Dawn writes:

"Breastmilk is the physiologic & biologic norm and a
full two thirds of breastfed infants have "high" serum bilirubin levels
during week three.  That makes me think there is some evolutionarily
adaptive reason for the elevation."

Dawn is not the first one to raise this question.  I think Jack Newmann
is one who has said that we probably should be talking about
HYPObilirubinemia in babies that don' have a rise or a certain level
above the currently accepted ones.  I remember an article about 8-10
years ago called something like "Is bilirubin good for babies?" that
even speculated on some of the possible benefits.

Just another example where an aspect of artificial feeding becomes the
baseline for eveluating all feeding including normal, natural feeding.
We do need to get our priorities straight and if we keep poking away at
the inconsistencies, eventually someone will listen!

Winnie

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