This mother should not be weaning for jaundice.  She needs to wean from
this doctor (sorry if this sounds like doctor bashing, but this type of
approach--wean for two weeks--is appalling and ignorant).

If the baby had a high bilirubin in the first week, this is often
because of inadequate breastfeeding, not because of breastmilk.  17,
however, is not *that* high, but should be an indication to evaluate the
breastfeeding.

If the baby is breastfeeding well, there is no concern about the
bilirubin, it will decrease.  If the baby is not breastfeeding well, the
approach should be to fix the breastfeeding.  As it is, the doctors has
probably completely undermined it.

I don't know what Duract is, but methylprednisolone is *not*
contraindicated during breastfeeding.  This is what I keep meaning about
*informed consent*.  If this mother had learned, really learned, about
the risks of formula feeding, she would not be so reluctant to start.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC