Jaundice in a seven week old

[Katy44]

Hi everyone
Does anyone have any experience of jaundice in a seven week old? He had it when he was a few days old, which I know is normal, and it went a few days after that.
Both DH and I separately noticed he was looking a tiny bit yellow (on his skin, not really on his eyes as it was before).
We've been to the GP out of hours clinic, where the doctor said she didn't think he was jaundiced, but we have an appointment with the paediatrician in the morning for a blood test.
I've heard about breastmilk jaundice, but the impression I got was that in those cases it never really cleared from the baby being a few days old, well in this case it did (confirmed by the midwife) and then came back.
Has this happened to anyone else?

He may have a little jaundice, but I'm not really qualified to say.

Are you breastfeeding? Breastmilk and natural daylight are the best things for jaundice. If he's a little sleepy wake him up. I hope you find the cause soon.

At seven weeks jaundice needs to be looked at by a specialist. If you are breastfeeding then sometimes babies can remain jaundiced for longer than a few weeks, but in a few cases jaundice after the first few weeks can be serious. Good Luck with the peadiatrician hope all goes well. Please let us know how you get on.

I will do thanks.
Marslady, I am bf, and he's still waking for each feed (in fact he's waking more than often). He probably needs more natural daylight though, I need to take him out more than I do.
Thanks for replying, I'll post again in the morning.

Katy - my 2 dds had jaundice and dd3 left hospital before it appeared and it seemed to take a while to go. That your ds is awake nad alert is good although having the blood test is also brilliant as it will show up if they need phototherapy.

As you said perhaps just more daylight. At times with dd3 it seemed to have gone but be more pronounced at other times and we were unsure whether she still had it or not.

You don't need to take her out - just put her in your doorway or in her room with the curtains open and light coming in that way is just as good as getting her outside.

Hi,
Well I'm confused but reassured. We went in for his blood test today (of course the yellow-y tinge had disappeared). They examined him and said he looked really healthy and that if he did have a touch of breastmilk jaundice then it wouldn't be anywhere near high enough on the scale that meant they would carry out any treatment, so it wasn't worth doing the blood test.
A letter has been sent to the GP, and he'll have his 8 week check in a week or so so I'm just going to keep an eye on it.
What I don't understand though is that opinion seems divided as to whether it's normal (even at his age) or whether it's something to worry about!
eidsvold, thanks for the reassurance. I am going to make sure he spends more time in the daylight - even if it's just near the open back doors as you suggest. I'm terrible for leaving the blinds closed half the day (usually cos I don't get a shower until lunchtime!) so he probably does spend more time than is healthy in unnatural light. Plus the fact that he doesn't like his pram (he screams!) means that we don't get out much in the fresh air, now the weather is a bit cooler I might try to change that.

Katy... if he doesn't like his pram do you have a sling? You really don't want him sleeping in darkened rooms. He needs the light to grow.

Talk him for a walk round your garden. Hold him in your arms.

The walks don't have to be long. He'll get used to his pram. Besides... the fresh air and natural light is good for both of you.

Glad the GPs found nothing suspicious!

Thanks Marslady
Think I'm a bit too paraniod about my PFB - don't like going out when it's sunny, and not going out in the rain! Mind you it's stopped now so when he's finished feeding I might wrap him up and just stand outside as it's still light.

Good on you Katy. Best thing you can do for him... and for YOU!

Don't worry if it's not sunny. It's the natural light that you want (and not just through a window).

Why not meet a girlfriend at an outdoor cafe for a coffee some time next week?

We had a walk round the garden for ten mins, he seemed to really enjoy looking at the white flowers on a tree and having a nose into next door's garden (he's a very nosey baby and their garden is lovely!)
Coffee sounds like a good idea

Well done!

So.... garden .... check

outside world.............
coffee with friend.........

My ds developed jaundice after he was born and this lasted for a good few months - He was exclusively breastfed. My health visitor at the time suggested placing him near the french doors so that he could take advantage of the daylight. No other treatment was needed.
Best of kluck