After only being home for a day Andrew’s bilirubin level had risen since we took him home from the hospital. To battle off jaundice he had to wear a special light filled blanket.
This morning we found out that his bilirubin level has peaked and he no longer has to wear the blanket…Thank God!
Bilirubin– is a yellow breakdown product of normal heme catabolism. Its levels are elevated in certain diseases and it is responsible for the yellow colour of bruises and the brown colour of feces. Bilirubin reduction in the gut leads to a product called urobilinogen, which is excreted in urine.
Jaundice– is usually harmless: this condition is often seen in infants around the second day after birth, lasting until day 8 in normal births, or to around day 14 in premature births.