3 week old still slightly jaundiced?

[Juvysen]

My 3 week old appears still mildly jaundiced. (Dh says no, but everyone who sees the baby comments). Soooo what can this mean? We saw the ped when he was a week old and most of the jaundice was gone - I don't think we have *more* but still seem maybe to have a low level. He's eating a lot and peeing and pooping - plenty of dirty diapers, having wakeful periods... his pee is very pale colored, poop is brownish yellow, already gained like 3 lbs (which I find weird, but definitely gaining weight)... Should I be worrying or is this in the realm of normal?

[Juvysen]

hmm... maybe i should have put this in the health and healing forum or breastfeeding...

[EnchantedMamma]

I think DS stayed slightly jaundiced for a while. I know we were close to needing tests.

We just kept taking him out in the sun in his basinett and rotating him like a rotiserrie chicken They said strip him down to the diaper and do a few minutes on each side every day. It finally cleared at some point and he's been fine. Good luck!

[womenswisdom]

DD was jaundiced for WEEKS. The midwife and the ped were both unconcerned since it was not spreading and was just slow to go away. She did not need any therapy or anything. We think hers was due to ABO incompatibility, since my son's blood type is A and I am O, but she was never tested b/c we had a homebirth and it didn't become necessary.

[Juvysen]

Hmmm... Dh and I are both A+ blood types...

It doesn't seem to be getting worse, though, which makes me feel better about it...

[Calleiah]

My little one was still jaundiced at 6 weeks. We never new why, except to speculate that being born at 37 weeks her liver just wasnt quite ready on it's own. Her levels got pretty high and we ended up with a Bilibed at home for a week, but they did gradually drop very slowly. Hope we dont have the same issue with the next one, it left her so lethargic and sleepy, made nursing really hard. How is he eating? Is he eating energetically or does he seem overly sleepy? Jaundice can be a yucky cycle because it makes them sleepy, which makes them not eat as well, which keeps them from urinating as much to get rid of the bili in thier systems. Hope your little guy loses the yellow soon!

[Juvysen]

he seems to be eating really well. He was born at 9 1/2 lbs and is up over 12, now, at 3 weeks old. i have a bit of overactive letdown or oversupply or something, so he'll pull off and let it dribble, but he's certainly gaining. He was born at 40 + 1. He has awake periods, too, and is holding his head up frequently, now. I guess this is why I'm not sure if I should be worried or not - he seems like a pretty "normal" newborn - or at least like my other two were... except he looks very slightly yellow (well, and he's gaining a lot faster than the the other two did...).

[Calleiah]

Sounds like breast milk jaundice. Perfectly normal and can last a few weeks. Found this quick link to info on it.
http://www.mothering.com/breast-milk-jaundice

If he's alert and eating well, I'd just sun him a bit and make sure he continues to have lots of nice wet/poopy diapers and unlimited time at the breast, though it sounds like he's eating VERY well! LOL

[thefreckledmama]

My two that were jaundiced were still a little yellowish at 3 weeks,...as long as he's eating/pooping/gaining weight well, and the color is declining, I think everything's ok. If you can, try to sit in the sun with him, even inside in a window, as much as you can the next few days to help things along.

[sienna]

if you take your baby out into the sun and give her about 10 minutes exposure, it will be gone the next day.

BTDT.

Unless you live, like in FLA or something, lol. Then 10 minutes might be too much.