At a glance
- Most newborns get some jaundice in the first days; most cases are mild and fade on their own.
- Any yellow color in the first 24 hours needs a bilirubin test right away.
- Every baby should have a skin or blood bilirubin test before leaving the hospital.
- A baby who goes home before 48 hours old should be seen by a doctor within 2 days.
- Breastfeed at least 8 to 12 times a day in the first days; ask for help early if feeding is hard.
- Sunlight is not a safe treatment; phototherapy uses special lights under a doctor's care.
- Call if yellow lasts past 2 weeks with formula or 4 weeks with breastfeeding, or if stools look pale.
What newborn jaundice is
Jaundice is a yellow color of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It comes from bilirubin, a pigment made when old red blood cells break down.
A newborn's liver is still learning to clear bilirubin, so levels rise in the first days. The yellow is usually easiest to see at 2 to 4 days old.
The color starts on the face and moves down to the chest, belly, arms and legs. It is harder to see on darker skin, so look in daylight or white light.
Very high levels are rare but can harm the brain and hearing. That is why measured tests matter more than how yellow the baby looks.
Bilirubin tests and follow-up visits
Bilirubin is checked with a light meter on the skin or with a small blood sample. Under the AAP 2022 guideline, the doctor judges the result by the baby's age in hours, weeks of pregnancy at birth and risk factors.
There is no single safe number for every baby. Ask for the result and the exact date and time of the next check before you leave the hospital.
Some babies need an earlier check after going home, including those with:
- A high bilirubin result before discharge.
- Birth more than 2 weeks early.
- Jaundice that showed in the first 24 hours.
- Breastfeeding that is not going well yet.
- A scalp blood collection or heavy bruising from the birth.
- A parent or sibling who needed light therapy for jaundice as a baby.
- Tell the doctor if the breastfeeding parent eats fava beans, or if the baby has been near mothballs, henna, herbal remedies or certain antibiotics, which can rarely cause severe jaundice.
Typical course of newborn jaundice
- Before dischargeSkin or blood bilirubin test for every baby.
- Days 2 to 4Yellow color is usually most visible.
- Within 2 days of an early dischargeDoctor visit if the baby went home before 48 hours old.
- By 2 weeksFormula-fed babies are usually no longer yellow.
- About 1 monthBreastfed babies are often clear; check with the doctor past 4 weeks.
Feeding helps clear bilirubin
- Bilirubin leaves the body in stool, so frequent feeds help bring levels down.
- Breastfeed at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours in the first days to build your milk supply.
- In the first 24 hours a breastfed baby takes only about 1 teaspoon per feed, and the amount grows each day.
- Jaundice is more common when milk comes in late, the latch is poor or supply is low, so ask a nurse or lactation specialist for help early.
- For some babies the doctor may suggest adding formula to breast milk for a short time.
Treatment: phototherapy and beyond
Most jaundiced babies need no treatment. When the level is above the line for the baby's age and risk, the baby lies undressed under special blue lights that help break bilirubin down.
Phototherapy is usually given in the hospital, and sometimes at home with a light blanket or light bed. The 2022 AAP guideline raised the starting levels slightly, so fewer babies need lights than before.
A very high level is an emergency. The baby may need intensive care and a special blood transfusion that lowers bilirubin quickly.
Do not put your baby in sunlight to treat jaundice. Window light cannot be measured or controlled, and it is not a safe substitute.
When to get help
- Call 911 or your local emergency number if your baby is very hard to wake, not feeding, limp, struggling to breathe, or turning blue or gray.
- Yellow color in the first 24 hours: call the doctor now for a bilirubin test.
- A yellow baby who is hard to wake, very fussy, floppy or not feeding well needs to be seen now.
- A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a jaundiced newborn is an emergency.
- Call the doctor the same day if the yellow deepens or spreads to the belly, arms, legs, soles or whites of the eyes.
- Pale yellow, gray or white stools need a call to the doctor the same day.
- Book a check if yellow lasts beyond 2 weeks in a formula-fed baby or 4 weeks in a mainly breastfed baby.
Newborn jaundice: when to get help
- Call 911 nowVery hard to wake, limp, struggling to breathe, or blue or gray color.
- Get seen nowYellow in the first 24 hours, fever of 100.4°F (38°C), poor feeding, unusual sleepiness or fussiness.
- Call the same dayYellow spreading to belly, legs or eye whites, or pale, gray or white stools.
- Book a checkStill yellow after 2 weeks on formula or 4 weeks of breastfeeding.
- Care at homeMild yellow, feeding well, plenty of wet and dirty diapers, and the next check booked.
Jaundice that lasts or comes back
Breastfed babies often stay slightly yellow for about a month, sometimes longer. This breast milk jaundice tends to peak in weeks 2 and 3 in a baby who feeds and gains well.
Formula-fed babies usually clear by 2 weeks. Jaundice that lasts beyond 3 weeks can be the first sign of biliary atresia, a rare blocked-bile-duct disease that needs early surgery.
Babies with that liver problem often have pale yellow, gray or white stools. A quick blood test tells normal late jaundice apart from a liver cause.
Three kinds of newborn jaundice
- First week of life
- Late milk, poor latch or few feeds
- More feeds and feeding help
- Starts after the first week
- Baby feeds and gains well
- Keep breastfeeding; doctor confirms
- Lasts beyond 3 weeks
- Pale, gray or white stools
- Blood test without delay
Common questions
How long does newborn jaundice last?
In formula-fed babies it is usually gone within 2 weeks. Breastfed babies can stay a little yellow for a month or a bit more while feeding and gaining well.
Can I put my baby in the sun to treat jaundice?
No. Sun exposure is not a safe or reliable way to lower bilirubin; if treatment is needed, the doctor uses medical phototherapy.
Should I stop breastfeeding if my baby has jaundice?
Usually not: frequent breastfeeds help your baby pass bilirubin. If intake is low, the doctor may add formula for a short time, so ask before changing anything.
What bilirubin level is dangerous for a newborn?
It depends on the baby. The doctor compares the result with AAP charts that use hours since birth, weeks of pregnancy and risk factors, so ask where your baby's number sits.
How can I check my baby for jaundice at home?
Undress the baby in daylight or bright white light and look at the face, belly, legs and eye whites. Looks can mislead, especially on darker skin, so trust the measured result.
Is jaundice on the first day normal?
No. Yellow skin before 24 hours of age needs a bilirubin level measured straight away, even if the baby seems well.
Sources
- AAP — Jaundice in Newborns
- AAP — Hyperbilirubinemia (Clinical Practice Guideline)
- NIH MedlinePlus — Newborn jaundice
- NIDDK — Symptoms & Causes of Biliary Atresia
Written for Pedemy in our own words from the sources above; checked October 2026. For education only, not medical advice. Pedemy is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the organizations cited.