Has anyone ever had an experience with their newborn that has developed jaundice due to breastfeeding? I have a newborn that is one week old. In the hospital, they discovered that she had jaundice and we were in the hospital for an extra day so that she could remain under the bilirubin lights. Once we brought her home she seemed to be doing fine, but still looked a little yellowish in her skin. At her one-week appointment yesterday they were a little worried about her color so they did another blood test and found out that her bilirubin levels have risen again. They mentioned that sometimes babies have slow functioning liver that may be the cause of this. They have suggested the possibility of refraining from breastfeeding from 24-48 hours to get the high bilirubin levels down for good. I want to know if anyone has had an experience like this. Did the baby stop feeding for so many hours and if so, did the baby go back to nursing on the nipple or did you just have to pump and then feed from the bottle going forward?
I have never heard of this, but who knows because my daughter had jaundice and the nurse at the hospital told me that it might be because of her blood type was so much different than mine. There are a lot of factors that can influence it I guess. I don't think stopping nursing for 24-48 hours would be a good thing, I'd say maybe nurse her more often, wake her to feed her and do it like every 2 hours???
Wait wait wait...I'm confused. Jaundice DUE to breastfeeding? Stopping feeding for 24-48 hrs? I may be reading this wrong and if so, I apologize.
Both of my boys had jaundice when they were born and the only thing I had to do with regard to feeding was to feed, feed, feed. I DID have to supplement with formula to make sure that my older son (Jacob) was getting enough. Jacob was also in a "bili-blanket" at home for a few days. But, with my second (Ryan), he was SUCH a good nurser (and my milk came in FAST) that he never needed any formula.
So, when Jacob was being supplemented with formula, I was pumping to get my milk to a) come in and b) to save. I would feed him EBM as often as I could and also the formula. He was able to do the bottle for the short time and then was more than willing to go back to nurse after we were in the clear. Your little girl may have a hard time (some do) but working with a Lactation Consultant can really help with this.
I would clarify with your pediatrician exactly what you are supposed to be doing with regard to feeding.
Please read these links regarding breastfeeding and jaundice. In most cases, you DO NOT need to formula feed during this time. If they are not admitting her, her levels are most likely lower than 20mg and she will be just fine. Just nurse, nurse, nurse. Good luck and congrats!
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t029600.asp
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/07jaundice.html
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bfhelp-jaundice.html
Michelle,
You will undoubtedly get a lot of responses on this :-)
First, don't panic. Most babies get a touch of jaundice and it self corrects. The important thing is that you are nursing like crazy to stimulate production... even if baby is not at the breast, you will still need to pump. contact a lactation consultant at your delivering hospital for advice on how often and how long, etc. secondly, the reason why they are telling you to supplement is because most breastfeeding jaundice is due to lack of supply, and not enough fluids to help secrete the bilirubin. I do not believe the liver begins functioning on it's own until birth, so again, don't panic... most babies experience a certain degree. I think it's a little too soon to say that you should give up breastfeeding or say your new baby is failing to thrive, it IS the best thing you can do for your baby :) Secondly, if your baby needs to take a bottle for a couple days, she should adjust quickly back to the breast once her levels are up. Is it possible to get one of those things that you wear... it has like a tube that would supply supplement to baby, but keep her at the breast... i don't know what they're called. My son was breastfeeding for a week, then we stopped... then I had a change of heart around 6 weeks and wanted to try to relactate, even if he wasn't getting his sole nutrition from breast and he took the nipple quite well... I was never able to fully relactate - this was my fault. His reflux issues were incredibly stressful - but enough about me ;-)
Here is what Wikipedia has to say about 'breastfeeding jaundice' - some of it greek to me, but your doctors and a lactation consultant can better help you understand what's happening and why.
The term breast-milk jaundice refers to jaundice in a newborn baby who is exclusively breastfed and in whom other causes of jaundice have been ruled out. The jaundice appears at the end of the first week of life and hence overlaps physiological jaundice. It can last for up to two months. Several factors are thought to be responsible for this condition.
In exclusively breastfed babies the establishment of normal gut flora is delayed. The bacteria in the gut convert conjugated bilirubin to stercobilinogen which is then oxidized to stercobilin and excreted in the stool. In the absence of sufficient bacteria the bilirubin is de-conjugated and reabsorbed. This process of re-absorption is called entero-hepatic circulation.
