Why does my baby have jaundice and how long will it last?

A baby can develop jaundice when there is an excess of bilirubin in his blood. What is bilirubin? It’s a chemical produced during the breakdown of old red blood cells and newborn babies have higher levels of it because they have an access of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Their livers are not well developed enough to metabolise the extra bilirubin. It depends on individual for the duration. Some takes 15 days to a month to clear. If it is taking too long, doctor will normally request to check blood for his liver function so to eliminate liver issues if any.