Pat wrote:
"The whole situation of hyperbili is complex, with so  many individual
factors that can impact a bili (ethnicity, sex, meds used in labor, time to
first feed, (which effects) time to first stool, what is fed, sepsis, etc.)"

I assume you were referring to one sex being more likely to be jaundiced than the other.  Could you expand and that?  Is there also a correlation between the baby's sex and the severity of jaundice?

As far as history, I looked through my collection of old health care books, mostly published between 1898 and 1920.  Most say very little, except to define physiological jaundice, or icterus (as it is currently defined), and state that it isn't serious and doesn't require treatment.   

I imagine this is another example of something that has been known for years to be within the realm of normal being complicated by modern medicine.  Certainly, the increase in interventions into birth, and the unfortunate restrictions on breastfeeding in the early days would have resulted in more severe jaundice, especially in babies whose mothers were struggling to breastfeed.  

I appreciate the discussion that has come from my initial post!

Aloha,
Darillyn

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