Lisa wrote:


I am hoping someone can point me to a well-written AAP or  other medical
article about breastmilk jaundice.  I am a peer counselor  working with a mom
who was told to stop breastfeeding due to "breastmilk  jaundice".  This is a
new one for me, and I am doing some research to  better understand exactly
what that means.  I have come across  info  saying that jaundice is natural
and normal in breastfed infants and maybe even  beneficial.  I know the
pediatricians in our area have not heard that  LOL.


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Generally speaking most pediatricians only stop breastfeeding for a  short
period of time as a diagnostic tool to determine that it really is
breastmilk jaundice and not pathologic jaundice (though if they look at the  timing
and the demeanor of the baby they wouldn't need to do that either).   Some
peds will stop breastfeeding for as long as 72 hours, though 12 hours will
give them what they need to know -- that is, the bili levels will drop and
then  rise again after the baby goes back on breastmilk.  It is innocuous, and
no  cases of kernicterus related to breastmilk jaundice have been reported.
  Usually levels do not go above 18 mg/dl.

That's not an article, but I hope it helps.  If we HAVE to do  this, my
preferred mode is to have mom pump until "empty" (save the milk) and  then use
a supplementer at the breast with the formula for as many feeds as is
necessary.  Keeps the baby at the breast, and babe will still get a trickle  of
breastmilk....

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, FILCA
Wheaton IL
_www.lactationeducation.com_ (http://www.lactationeducation.com/)

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