Patient's question:
My daughter just got born, and I was just catching my breath when the nurse took me away. She said they needed to check the baby's jaundice level. I thought my child looked perfectly fine, but she insisted that my child's jaundice level was a bit high. What is the normal jaundice level for newborns, anyway?Doctor's answer:
For the normal value of neonatal jaundice, it should not exceed 12.9 under normal circumstances. Typically, jaundice begins to appear 2-3 days after birth. Generally, it becomes noticeable within 4-5 days and gradually fades away within 5-7 days. The latest it should persist is no more than 2 weeks. This is physiological jaundice. Generally, there is no major issue. As long as the jaundice index does not exceed this normal value, there is no need to worry too much, and breastfeeding can continue.