Does yellow urine mean that jaundice is subsiding?

Babies are prone to physiological jaundice. With good care, the jaundice will gradually disappear. Pathological jaundice must be treated in time. Sometimes the urine of babies with physiological jaundice is also yellowish, but as the child gradually improves, parents must do a good job of newborn care. Let us learn about this aspect below.

Does yellow urine mean that jaundice is subsiding?

In cases of physiological jaundice, the urine is yellow and there are the following symptoms: 1. In babies with mild physiological jaundice, the skin is light yellow, which is usually limited to the face and neck, or may extend to the trunk. The sclera may also be yellow. The yellow jaundice will subside after 2-3 days of bilirubin, and the skin color will return to normal on the 5th or 6th day. In babies with more severe jaundice, the skin will turn yellow first on the head and then on the feet, and then spread throughout the body. Vomitus and cerebrospinal fluid may also turn yellow, which may last for more than a week, especially for some premature babies, which may last up to 4 weeks. Their stool is still yellow and there is no bilirubin in the urine. 2. The color of jaundice is light pink in mild cases and darker in severe cases, but the skin is rosy with red in yellow. 3. Jaundice is mostly found on the trunk, sclera and proximal limbs, usually not exceeding the elbows and knees. 4. The newborn is in general good condition, has no anemia, no hepatosplenomegaly, normal liver function, and no kernicterus. 5. Physiological jaundice is more common in premature infants than in full-term infants, and may appear slightly later by 1-2 days. The jaundice is more severe and disappears later, which may last up to 2-4 weeks.

How to care for neonatal jaundice

1. Let the baby's meconium be discharged as soon as possible: In the early stage, we must feed the newborn as early as possible to discharge the meconium as soon as possible, because the meconium contains a lot of bilirubin. If the meconium is not discharged cleanly, the bilirubin will be reabsorbed into the blood through the special enterohepatic circulation of the newborn, which will increase jaundice. How to tell whether the meconium is discharged cleanly? The main thing is to see if the meconium changes from black to yellow, which means it is completely excreted. 2. Give the newborn enough water: The way to judge whether the newborn's fluid intake is sufficient is to look at the newborn's urine. Generally, a normal newborn urinates 6-8 times a day. If the number is less than that, it is possible that his fluid intake is insufficient. Too little urination is not conducive to the excretion of bilirubin. We should ensure the fluid intake of newborns. Generally, the meconium of newborns should be discharged within 2-3 days, which can reduce the degree of jaundice.