Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Neonatal Jaundice

DIAGNOSED

The hospital discharges most mothers and newborns within 72 hours of delivery. It's very important for parents to bring their babies in for a checkup a few days after birth because of bilirubin levels peak between 3 to 7 days after birth.
A distinct yellow coloring confirms that the baby has jaundice, but additional tests may be needed to determine the severity of jaundice.
Babies who develop jaundice in the first 24 hours of life should have bilirubin levels measured immediately, either through a skin test or blood test.
Additional tests may be needed to see if baby jaundice is due to an underlying condition. This may include testing your baby for their complete blood count(CBC), blood type, and Rhesus factor ( Rh) incompatibility.
Additionally, a Coombs test may be done to check for increased red blood cell breakdown.

Mild jaundice will usually resolve on its own as a baby liver begin to mature. Frequent feeding (between 8 to 12 times a day) will help babies pass bilirubin through their bodies
More severe jaundice may require other treatments. Phototherapy is a common and highly effective method of treatment that uses light to break down bilirubin in your baby body.
In phototherapy, your baby will be placed on a special bed under a blue spectrum light while wearing only a diaper and special protective goggles. A fiber-optic blanket may also be placed underneath your baby.
In severe cases, an exchange transfusion may be necessary in which a baby receives small amounts of blood from a donor or a blood bank.
This replaces the baby's damaged blood with healthy red blood cells. This also increases the baby's red blood count and reduces bilirubin levels.
Phototherapy

During pregnancy, you can have your blood type tested. After the birth of your baby's blood type is tested to rule out the blood type incompatibility that can lead to neonatal jaundice.
Avoiding the consumption of alcohol and cigarette during pregnancy. And also avoid taking drugs without the doctor's advice.
Make sure your baby is getting enough nutrition through breast milk to ensure your bays isn't dehydrated, which helps bilirubin passes through their body more quickly.
If you are not breastfeeding feeding your baby formula, give your baby 1 to 2 ounces of formula every 2 to 3 hours for this first week. Preterm or smaller babies may take smaller amounts of formula, as will babies who are also receiving breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned your baby is taking too little or too much formula, or if they won't wake to feed at least 8 times per 24 hours.
Carefully monitor your baby for the first five days of life for the symptoms of jaundice, such as yellowing of the skin and eyes.