Is your newborn baby looking a little yellow? When a baby's skin, eyes, or gums takes on a yellowish cast after birth, this is known as jaundice. Jaundice occurs when a baby has high levels of a pigment called bilirubin in his blood. Bilirbuin is a byproduct of the process whereby old red blood cells which are usually destroyed in the body. People of every age have bilirubin in their blood, but it's USUALLY broken down by the liver and eliminated with stool. In a baby with jaundice, however, bilirubin builds up faster than the liver can remove it, in turn causing that yellowish hue. This happens for a variety of reasons in newborns, the most common being that a baby's liver is still adjusting to this new task. Known as normal, or physiological, jaundice, this form of bilirubin build-up is also common in premature babies. Luckily, physiological jaundice is almost always harmless and tends to clear up within several weeks. Another reason this condition can occur is that your breastfed baby is not getting enough milk from you. In cases like this, lack of sufficient fluids makes it hard for your newborn to eliminate excess bilirubin through his stools. Breastfeeding jaundice can be treated by supplementing breast milk with formula, or with more frequent nursing. It's important to note that in very rare cases, however, breast milk can actually cause jaundice. Known as breast milk jaundice, this occurs when substances in your milk interfere with your newborn's ability to eliminate bilirubin. In this case, your baby's doctor may recommend that you take a few days off nursing to allow you're your baby's liver time to adjust. Finally, jaundice can occur when you have an incompatible blood type with your baby. This rare condition causes you to produce antibodies that prevent your infant's liver from working efficiently. If this is the case, your doctor may suggest a blood transplant to remove old bilirubin and give your baby a fresh supply of blood. Whatever the cause, excess bilirubin is rarely harmful. Still, delayed development, deafness and even cerebral palsy can occasionally result from severe jaundice. For this reason, you should always report signs of yellow skin, gums or eyes to your baby's doctor. Your pediatrician will recommend carefully watching the condition, or adjusting your breastfeeding habits as necessary. On a rare occasion, several doses of phototherapy, which is exposure to controlled doses of ultraviolet light, will be necessary to combat jaundice. Phototherapy works by changing bilirubin to a substance more easily broken down by your baby's liver. The good news is that once your baby's bilirubin levels drop, it's unlikely that jaundice-or your worries!-will return.