HI all, A question for the more phyisiologically minded amongst us. I was caring for a mother-baby the other day. At about 24 hours of age the baby already was looking jaundiced, and had not pooped. The OB nurses I work with seem to think that BECAUSE the baby had not yet passed mec, that was why he was looking jaundiced, which just didn't sit right with me, particularly at 24 hours of age. So they stimulated the rectum with a thermometer, and got a nice cot full of the best black stuff, which made them happy. They told mum t hen that everything should be fine because the baby had pooped now. I reinforced to mum frequent breastfeeding, and also quickly reviewed blood group for ABO incompatability (mum was B+). ANYWAY, my question is, particularly at such an early age was the connection reasonable? The theory seemed to be that the bilirubin was being reabsorbed from the gut and causing jaundice, which doesn't sound 'right' to me. Thoughts, oh wise ones?
Kirsten Blacker infliciting her crazy Australian ways on the unsuspecting American public in Minnesota, USA. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
