Jaundice in the New-born Baby Do not be alarmed if the whites of your baby's eyes and their skin turns a slight yellow colour after 3 days. This is a condition called jaundice and is caused because your baby's liver cannot work fast enough to dispose of a pigment called bilirubin.
Premature babies are more likely to suffer from jaundice.
Sometimes when the bilirubin levels are very high a baby may need to be exposed to controlled amounts of ultra violet light in the form of phototherapy. Ultra violet breaks down the pigment levels in the skin. This will be carried out in hospital. Your baby will be placed in a special crib sometimes in Special Care. This is a routine treatment and is very effective.