I've been watching this discussion, and figure it's time to add my own
experience and observations:

I received maximum allowable pitocin for 24+ hours, and had an 8#15 oz baby
who not only was still at birth weight at her 5 day check-up, meaning she
lost very little, if any weight, but she never showed even slight
yellowing.  (Had in-home visit from midwife at about 72 hours, in addition
to pre-discharge check at 26 hours, and then the 5 day check-up.  I did
not, however, accept any medications at all during labor except for
lidocaine at the very end - something they tell me is highly unusual, and
which I have also seen to be unusual amongst my students.  Baby began
nursing within 5 minutes of birth, and was never separated.....nursed long
and steady for the first 2 - 3 days.  Milk in about 50+ hours pp.  Another
factor would possibly be prenatal nutrition.......I followed the Brewer
diet pretty closely, except for the dairy requirements, being unable to
tolerate much dairy except for high quality yogurt......figure an easy 100
gr. protein daily, excellent balance, other sources of Ca.

I *have* seen an anecdoctal relationship between pit and jaundice with some
of my students...........a running suspicion I have had is, like so much
else, that it is a combination of all the above mentioned variables, and
more, and perhaps even a familial tendency.....anyone else see it repeat,
even with highly dissimilar labors/interventions?  In other words, maybe we
also need to compare prenatal diet, labor medications, time before first
nursing, rooming-in, arrival of milk, etc.

Interestingly, I am working with a group of prenatal educators that is
designing a "new improved" birth log form for our own use...........one of
the things we may be able to start tracking with it is this connection, as
most of the above factors are listed for recording.  It'll be a while, but
will try to remember to get back on this one in a year or so...........

Sue LaLeike
Lehigh Acres, FL