Question
The newborn has already exceeded two months of age, but the jaundice has not completely disappeared. The baby is currently being breastfed and has not consumed formula milk. When should the jaundice be considered normal for a newborn, at its latest?
Answer
Newborn jaundice is clinically categorized into pathological jaundice, physiological jaundice, and breastfeeding jaundice. Only pathological jaundice can lead to bilirubin encephalopathy, causing irreversible brain damage, so pathological jaundice requires blue light therapy and corresponding medication treatment. According to the description, the baby’s jaundice has persisted for over two months, which is mostly due to breastfeeding jaundice. It is recommended to discontinue breastfeeding for a few days and observe the baby again to confirm if there is any improvement.