Jaundice is a yellow tint to a newborn's skin and the white part of the eyes. It is a sign that there's too much bilirubin in the baby's blood. The word for having too much bilirubin in the blood is hyperbilirubinemia (say hy-per-bil-ih-roo-bih-NEE-mee-uh).Jaundice usually appears in the first 5 days of life.Many babies have left the hospital by the time jaundice starts. So your doctor may want to do a follow-up exam when your baby is 3 to 5 days old. Most babies have mild jaundice.t is a sign that there's too much bilirubin in the baby's blood. The word for having too much bilirubin in the blood is hyperbilirubinemia (say hy-per-bil-ih-roo-bih-NEE-mee-uh). Jaundice usually appears in the first 5 days of life.