My son is 3 weeks a tad yellow?

Question

His billirubin (spelling) levels where normal when he was born, discharged and at the 10 day appointment. BUT his eyes are not white, they are a creamy with a touch of pale yellow. His skin isnt yellow at all but sometimes I think it might be.

Is it possible to develop jaundice at 3 weeks? Or could there be other reasons why his eyes are not clearing up? I just hate that becase people say "Oh put him in the sun, his eyes are yellow" and I have! It just wont go away 100%.

Normal - not?

Answer 1

you should get him seen ASAP. my DS's levels were normal too, then the next few days after they went up.  

Answer 2

You can get problems with your billirubin anytime. I would get him to the doctor and find out what is going on. I had a friend who had the same problem but he was checked and it is just the way his eyes are. Good luck and just get him looked at.

Answer 3

you can get jaundice at any age. turning a yellow tinge is bad. Maybe call the doctor and ask or call the hospital and ask a nurse. They usually answer your questions over the phone.

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my baby girl. it will look normal soon. If you are concerned just ask the doctor. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Yellow is likely jaundice.  My son had that and just cannot remember what they did about it.  Its best to talk to your doctor about it.

Answer 6

At three weeks of his age he could be experiencing breastmilk jaundice. This is different then breastfeeding jaundice. Breastmilk jaundice usually occurs after a week of age. Since it is just in his eyes and not noted on his skin then I would assume that his level is lw. The only way to know for sure is to make a doctors appt. The sunlight is not a good idea. Infants shouldn't be placed in sunlight and for infants with true jaundice the sunlight is not strong enough to work.

Edit - Here we go again with the thumbs down. Please educate yourself before giving someone a thumbs down

Answer 7

Take him to a sunny window (or outside) and press down on his nose, the skin should blanch white.  If its not white, then check his chest, arms then legs.  To see how "far" the yellow has spread.

PS are you breastfeeding?  And what race is your baby.

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Edited to add:

Chances are if it started after 1 week of age it is breastmilk jaundice -which is never, ever serious and is possibly beneficial to the baby.

Basically once a day take the baby into the sun and check the progression, it shouldn't spread past the abdomen.

In the US and Canada they don't put a lot of faith in determining levels based on how extensive jaundice is but in most of the rest of the world they do.  Right now the only chart I can find is this one:

Nose: 3 mg

Face: 5 mg

Chest: 7 mg

Abdomen: 10 mg

Legs: 12 mg

Palms: 20 mg

http://www.moondragon.org/obgyn/pediatri...

Basically I was told to go back if it spread to the hands and feet or if I couldn't wake the baby.  It would come and go.  It was obviously unrelated to not getting enough breastmilk as he gained 40 oz over his birth weight by 4 weeks (so his actual gain was greater as he lost at least 3oz the first days).  Its likely that the high intake is related to the jaundice continuing and the high gain was probably related to me waking and feeding him because of the jaundice.

Also you MUST watch stool colour (actually this pamphlet should be given to all moms, really it saves lives and its not like you wouldn't be looking at the p**p anyway) http://www.childliverdisease.org/educati...

Breastmilk jaundice is caused by something in breastmilk, they aren't sure what (studies are inconclusive).  It is true that formula feeding for 24 hours will "cure" it -but at what cost?  24 hours of formula can cause enough disruption to the breastfeeding relationship that it ends.  Formula itself causes changes to the digestive tract of the newborn for about two weeks which reduces the benefits of breastmilk during that time.  And 24 hours of formula is enough to cause permanent sensitization in at risk babies.

Breastmilk jaundice can last up to 3 months (it did with my second).  And yes you will get questions and comments that whole time.

Breastmilk Jaundice:

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/07jaundic...

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/jaun...

Someone posted some information awhile back on "eyeballing" bilirubin levels. I have found a citation for that and wanted to share it with you.

    Visual estimates of serum bilirubin levels use the phenomenon of cephalocaudal progression of jaundice. Kramer (34) correlated the presence of dermal icterus with a serum bilirubin levels and found a cephalocaudal progression that continues as the concentration of serum bilirubin is increasing and remains the same when the level becomes stabilized. Jaundice to the level of the shoulders correlates to 5-7 mg/dL, to the level of the umbilicus to 7-10 mg/dL, below the umbilicus to 10-12 mg/dL, and below the knees to >15 mg/dL. The cephalocaudal progression is only seen when the bilirubin is rising. When the bilirubin begins to fall, the dermal icterus fades gradually in all affected skin areas at the same time.

De Steuben, C. 1992. Breastfeeding and jaundice: a review. Journal of Nurse-Midwifery, 37, (2), March/April, 59s-66s.

Kramer, LI. 1969. Advancement of dermal icterus in the jaundiced newborn. Am J Dis Child, 118, 454-8.

jaundice, breast milk

http://www.drhull.com/EncyMaster/J/jaund...

Slight Yellow Tint May Be Protective for Newborns

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/jaun...

Answer 8

its possible to get jaundice at any point of your life.

it indiactes a problem with the liver.

adults get jaundiced as well.

definitely get asecond opinion from a pediatrician

Answer 9

Usually babies with jaundice do not have yellow eyes.   Yellow eyes could be indicative of a liver problem.  

Yes babies can be jaundiced three weeks after birth.   Take the baby to the pediatrician.