<s>[INST] WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE THERE AND WHAT ARE THE RISKS? [/INST] Treatment for jaundice is both low cost and effective. The first line of jaundice resolution is to increase breastmilk intake. Increasing intake helps flush the bilirubin from the body. There are no risks or side effects of effective breastfeeding. 

 When levels continue to rise despite frequent and effective breastfeeding, phototherapy might be suggested. Phototherapy is a light treatment used to convert the unconjugated bilirubin to conjugated bilirubin. The light waves break down the UCB into excretable components. The biggest concern of parents is that phototherapy often interrupts baby/parent interaction and bonding. Bili-blankets may be an effective approach for babies that have less severe jaundice, but those with more intense jaundice must stay under the bili-lights until their levels decrease.  Separation can be distressing for both baby and their parents. 

The list of possible side effects of phototherapy is quite low. Eye protection is used to prevent eye damage from the lights. Dehydration, loose, watery stools, instability of body temperature, and skin irritation/rashes are a few of the possible side effects. As always, there are side effects that are possible but incredibly rare. I will link an article that covers additional side effects here.

One uncommon side effect that I want to note is Bronze Baby syndrome. It can be highly concerning for parents to the cute yellow baby that go in and find a cute bronzish/grayish baby come out. Bronze baby syndrome is not a typical side effect but can pop up in those babies who unknowingly has Jaundice caused by too much CB vs. the typical UCB. 

Sunlight is not an appropriate form of light therapy and runs the risk of sunburn.  It takes a high-level specific wavelength to break down the UCB and even if direct sunlight had the levels of the wavelength needed, the amount of direct sunlight needed to resolve jaundice would inevitably cause skin damage. 
 Source: Mattos Lactation. Link: https://www.mattoslactation.com/blog/2018/12/1/answers-to-all-of-your-jaundice-questions-faqs. Field: Hepatology . Disease: Jaundice </s>