When you have a newborn, you’ll inevitably hear about jaundice at some point or another.   It’s a very common condition that up to half of all newborns experience. 

Usually jaundice only requires careful monitoring by your pediatrician.  Other times it might require brief hospitalization. 

Either way, if you are faced with a jaundice diagnosis, you are likely to be stressed, scared, and full of questions.

Let’s break down the basics of jaundice, and how it may affect you as a breastfeeding mom.

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What Is Jaundice?

Jaundice refers to a build-up of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the breakdown of red blood cells. 

In the human body, our livers help flush our bodies of bilirubin so that we don’t become jaundiced. 

When you were pregnant, your own liver did this for your baby. But in the first few days of life, your baby’s liver doesn’t know how to do that yet—hence the likelihood of bilirubin building up and causing your baby to become jaundiced. 

For the most part, jaundice is a normal part of adjusting to life outside the womb. Your baby’s body has to learn to break down bilirubin, which it will naturally do within the first week or so. 

But sometimes your baby’s body has a little trouble with this, which is why your doctor may test your baby’s bilirubin levels, and recommend treatment if their bilirubin levels are too high.

Although most cases of moderate to severe jaundice will resolve either on its own or with treatment, some cases can lead to serious consequences if not properly treated or resolved. 

Babies with very high levels of bilirubin can experience brain damage, for example.

What Are Some Jaundice Symptoms?

The main and most telling symptom of jaundice is a yellowing of the skin. These symptoms usually develop in the first 36 hours or so after birth. 

Again, a little jaundice and yellowing of the skin is normal, but if your baby’s jaundice becomes more pronounced, it’s important to speak to your pediatrician about what protocols need to be taken.

If you gave birth in a hospital, your baby’s bilirubin levels will probably be taken at discharge. If they’re high then your baby will be closely monitored. Most babies are also seen 3-5 days after birth at the pediatrician’s office, where jaundice is monitored and bilirubin levels measured if needed.

However, if your baby exhibits any of the following signs and isn’t already under doctor care, it’s important that you alert your doctor to what is going on:

• The yellowish color of your baby’s skin is becoming more pronounced

• You see a yellowing of your baby’s arms, legs, or abdomen

• The white of your baby’s eyes are yellow

• Your baby is difficult to wake up and seems extra drowsy

• Your baby is having difficulty feeding

Does Breastfeeding Cause Jaundice?

There are a couple of main reasons why a baby may experience jaundice, and several don’t involve breastfeeding or breast milk. These reasons include:

• Normal physiologic jaundice, where your baby’s body is adjusting to life outside the womb, and still not efficiently removing bilirubin. This condition is usually mild, peaking at 3-5 days after birth, and resolving within the first week or so.

• Jaundice caused by a mismatch between a mom’s and baby’s blood type. Rh disease is one example of this. Cases like these usually manifest within the first 24 hours of life.

• Jaundice may also be caused by prematurity, or dysfunction of a baby’s liver, which can be serious.

There are two types of jaundice related to breastfeeding:

Jaundice caused by not getting enough breast milk: This usually happens in the first week of life, when your baby is having breastfeeding trouble or you’re having milk supply issues. Breast milk helps your baby pass their first few poops, which is one of the ways that bilirubin is released from the body. When your baby isn’t getting enough milk and not pooping enough, bilirubin may build up in the body and cause a problem.

Jaundice caused by a substance in the breast milk: When your baby remains jaundiced beyond the second week of life or so, and other contributing factors are ruled out, your baby may be reacting to a substance in breast milk that makes it more difficult for the liver to process bilirubin. There may be genetic factors at play here. Most cases of prolonged jaundice are not harmful, though they should be carefully monitored by your baby’s doctor.

Should I Stop Breastfeeding If My Baby Has Jaundice?

It’s rarely necessary to discontinue breastfeeding when your baby has jaundice. In fact, having jaundice is all the more reason to breastfeed, as breast milk is a great way to help your baby process jaundice and stay healthy and strong.

In very rare cases—such as when you’re unable to provide adequate milk for your baby, or if your doctor feels that ceasing breastfeeding for a brief period may help them understand if a substance in your milk is causing jaundice—formula supplementation may be recommended. 

Again, this should be brief (24-48 hours), and only happen when absolutely necessary. If your baby is supplemented with formula, make sure to pump your milk to keep up your supply. 

In some cases, your baby might need photo-therapy to help increase their bilirubin levels. This usually requires hospitalization, and can be very upsetting for moms as they can’t hold their babies while their babies receive this treatment. However, you can usually stay overnight with your baby during the treatment, and breastfeed when needed.

Your Jaundiced Baby May Be Extra Sleepy

If your baby’s jaundice is causing them to be sleepy and experience poor feedings, it may be more difficult to get that precious breast milk into them. In some cases, you may need to pump your breast milk to keep up your supply and try alternative feeding methods such as medicine dropper feedings, cup feedings, or paced bottle feeding.

Related Article: 27 Ways to Keep Your Breastfed Baby Awake

The bottom line on breastfeeding with a jaundiced baby

Facing a jaundice diagnosis can be very stressful for moms, babies, and their caretakers. But you should know that jaundice is quite common, very treatable, and almost never harmful for your baby, especially if you follow the protocols needed to treat it. The other good news is that breastfeeding almost never needs to be interrupted to treat a case of jaundice.

If you have a jaundiced baby, your bet is to educate yourself, keep that breast milk flowing, reach out for help if needed, and keep the faith that everything is going to be okay!

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