Your baby’s needs

Physiological jaundice

Many babies develop ‘physiological jaundice’ on the second or third day after birth. The liver normally breaks down the red blood cells, producing pigment called bilirubin. Immature livers in some babies, take a few days to cope with the breakdown and excretion of bilirubin, which causes an excessive build-up in the blood and makes the skin and eyes yellow. A minority of newborns require testing, and even fewer need phototherapy.

Many parents are surprised or even alarmed at the sight of their newborn. It is important to understand that the effects of birth are usually temporary and the baby’s looks improve rapidly. Common characteristics include:

Apgar:
A system of evaluating a newborn’s physical condition by assigning a score (0,1, 2) to each of the following criteria:
heart rate; respiratory effort; muscle tone;response to stimuli; and skin colour.
The evaluation is performed at one minute and again at five minutes after birth.