Newborn Jaundice
Jaundice (yellowish discoloration of skin) in newborns is very common. It is caused by bilirubin. Bilirubin is the byproduct of the breakdown of Red Blood Cells (RBC). When a baby is first born they have a lot of fetal RBC's which have a shorter life span than adult RBC so more is broken down. The extra bilirubin is then deposited in the skin giving it the yellow color. Most jaundice goes away in 1-2 weeks however treatment with phototherapy is sometimes necessary if the bilirubin level is too high to prevent more serious complications. Premature babies are more at risk for jaundice as well as babies with different blood types than their mothers and breastfed babies.