What is newborn jaundice?

Excessive bilirubin : Jaundice occurs when a substance called bilirubin accumulates in the baby's body that may cause a yellowing of the eyes & skin. It is a product of broken down red blood cells that usually cleared by the liver, kidneys & intestines. As the newborn's organs are not fully mature at birth, sometimes more bilirubin accumulates. If the level is too high, it may need to be treated using phototherapy.

Newborn: 50 % of all newborns experience an increased red, or increasingly brown or deep orange tint in the skin a few days of birth, that reflects an build-up of Bilirubin in the skin, and the body, in general. Excretion is enhanced by increased milk intake and excretion through feces, but if the level is too high, it can temporarily damage the hearing mechanism.Excretion can be enhanced in many ways

Backlog of work: Before the cord is clamped, the babies blood is cleaned by the mother's liver & all factors that would trigger jaundice are removed. At birth,this work must be done by babies previously resting liver.Levels rise until babies liver begins to catch up with the work.About 1/3 have it to some, others have much more. For some it disappears without help, others may need some therapy.