Image Source: www.emedihealth.com

Newborn or Infant Jaundice is a yellowing of a baby’s skin and eyes. It is very common and can occur when babies have a high level of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced during normal breakdown of red blood cells. This usually occurs because a baby's liver isn't mature enough to get rid of bilirubin in the bloodstream. The good news is that in most cases, newborn jaundice goes away on its own as a baby’s liver develops and as the baby begins to feed, which helps bilirubin pass through the body. In most cases, the condition disappears within 2 to 3 weeks. Jaundice that persists longer than 3 weeks may be a symptom of an underlying condition.

Breast milk is not harmful for a baby with jaundice. Jaundice is temporary for healthy infants. However, if the baby has an underlying medical condition, he or she must receive medical treatment but breastfeeding is still their best option for nutrition.

Here are ways to manage and continue breastfeeding for infants with jaundice:

1. Breastfeed the newborn infant so he or she gets the most colostrum (first milk) during their first days of life. Colostrum from breast milk helps stimulate defecation or the excretion of meconium or their first feces. Most of the bilirubin are found in the meconium. Frequent breastfeeding also helps clear out bilirubin from their blood faster.

2. Do not give water, formula milk or sugar water. Formula milk and other substances can make the stools hard leading to constipation. Constipation may hinder the faster excretion of bilirubin leading to prolonged jaundice.

3. Expose the baby to sunlight early in the morning or do phototherapy in a hospital or clinic. Sunlight has been shown to break down the bilirubin most effectively; in fact, one hour of sunlight equals 6 hours under the special bilirubin lights at the hospital. To sunbathe the baby, put him in a bassinet or on a blanket near a window with sun or indirect light (even on a cloudy day). Make sure the room is warm and take off the baby’s clothes except the diaper. Sunbathe the baby like this for 20-30 minutes twice a day. The baby won’t get sunburned through a window.

4. Babies with jaundice may sleep for longer periods. Wake them up to encourage frequent breastfeeding. More frequent breastfeeding can improve the mother's milk supply and, in turn, improve caloric intake and hydration of the infant, thus reducing the elevated bilirubin.

/AET

References:

Department of Health (2012). Gabay sa Nanay sa Tamang Pagpapasuso.
Healthline. Understanding Newborn Jaundice. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/newborn-jaundice