How does the treatment work?
To treat jaundice, your baby needs phototherapy. Phototherapy is a treatment where blue light is shone on the skin. The blue light helps your baby break down bilirubin in their blood and then excrete it through urine or stool. The goal of the therapy is to reduce the amount of bilirubin in the blood.
The therapy
The therapy continues 24 hours a day. So, keep the romper on as much as possible, and the blue light too. When changing the romper, a brief pause in the light is okay. Try to keep the pauses as short as possible. So, don't do something else halfway through changing. Also, always keep the blue light on.
The therapy is painless. Your baby is not bothered by it either. However, ensure that the blue light does not shine in your or your baby's eyes when removing the romper.
During the therapy, you can continue to care for your baby as usual. For example, you can change diapers yourself, lift and cuddle your baby as much as you want, and feed breast milk or formula. This is good and enjoyable for your baby and for you. It helps build a routine and bonding with your baby. So, try to continue with normal care as much as possible.
Testing
During the therapy, the amount of bilirubin in the blood is measured with a skin test or blood test. Measuring bilirubin levels helps monitor the progress of the therapy. Shortly after starting the therapy, bilirubin levels should begin to decrease. Testing is also used to determine when the therapy has been successful.
Batteries
To keep the blue lights on 24 hours a day, the battery needs to be changed occasionally. So, keep an eye on how full the battery is. This is shown in the top right corner of the Yellow Box screen. A battery lasts 4 to 6 hours. The battery takes 3 hours to charge. Make sure there is always a battery charging so you have a fully charged battery ready for replacement.
End of therapy
Usually, treatment lasts 36 to 48 hours. The doctor will determine when the therapy is over. This decision is based on the amount of bilirubin in the blood.