9 Home Remedies for Jaundice in Newborns

Jaundice is very common among newborns. It occurs when the bilirubin level in the blood is high. Usually, jaundice in newborns is harmless. It easily gets cured on its own within a span of one to two weeks after the birth of the baby. But if the bilirubin level remains high, the baby should be hospitalised. There are some newborn jaundice treatments at home that one can try to treat at home. However, one should consult a doctor before trying these remedies. Let’s read the article given below and read about how to cure jaundice in newborns at home.

Natural Ways to Treat Jaundice in Newborns

It is normal for a baby to be suffering from jaundice when he is born. There are several modes of treatment that you can try to treat jaundice in newborns. So, if you are wondering how to get rid of jaundice in newborns at home, below is a list of remedies that you can try to treat jaundice in newborns.

1. Breastfeed your baby frequently

If your newborn baby has jaundice, feed him frequently. Breastfeeding your little one frequently will help eliminate the bilirubin from his bloodstream and flush it out through stool and urine. Babies with jaundice sleep a lot; if your baby has jaundice, he might sleep a lot, too. Wake him up at regular intervals to feed him.

Also, mothers must consume a healthy diet when breastfeeding their newborns. Freshly prepared, nutritious, balanced meals can ensure that. Therefore, include green leafy vegetables, a small portion of seafood with low-mercury levels per week, foods with healthy fats, seeds, nuts, fruits, well-cooked meat, and a healthy dose of fibre-rich starches.

Another thing that can also help mothers establish a breastfeeding relationship with their newborns is skin-to-skin contact. It helps initiate breastfeeding and set a breastfeeding schedule early on, which in turn aid in decreasing the bilirubin levels.

Optimising breastfeeding support is also necessary to ensure the child is breastfed exclusively on schedule. Therefore, ensure you form a tight support system that includes your close family and peer groups.

2. Make your little one bask in the sun

If your baby has jaundice, keep him in the sunlight for 1-2 hours daily. However, see to it that the baby receives the slanting rays of the sun before 8 o’clock in the morning. The rays of the sun will help reduce the bilirubin content in the blood and cure jaundice.

3. Regularise baby massage

A study revealed that soothing oil massages along with some time in the gentle morning sunlight every day could improve the frequency of bowel movement in babies and aid the elimination of bilirubin by reducing enterohepatic circulation.

4. Use supplements

Newborn babies with jaundice should be fed more in comparison to babies who have no such health issues. In case breast milk is not enough for your bundle of joy, you can give him infant formula milk. An inadequate intake of milk results in dehydration and fewer bowel movements in the newborn, and it eventually leads to decreased bilirubin excretion from the body.

5. Use herbal remedies

Natural herbs like dandelion root and chicory can enhance liver function, assisting in the breakdown and elimination of bilirubin, thereby alleviating jaundice.

6. Give barley water

Barley water’s detoxifying properties assist in reducing bilirubin levels, providing a natural remedy for jaundice in newborns.

7. Carrot juice can help

Rich in antioxidants and vitamin A, carrot juice supports liver health and function, aiding in the efficient processing and removal of bilirubin.

8. Rice water

Easily digestible rice water helps flush out toxins from the baby’s system, supporting liver function and reducing bilirubin levels.

9. Fennel seed water

Fennel seeds aid digestion, potentially reducing bilirubin buildup in the baby’s body. However, consult a healthcare professional before use for proper guidance and dosage.

Sometimes, a newborn may suffer from jaundice because of drinking the mother’s breast milk. Certain chemicals in breast milk are thought to be responsible, but it is usually a harmless condition that resolves spontaneously. Mothers typically do not have to discontinue breastfeeding.

FAQs

Now that you have read about jaundice baby treatment at home, let’s look at the answers to some frequently asked questions related to the same.

1. How Much Bilirubin Is Normal in Baby?

Based on the recent recommendations of the AAP, bilirubin levels up to 17–18 mg/dl may be accepted as normal in terms of healthy newborns.

2. Do Babies With Jaundice Sleep Longer?

One common risk of jaundice in newborns is that the baby may become excessively sleepy, leading to decreased nursing. This can result in dehydration, and for breastfeeding mothers, it may hinder the establishment of sufficient breast milk production.

Majority of the newborns are born with jaundice and it hardly requires any treatment. Within a week or two, jaundice gets cured on its own. For mild jaundice, you can take the help of home remedies (of course, after consulting a doctor). But if the bilirubin level keeps on increasing, you must immediately take your newborn to the doctor. There is no reason to worry if your little one gets it; however, it shouldn’t be left untreated.

References/Resources:

1. Newborn jaundice; marchofdimes.org; https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/planning-baby/newborn-jaundice

2. Jaundice in Children; nationwidechildrens.org; https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/jaundice-in-children

3. Jaundice; cdc.gov; https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/maternal-or-infant-illnesses/jaundice.html

4. Jaundice in Newborns: Parent FAQs; healthychildren.org; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/jaundice.aspx

5. How to Care for Your Baby with Jaundice; sidra.org; https://www.sidra.org/patients-visitors/patient-family-education/education-resources/emergency-department-education-material/how-care-your-baby-jaundice

6. Jaundice in Newborns; my.clevelandclinic.org; https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22263-jaundice-in-newborns

7. Jaundice in Newborns; kidshealth.org; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/jaundice.html

8. Newborn jaundice – discharge; mountsinai.org; https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/discharge-instructions/newborn-jaundice-discharge

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