Breastfeeding And Jaundice

What is Jaundice?

Jaundice is a very common occurrence; almost all infants have jaundice to a certain degree. Jaundice is diagnosed as a yellowish tint to baby’s skin. This occurs because of a high percentage of “bilirubin” in the skin tissue.

Jaundice babies almost always have a common type of jaundice called physiologic jaundice, which is not dangerous, it only becomes a problem when the bilirubin levels rise over a certain level.

Unborn babies need lots of red blood cells to get enough oxygen from mom’s blood. When they are born they don’t need all those extra red blood cells because they are getting enough oxygen through breathing. All the extra blood cells need to be broken down and eliminated from baby’s body. Bilirubin is the byproduct formed by the breakdown of these extra blood cells. Now when baby’s liver doesn’t get rid of this by-product quick enough it causes jaundice. Jaundice is, therefore, even more common in preemies.

Types of jaundice

- Physiologic jaundice

~ This is the common type of jaundice that affects most babies. This type of jaundice usually only lasts about four days.

~ Breastfeeding can help avoid jaundice by ensuring that baby excretes the bilirubin through stools, as colostrum acts as a laxative which encourages this process.

~ Photo-therapy “Bilirubin Lights” is often used as a treatment; It is a blue light that brakes down the bilirubin in the body, getting it excreted easily. This therapy usually only lasts a day or two. Nowadays babies can be taken home using a bili-blanket “fiber optic blanket” (photo-therapy lights that wrap around the baby).

- Pathologic Jaundice (abnormal jaundice)

~ In extreme cases babies may be given blood transfusions if phototherapy is not helpful. If left untreated baby might develop brain damage.

~ Pathologic Jaundice is usually caused through baby being premature, stressed from a difficult birth, or having a diabetic mother.

~ Mom should still continue to breastfeed baby

- late-onset, or breast milk jaundice

~ Breastmilk jaundice usually happens during the second week of baby’s life

~ It is caused through breastfeeding; Caused by mom’s milk enzymes hampering the breakdown of bilirubin or caused through the fatty acids in mom’s milk that is being processed more than the bilirubin.

~ Breastfeeding should continue as this type of jaundice cannot harm baby, and levels will return to normal within two or three months. Most exclusively breastfed babies who are completely healthy and gaining weight well are still jaundiced at 5-6 weeks of life and even later.

- Jaundice caused through not enough breast milk “breastfeeding jaundice”

~ Breast feeding jaundice can be caused through baby not being latched on correctly

~ A lactation aid can be used if milk supply is very low.

~ If mom decides to leave breastfeeding for two or three days she should continue to pump her breast milk to keep her supply up and to avoid a breast infection.

- Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems)

~ This is when a mom’s blood type is different from baby’s and her breastmilk can actually start breaking down his red blood cells. This is very rare, but can be prevented with an immune injection.

Things you can do to treat and prevent normal physiologic jaundice

- Breastfeed baby as soon as possible so that baby can get the benefits of colostrum and its laxative properties.

- Do not give baby water or any other supplements. Bilirubin is excreted in feces not urine. The more water you give baby the less hungry he will be which will keep him from drinking colostrum.

- Breastfeed baby at least every two hours.

- If for some reason you can't breastfeed you can pump exclusively and use alternative feeding methods until baby is ready to breastfeed.

- Keep baby in a room that has a lot of sunlight in it. Don’t put baby is direct sunlight though.

- Don’t take medication that contains aspirin and sulfa.

Symptoms to look out for that indicate a bad case of jaundice

- When baby’s urine turns brown

- Baby’s eyes become yellow

- Baby has a fever over 37.8° Celsius

- If baby starts to act sick or becomes more yellow in skin color

- If baby is not drinking enough breast milk

- If baby sleeps more than usual

Other pages on “breastfeeding problems” in connection with jaundice and breastfeeding

- Breastfeeding preemies

- Alternative feeding methods

- The benefits of breastfeeding

- The importance of colostrum

- Breastfeeding with diabetes

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