How jaundice is treated
Phototherapy
Phototherapy means “treatment with light”. The light changes the bilirubin to a form that can be passed out of the body more easily.
- A doctor or nurse will undress your baby, protect their eyes and place them in an isolette (baby incubator). The isolette will make sure that your baby is kept warm while they are undressed.
- A light will be placed over and sometimes beside the isolette.
- Your baby’s skin and blood will absorb the light waves and convert the bilirubin to a form that is dissolves in water so that the body can get rid of it.
Some hospitals also use a “biliblanket” — a blanket placed under the baby’s back — as a way to treat a baby’s jaundice with light.
Phototherapy is completely safe, but it does mean less time for skin-to-skin contact with your newborn. The doctor may also ask you to limit your feeds to 30 minutes to give your baby as much time under the light as possible.
Feeding
An increase in your baby’s milk intake will also help to treat the jaundice. The doctor may recommend that you give your baby some formula in addition to normal breastfeeding. If the jaundice is severe, your baby may need an intravenous (IV) line to give fluids into their vein.