Questions
When does the peak period of newborn jaundice usually occur? How should parents distinguish between physiological and pathological jaundice on their own? During the jaundice period, how should the baby be fed? Do you need to increase the baby’s water intake?
Answers
Generally, physiological jaundice appears in newborns 2 to 3 days after birth and reaches its peak between 4 to 6 days, gradually fading around 10 days. At this time, the baby may only show slight loss of appetite without other obvious symptoms. If jaundice appears within 24 hours after birth, or persists for 2 to 3 weeks without improvement, or if the jaundice index is unusually high, or if it recurs after subsiding, or if new jaundice develops within one week to several weeks after birth, these are all signs of pathological jaundice. Typically, physiological jaundice does not require special treatment; appropriate sunlight exposure, increasing breast milk intake, and promoting excretion will be helpful.