Yellowish Eyes and Rashes on the Forehead

Hi,

Last week we gave birth to a baby girl. The mother and the baby are fine but yesterday i noticed that the baby's eyes were yellowish and she also has a pimple-like rash all over the forehead. What could be the reason

Thanks

[RockRose]

Yellow eyes are a symptom of  jaundice,  which lots of babies get and is usually mild.  

You may want to take her to your pediatrician and have her levels checked,  but this is common.

The pimples sound like common baby acne.  

http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/common/jaundice.html

[Kentbird]

I must agree with rockrose...

it is not uncommon for newborns to suffer a little jaundice and a touch of echzema... it is all because their newborn skin is adjusting to the dry air after being sat in liquid for months...

you can get it checked out, but it isnt out or the ordinary for babies to experience this... :)

[k10road]

Please get the baby to the doctor.  Sounds like her bilirubin may be high causing some neonatal jaundice.  This is important to get treated as it means that her liver isn't doing its job just yet.  Most babies very commonly have a mild case of jaundice, but if it becomes severe, it can cause brain damage.  In a sever case, her entire body would appear yellow, even the soles of her feet.  Is she being breast-fed or formula fed?  Is she eating well and pooping well?  The more she eats, the more she poops, and the quicker the bilirubin leaves her body.  However, the doctors can even get her a special blanket for you to use at home called a biliblanket.  It uses UV light on the baby's skin to help reduce the bilirubin level.  That's why the sunlight works good...it's a natural form of UV light.  My oldest son had it terrible, and the bilirubin blanket worked OK, but having him in the sun worked MIRACLES!  His was so bad that the doctor's office reffered to him as my "Mellow Yellow" baby.  LOL

Pimple like rash on the forehead is completely normal for newborns.  It is called baby acne.  We all hate it, but it happens to so many babies.  Don't stress the pimples.  Wash baby's face once a day with a mild baby soap.  DO NOT use lotion as that makes it worse.  Make sure you are using a mild laundry detergent...something that doesn't have dyes or perfumes, as these things make baby's acne worse.  Make sure baby doesn't get too hot either.  When they do, and they sweat, that makes it worse.

But the yellowish eyes definitely need to be addressed.  Most pediatrician's offices have "sick" appointments on Saturday.  If you can't get into the dr. until next week, I might even suggest a trip to the ER to be safe.  If you can't or won't do that, go sit with the baby in the sunlight.  Sunlight is one of the best cures for jaundice.  Just do it in short spurts so that baby doesn't get a sunburn.  Good luck.

[k10road]

I re-read my post and just wanted to add a few things:

1 - Sunlight does do wonders for dropping the bilirubin, but some doctors are really against it because it is easy for the baby to get sunburned.  To have an effect, you need to take all of the baby's clothes off and lay with her in the sun...but like I said, if you do it, maybe do it for 10 minute intervals.  This was the advice from my pediatrician, and all doctors are different.

2 - I know that suggesting the ER sounded extreme, but I don't know how extreme your baby's jaundice is.  If your baby is a darker skinned baby, it is real hard to see if the skin is yellow in other areas.  I would hate to say, "oh, don't worry, it happens all the time..." and then your baby have a worse case.  Truth is, it is very common...both of my babies had it.  It is especially more common in breast-fed babies.  But, the more severe cases definitely need to be treated.  So, if you are unable to get the baby into the pediatrician, and you are concerned that the jaundice may be a bit worse than the average, the ER is a safe bet...just in case.  Better safe than sorry.

Sorry to add all this...I just re-read my post and thought I should add this.

Good luck and congrats on the new blessing!

[tiredbuthappy]

I agree with getting the baby checked as soon as possible. While mild jaundice is common, you have no idea if it is mild or severe right now, and if it is severe it can be very dangerous to the baby. Better safe than sorry. My baby had jaundice, and I wouldn't have known it if the nurses and doctors hadn't told me. I didn't notice the yellow eyes and even after they pointed it out, i coulldn't really tell her skin was yellow as well.

[Cerezo2]

Thank you very much for all your advice. God Bless