The breast-milk of some women contains a metabolite of progesterone called 3-alpha-20-beta pregnanediol. This substance inhibits the action of the enzyme uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA) glucuronyl transferase responsible for conjugation and subsequent excretion of bilirubin. Reduced conjugation of bilirubin leads to increased level of bilirubin in the blood.
Lipoprotein lipase an enzyme present in breast-milk produces increased concentration of nonesterified free fatty acids that inhibit hepatic glucuronyl transferase which again leads to decreased conjugation and subsequent excretion of bilirubin.
Breast-milk jaundice does not usually cause any complication like kernicterus if the baby is otherwise healthy. The serum bilirubin level rarely goes above 20 mg /dL. It is usually not necessary to discontinue breast-feeding as the condition resolves spontaneously. Adequate hydration should be maintained by giving extra fluids if necessary.
Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!!! :)
Michelle,
Both my boys were jaundice. When you were told to stop breastfeeding for 24-48 hours did you mean give her formula for that time period?
My pediatrition and the nurses at the hospital really pushed for me to do that with my 2nd son to get his biliruben count lower faster. I was told that they pooped more and would get their liver functions faster with formula. I didn't want to give a bottle with formula that early on for my son because I was worried he would have trouble going back to nursing (he was only 3 days old). I stuck with breastfeeding and I had to wake up my son and nurse him every 2 hours so he would poop more and we had him under the lights.
I hope this helps, good luck!
My baby had this. She was under a light at home for almost a month. I had to supplement every other feeding with formula. At the end of the month, she went right back to nursing full time. The formula worked, something to do with the higher levels of iron and other things. It is a little difficult, but I would pump when you can just to keep the milk supply up. Check with your doctor about saving it, or if you need to dump it. Good luck
I was told to give the baby about 2 tbsp of water before each feeding and that would clear it out faster.
Don't do anything to jeopardize your nursing relationship. It is true that they may excrete the billirubin faster because the babies make more waste when they are on formula because it isn't as digestable as breastmilk. My son (8 weeks) also had higher levels at his first few appts, but as your milk comes in and her liver starts functioning better it will naturally clear up. If you can, set the swing or bouncy seat near the window where he can get some natural sunlight....that will help too. Having only breastmilk helps to seal their immature digestive system and is much, much better for them. If you are dedicated to breastfeeding, I would look into another Dr. as that one doesn't sound very informed or supportive of nursing. Yes, it could be fine, but it is better for him not too and she could end up nipple confused and won't latch for you later. I have been throuigh that and would not wish it on my worst enemy.
this is a great article that explains the 2 different kinds of jaundice in newborns and supports continuing to breastfeed except for in extreme circumstances. the body needs to pass the bilirubin, and ample breastmilk is one of the best ways to keep their system working to pass it. i'm sure a lactation consultant can answer things much better than i, but it is not unusual for doctors to make this request based on lack of or old information. plus probably a healthy dose of cya.
http://www.bflrc.com/newman/breastfeeding/jaundice.htm
for the record, my son had jaundice that showed up within the first few days and it was pretty much gone by 3 weeks. he did look pretty yellow early one, but grew well nand had plenty of wet/poopy diapers. never did he have to lay under special lights or stop breastfeeding (he was exclusively breastfed from the start) -- we made sure he spent some time soaking up light through the windows and just kept an eye on him and all passed quite normally without any special measures needing to be taken.
good luck!
My son was under the lights at home and he also spent a lot of time outside but I did not stop breast feeding him. He was fine in a week. But he was born in July and it was a lot warmer outside.
Sigrid
same exact thing happend to me. my peds dr said to it was because of the feedings and my ob told me he was nuts. go figure. everyone has there own opinions. i breastfeed with like every 3rd feeding and pumped the other times. that got me through the 2 days. and the baby was fine. open the windows and doors and let as much natural light in. it works the same way as the bili lights in the hospital. hope everything works out ok.
Breastfeed that child!!!! Also placing them in the sunlight will help to break down the bilirubin. Just place the baby in a bouncer seat with nothing but a diaper on in front of a window that allows the sunlight to hit directly on them and let her sleep like that. Move her as the sun moves.
