Breastfeeding Jaundice: Is My Baby at Risk?

I remember avoiding myself from buying baby clothes, blankets, mattress sheets that have yellow elements. I was told that is one of the ways to avoid the newborn from getting jaundice. I wasn't sure how true the myth was, but I was worried about my baby and I didn't want anything bad to happen to my newborn. Jaundice in Newborns Jaundice in a newborn is so common and can easily be spotted by the yellowing of the baby’s skin and in the white area of the eyes. It is caused by the bilirubin level in the bloodstream. When the bilirubin level of the baby increases, the baby will show the jaundice symptom. 'Yellow' jaundice baby (Image credit: Pediacalls) Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during the normal breakdown of red blood cells. It is usually unconjugated, doesn’t dissolve in water and will be directed to the liver via the albumin in the blood plasma. The liver will process the unconjugated bilirubin into conjugates, which can dissolve in water and be removed from the body in the form of urine. However, most babies do not fully develop their livers when they are born. Due to the high level of bilirubin, the underdeveloped liver is not able to process it sufficiently and couldn’t be removed from the body. Types of Jaundice in Newborns There are three common types of jaundice that usually occur in newborns. Most jaundice in newborns is due to physiological jaundice that is common and nothing to be worried about. It usually happens 2 to 3 days after the baby is born and will disappear within 2 to 3 weeks, and might take longer for the premature babies. By this time, the baby’s body is developing less bilirubin and the liver has fully developed which is able to reduce the bilirubin level in the body naturally. Should it last longer, parents are advised to seek professional help. The second type of jaundice is breastfeeding jaundice. It is extended physiological jaundice associated with inadequate breastmilk intake. Though it may sound similar to breastfeeding jaundice, the third type is nothing but breastfeeding jaundice. It is called breast milk jaundice which normally occurs when the baby is 1 week old and could last up to 12 weeks. In this article, we are going to focus on breastfeeding jaundice. What are the Symptoms of Breastfeeding Jaundice? The most common symptoms of all types of jaundice are the clear yellow tone which is visible on the baby’s skin and around the white area of the eyes. You can see it clearly when you press your finger down on the baby’s skin. Besides the yellowish skin tone, newborn babies that have jaundice may also be sleepy most of the time and seem lethargic. They also may have dark urine and pale poo. On top of that, babies with breastfeeding jaundice may have problems with their bowel movements. Adequate breast milk helps to improve babies’ bowel movements. Newborns who do not get a good start on breastfeeding or have an improper latch may have a high possibility to get breastfeeding jaundice. Often, it will resolve itself with increased feedings. Of course, a blood test will confirm whether jaundice occurs in the baby. Despite all the joy and bonding moment with your baby, breastfeeding is not that simple. Read this article to find out the things that nobody tells you about breastfeeding. (Image credit: Every little thing and 360 beyond) What Causes Breast Milk Jaundice? We heard so much goodness in promoting breastfeeding, yet, why does it cause jaundice? Does that mean it is safer not to breastfeed than? Despite a few medical theories regarding breast milk jaundice, the real culprit of what causes it is still being kept in the dark. There’s no known cause has been established. There are scientists speculating that it is to be linked with the substance in the breast milk that blocks the breakdown of the bilirubin, there are also scientists denying these theories. The trend shows that breast milk jaundice tends to run in families. However, this is not something that we have to worry about as the cases reported are very minimal which are less than 3%. Literally, breast milk doesn’t cause breast milk jaundice. As has been explained, jaundice is caused by the high level of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Breastfeeding Jaundice VS Breast Milk Jaundice There is a fine line between the breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice that make the public left in a daze. A lactation consultant may confirm whether the baby is latching properly and getting enough milk to be able to identify which type of jaundice that might occur on the baby. Image credit: birthinjuryhelpcenter How to Treat Breast Milk Jaundice? Breast milk will always be the best diet for newborns. However, should the baby’s bilirubin level be above 20 milligrams, it is recommended to cease breastfeeding for 24 hours and apply phototherapy to the baby. The phototherapy treatment. (Image credit: draeger.com) It is okay to continue with breastfeeding if the bilirubin level is anything below 20 milligrams. Discontinuance of breastfeeding would not bring any good to both the mothers and the babies. Some parents might think that the baby needs some water sugar to boost baby energy from being too lethargic. Supplementing with sugared-water could make it worse for the baby and definitely a no-no. Who is at risk? Despite jaundice is common and would heal itself in time, there are few categories of babies who are at high risk if they were to be diagnosed with jaundice. Babies with severe jaundice are at risk with dangerous complications and need to be treated promptly to avoid possible brain damage, which can be permanent. Extra care is needed for premature babies that were born 37 weeks and below. Lightweight babies, babies whose blood group is incompatible with their moms, and have lots of bruising or swelling under the scalp after birth are also having a higher risk. Sunbathing: vitamin D from the morning sun rays Jaundice is common to most newborns that would heal in times as the baby starts developing its body system. It’s not an excuse for any parents to decide not to nurse and breastfeed their babies for fear of jaundice. Breast milk has always been the best diet that any mommies could give to their newborns. If you have concerns about the well-being of your newborns, get confirmation, and seek help from the professionals. Meanwhile stay tuned with Motherhood Story to get to know more about your newborn and parenting tips.

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