I was wondering if someone would mind giving me an opinion on something I have used and suggested for minor jaundice.  A personal story is an easy way to explain what I am talking about.  I flew to Miami, to adopt my youngest child, Joanna, and picked her up when she was right about 48 hours old.  The next day, she had a yellowish cast to her skin.  It was not severe and, in fact, I wasn't certain that part of it wasn't just her developing skin tone, (she was born pretty pink, but is black and Asian, so there was a wide variety of skin tones she could have had).  However, I had taken my son, Allan, with me, because Joseph was 21 MO and still nursing and I needed someone to help me with two babies.  Allan thought Joanna looked yellow, too.  I knew that the timing indicated physiologic jaundice, and that it wasn't dangerous.  However, I also knew that there was a good chance that, if I told the social worker or called the hospital about it, she would be hospitalized.  Since I was camped out in a Holiday Inn, with no one else to watch my other two kids, I knew that hospitalization would mean that I would not be able to be with her much of the time she was there.  I decided to take some simple steps to get the jaundice under control and not tell anyone else, unless it got worse, or did not get better in a short time.  I parked the twin stroller by the window and put her in front of it, dressed in diaper only, with her face away from the window, whenever she wasn't in my arms.  I also decided not to let her go more than an hour and a half without nursing (with the Lact-Aid and formula, but I was producing some milk too).  By the next day, there was definitely less yellow cast to her skin and, the day after that, it was all gone.  

Would others of you recommend this kind of treatment with babies with similar symptoms and timing of jaundice, or do you feel that there is a need to be more cautious?  

Thanks!
Darillyn


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