Hyperbilirubinemia? Think...
Bili-Lite Pads

A baby has jaundice when bilirubin, which is produced naturally by the body, builds up faster than a newborn's liver can break it down and get rid of it in the baby's stool. This happens because of one or more of the following reasons:

• The baby's developing liver is not yet able to remove the bilirubin from the blood
• More bilirubin is being made than the liver can handle
• Too much of the bilirubin is reabsorbed from the intestines before the baby gets rid of it in the stool

Too much bilirubin makes a jaundiced baby's skin look yellow. This yellow color will appear first on the face, then the chest and stomach, and finally, on the legs.

If high levels of jaundice do not clear up on their own, your baby may be treated with special lights or other treatments. These special lights help get rid of the bilirubin by altering it to make it easier for your baby's liver to get rid of it.