Both my kids were a little jaundice, and it's actually pretty normal. The more liquid (in the form of breastmilk) you can get in them and the more vitamin D from the sun the better chance they have at breaking it down.
It's unfortunate but many docs have only had very minimal medical training in the field of breastfeeding (something like only a few hours). Contact a lactation nurse and discuss it further. You can call Palos Community Hospital and talk with one of the lactation nurses there no matter where you delivered. The number is (708)923-5758.
GOod luck with your little angel!!
Jenny
Sunlight! Sit in the window w/ baby w/ as much skin as exposed as comfortable.
Yes I had the same experience. When my daughter was born whe jandiced and they put her on home health bilirubin lights so she would still be with me...she eventually got better, but at that time no one mentioned the breastfeeding connection. When my son was born 4 years later, again he jaundiced and we started with "sun light" when there was no change my pediatrician suggested the breast mild connection given my daughters history, so we fed him with formula for about 24-48 hours and it worked, I pumped during those 2 days...got more sleep too...and afterwords he went on to happily nurse as a matter of fact for over 3 years.
I have heard the exact opposite. I have 3 kids, 2 of which had jaundice and all the docs even the nicu said that breastfeeding is the best way to get the bilirubin out of their system as well as putting them in indirect sunlight at various times during the day. In my opinion, DO NOT stop breastfeeding there is not reason to discontinue it, it's the best thing you can do for the jaundice. Maybe you heard this from some first year resident or something but I wouldn't follow this advice, just my opinion. Good luck and I hope the jaundice supsides soon. Oh, and the more they poop the quicker it gets out of their system too so nurse away!
Jessica
My daughter had jaundice when she was born as well. This is something you need to deal with, if the numbers go up too high it can cause real problems. Google it!
Have they sent the lights home with you? They sent out a home health nurse to give us a light that wrapped around my baby and she wore that for a few days to a week (I can't remember now, she's 8). The Dr. suggested that I stop nursing for a few days, but in the end I did not nead to. One thing I suggest is that if they give you the wrap around light be sure to get a picture of her wearing it at night, it is the most unusual thing! Also having her in the natural sun light is good. I would strip her down to her diaper and lay her in the sun.....in a window since she was born in February!
I did nurse her for a long time and also had to work. I was most fortunate that she would nurse with me and take a bottle from child care (breast milk or formula if I could not pump enough). The biggest thing is that if you stop nursing for a couple of days you do not give her the bottle, have your husband or someone else feed her. My daugther would never take a bottle from me. I would conact LaLeche Leauge also, they are a wealth of information!
Good luck and God bless!
Michelle:
if you baby developed jaundice shortly after birth.... it is NOT from breastfeeding. Breastmilk Jaundice peaks day 7-15
if getting back to breastfeeding is what you want you can do that. If you are having difficulties find a board certified lactation consultant to help you.
Patricia,RLC, IBCLC
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
My first daughter was born 3 1/2 weeks early and developed jaundice too. This was 23 year ago, so I don't remember all the details, but we did come through it and I nursed her for nearly a year. She had to be re-admitted for a week to stay under the bilirubin lights (probably released too soon the first time). In the hospital they used bottles to give her formula and I continued to nurse, so our situation wasn't exactly like yours. In hindsight however, I do think she developed some "nipple confusion" and that worked itself out once we were home and back to nursing only. A friend of mine switched to nursing after starting her baby out on a bottle. So she didn't even start nursing until her daught was a week or two old - and her daughter took to it easily. Go back to nursing only when you get the green light from the doctors, and with persistence on your part, your baby will most likely go back to nursing. Good luck and congratulations on your new baby!
What I had to do is nurse, nurse, nurse...and suplement at least an ounce of formula at each feeding. We work with a lactation consultant and they taught us to give the formula from a little cup (like a medicine cup) so that she wouldn't have any nipple confusion.
I would nurse her and then my husband would take her and give her the little cup with forumla in it, he would put it up to her lips and tip it just enough that she could "lap" the milk with her tounge.
Because you aren't usually making much milk at the beginning sometimes they need extra food/liquid to help get rid of the jaundice
Please talk to a lactation consultant, I don't think you need to stop breastfeeding, but you may need to suplement.