Question
My baby is 23 days old and has a yellowish face. What should I do?
Answer
My daughter is just 23 days old. The corners of her mouth, eyes, and ears are slightly yellowish. Should I take her to get checked? Based on your description, it may be a symptom of neonatal jaundice. Check the level of jaundice. If the bilirubin level measured through the skin exceeds 12, it’s safer to hospitalize for blood tests and blue light therapy. However, many children have breastmilk jaundice, which is harmless. You can try stopping breastfeeding for 3 to 5 days. Then, expose the baby to sunlight, take artichoke extract and probiotics, etc. Generally, neonatal jaundice resolves within a month. Since your baby is at 23 days and still has jaundice, it’s advisable to consult a doctor. Also, ensure adequate fluid intake; breastfeeding babies are prone to milk jaundice later on, but high bilirubin levels still require treatment.