Bilirubin comes in 2 version, conjugated or direct (water soluble) that is
excreted by the kidneys (the reason most HCPs push water) and unconjugated
or  indirect (fat-soluble) treated by the liver and changed into conjugated
bili, dumped into  the bile into the gut.  Bilirubin # that we are familiar
with is a total of the 2 types.   The greater amount is the unconjugated
type. The infant's liver is immature and doesn't process unconjugated or
indirect bilirubin very well for a few days.

Meconium is loaded with stored bilirubin,  that IF not excreted via the
bowel, gets reabsorbed and goes back to the liver.  So an important route
of excretion is to empty  the bowel of meconium (before it has a chance to
be reabsorbed)  which means Feed The Baby.  Chemically colostrum is perfect
for this because it was designed to  be laxative.  Mechanically just
nursing makes the whole digestive tract move in the right direction (down
and out).

This is a very simplistic explanation, but the main point is nurse, nurse,
nurse.  Make that meconium move right out so baby doesn't have too much to
handle.  Sincerely, Pat in SNJ

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