What should mothers not eat if their newborn has jaundice?

Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
Updated on April 20, 2025
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Neonatal jaundice is one of the most common symptoms during the neonatal period, especially in early neonates. Neonatal jaundice is divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice is due to the physiological characteristics of the child and is considered a normal phenomenon. Generally, the degree of jaundice is not very high, so there is no need for the family to worry too much as the jaundice will subside on its own. If it is pathological jaundice, where jaundice appears earlier, progresses faster, and is more severe, then intervention and treatment are needed. Generally, jaundice is not significantly related to the mother's diet. If the baby has jaundice, the mother should strengthen breastfeeding, encouraging the baby to eat, drink, and excrete more. Good bowel and bladder movements can help with the excretion of jaundice. Therefore, if the newborn has jaundice, the mother does not need to make special changes to her diet; she should just maintain a normal diet, enhance nutrition, and promote milk secretion.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
1min 40sec home-news-image

What to do with neonatal jaundice?

Neonatal jaundice is the most common disease in newborns, mainly characterized by yellowing of the skin. Generally, normal babies also exhibit jaundice, but this is a type of physiological jaundice. If the baby's jaundice appears early, such as within twenty-four hours, or if the jaundice progresses rapidly with significantly rising jaundice levels, or if it is particularly severe, or if the jaundice lasts for a long duration, or if the jaundice recurs after fading, these are considered pathological jaundice. It is generally advised for pathological jaundice to consult a neonatal specialist for a detailed examination of the baby to determine whether treatment intervention is necessary. If the jaundice is severe and parents are worried, it is recommended to go to the hospital in a timely manner, as hospitalization for treatment may be needed. If the jaundice level is too high and there are some pathological factors, and parents are unable to observe the baby well and the baby's condition is not good, and the jaundice continues to rise, it could potentially progress to the brain, leading to bilirubin encephalopathy, which is a serious complication. Therefore, high jaundice levels still require timely intervention. If the jaundice is at its peak, it is recommended to test for jaundice daily, as timely intervention when jaundice levels are high can prevent serious complications.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
1min 37sec home-news-image

normal values of neonatal jaundice

Neonatal jaundice is the most common phenomenon in the neonatal period, generally divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. If the baby's values are within the normal range, it may be physiological jaundice, which does not require special intervention and will resolve on its own. Typically, normal physiological jaundice appears 2-3 days after birth, peaks around 4-5 days, begins to lessen about a week later, and resolves within two weeks, generally occurring in full-term infants born after 37 weeks. It's advisable for babies to have their jaundice monitored daily within the first two weeks, especially during the peak period, from 2-3 days to about a week or around ten days, when jaundice monitoring should be more frequent. Normally, it's best if the bilirubin levels in newborns do not exceed 6 mg/dL in the first 24 hours, 9 mg/dL within 24-48 hours, 12 mg/dL within 48-72 hours, and 15 mg/dL after 72 hours. These values are generally considered acceptable. Additionally, jaundice progression should not be too rapid; if bilirubin levels rise more than 5 mg/dL within 24 hours, it indicates too rapid an increase in jaundice. In such cases, it is also necessary to go to the hospital, where a neonatal doctor should assess the baby and decide if special treatment intervention is needed.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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Neonatal jaundice is divided into several types.

Neonatal jaundice, also known as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, occurs when bilirubin accumulates in the body, causing yellowing of the skin or other organs; it is the most common clinical issue during the neonatal period, with over 80% of normal newborns experiencing some skin yellowing shortly after birth. Neonatal jaundice is mainly divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice is a normal phenomenon. Pathological jaundice, however, includes conditions such as excessive production of bilirubin, metabolic disorders of bilirubin, bile excretion disorders, and various other factors causing pathological jaundice. Thus, pathological jaundice requires active treatment and will not subside on its own.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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Does neonatal jaundice require medication?

Neonatal jaundice is divided into physiological jaundice and pathological jaundice. Physiological jaundice appears two to three days after birth, peaks around the fifth or sixth day, and then gradually subsides, so there is no need for medication in this case. If it is neonatal pathological jaundice, merely taking medication does not solve the problem; this requires treatment with blue light therapy. At the same time, it is important to identify the cause of the jaundice and treat it accordingly. In such cases, medication is actually not necessary. Therefore, it is crucial to first determine whether neonatal jaundice is physiological or pathological. Physiological jaundice requires no intervention, while pathological jaundice necessitates hospital treatment. Regarding the increasingly common breastfeeding jaundice, medication is generally not needed; monitoring of the jaundice in the child is essential, however. If the jaundice level continues to rise and exceeds 15 mg/dl, blue light therapy is also required. If the condition is not severe, exposing the child to more sunlight and waiting for the jaundice to subside naturally is sufficient.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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Does neonatal jaundice need medication?

Neonatal jaundice is one of the common symptoms in newborns, especially in early newborns. It is a symptom that occurs in the normal development process of newborns, but it may also be a manifestation of certain diseases. Therefore, neonatal jaundice can be a normal phenomenon, but sometimes it may be pathological. Generally, physiological jaundice, which is the normal condition, does not require intervention. Once the jaundice reaches a certain level, it will gradually subside, and the baby generally remains in good condition. At home, it is only necessary to regularly monitor the jaundice without too much worry. If the jaundice appears early and progresses quickly, it may be appropriate to take some medication to reduce the bilirubin. If the jaundice continues to rise, or the baby has other discomforts, it is then necessary to go to the hospital promptly where a neonatologist will conduct relevant examinations and intervene with timely treatment if necessary.