it anymore. She's now 6 and just fine. I was worried though, like you, from all I had read. At the time, her pediatrician told me the number would have to be extremely high (typically high enough for intervention beyond the phototherapy) and prolonged for brain damage to occur. This was just my experience. I'm not sure what to say regarding the visuals. I'm in the US and doctors here test constantly (for profit health providers). I'd like to think, though, that the nurse had seen her share of jaundiced babies and knew what she was doing, and that a severely jaundiced baby who didn't look badly jaundiced would be really rare. Wishing you and that sweet baby boy all the best!

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

My dd2 was born at 40wks and at 2 weeks old had jaundice. She had to go to the childrens and be admitted for the bili light. About a week. Her level was 19 and the dangerous level is 21.