Jaundice

-----Jung with Blue Lite home-phototherapy

Just like his brother, Jung has jaundice too. But since we are well prepared this time around, we are more calm and hence we don't have to go through the dramas at the hospital.

Now, for parents who are 'ignorant' or have no idea what jaundice is, let me share with you these:

• Other name for jaundice is 'yellow fever' (though no fever), 'sakit kuning'

• HOW it happens? Something to do with excess bilirubin in the red blood cell, baby's liver is slow at getting rid of them. Google for more details.

• HOW to gauge if my baby got jaundice? How to observe? SKIN. If you press lightly at the skin near baby's chest area, notice the GOLDEN yellow print which fades of very slowly. Also at the face area, especially around the eyes- yellowish instead of the cutie cute pink flush. Also, if your baby sleeps more, waking less to drink (normal new born - every 2 hourly), be alarmed. Jaundice babies are SLEEPY babies. ASIAN babies tend to have a higher statistics to have jaundice.
  

• HOW does baby get rid of it?

..Naturally : Depending on how fast his body(liver) get rid of the bilirubin - via poo poo and wee wee, jaundice normally peaks at the 8th-day and then trailing off slowly. So doctors will normally advice mothers to breast feed more as baby tends to poo poo more if breast fed.
..Having said that, if the reading is high (from blood test)and reduce at a very low pace, it could be best to put off breast feeding for a while (mothers-don't forget to express milk so that the milk supply continues..) and feed your baby formula. Formula has more sugar to absorb the 'yellow'.
..If not serious, start sun-bathing baby in the morning before 9am everyday starting day 3.
..If you consider it serious, have a blood test at the hospital to confirm at day 3 or day 4. DO NOT procrastinate.
..Exposing baby to Blue Light. You can rent the machine here at http://www.bluelite.com.my. Ask your doctor for advise. If the reading is too high, baby may need to be hospitalized for monitoring. (that is when as first time parents, you would have your heart wrenching moments seeing the baby being poked few times a day for blood test!! Ahhhh!!!!)

• If your MIL or mother says 'Aiya, no worries la, the yellow will go away eventually..!!' Don't listen to them. Yes, most babies will have some level of yellowness but if you don't feel easy, have a blood test. A high reading of bilirubin can cause deafness and cerebral palsy (brain damage)!! NO JOKE.
  

My Jien used to have jaundice too. The problem with him is he was still very ACTIVE and suckled very often!! But when we went earlier for check up, his reading was 400++ !

My advice for mothers : Try not to makan gingers and all the jamu, herbs whatever for the first 8 days after delivery. Just eat your normal food and observe your lil one closely. :)