JAUNDICE

I just commented on HH's blog.

Poor Jaerio having high level jaundice. I could understand how sad it can be to see own baby being alway poke for blood test.

Something on jaundice which is good to know for new mommy.
Just my personally view, after some read up and also finding out about jaundice from PD when Amabel is having very mild jaundice for the two months. But I continue sunbathe her till she up to four months.

I found that most parent came to think that breastfeeding caused the seriousness of jaundice.

Breastfeeding jaundice is not a cause of worry. Breastfed babies may be jaundiced up to 3-4 months, at levels which are usually not dangerous. So never come to the conclusion of stop breastfeeding.
In fact breastmilk jaundice is very common in all breastfed babies as there is something in breastmilk that causes increased intestinal absorption of bilirubin (substance that causes jaundice). If only suspected breastmilk jaundice reaches very high, usually the doctors will recommend an interruption to breastfeeding to bring it down. Whist breastmilk jaundice doesn't result in brain damage, there may be other pathological causes that aggravate the jaundice and the doctors would need to determine that and to do so, they may ask you to stop breastfeeding so that they can do accurate blood tests. So some doctor will ask the mother to stop breastfeed just for the sick of doing accurate blood tests. Hence, I don't think there is a need to totally stop breastfeeding. Perhaps can just temporary stop giving the baby breastmilk. Instead, store it in the freezer (can keep up to 6 weeks) and give it to the baby once the level is down and continue breastfeed thereafter, so the baby can still enjoy the beneficial of the breastmilk.

There is a few types of jaundice, so don’t ever think that it is definitely the breastmilk that caused it. If there is a need for an interruption to breastfeeding, doctor will be able to advise you. I think that many people misunderstood when doctor ask them to stop breastfeeding due to jaundice, so they may think the main cause of the jaundice is BREASTMILK, But the main reason is partly because, by doing so, the doctor can do accurate blood tests to determine the cause.

There may be other conditions that cause an exaggeration of this type of jaundice, such as a more rapid than normal breakdown of red blood cells. Because these conditions have no association with breastfeeding, breastfeeding should continue. So If the baby has severe jaundice due to rapid breakdown of red blood cells, this is not a reason to take the baby off the breast. Breastfeeding should continue.

Physiologic jaundice develops in all babies (although it may be very slight and not noticeable) sometime after the first day of life because their organs are not yet able to eliminate excess bilirubin effectively. If noticeable, the yellowing of the skin and eyes usually appears about 24 hours after birth and increases until about the third or fourth day. Most often, the blood bilirubin level then gradually lowers, and the yellowing fades or disappears in about a week without causing problems.

Breast-feeding jaundice is actually caused by mild dehydration, which prolongs and intensifies physiologic jaundice. Dehydration contributes to jaundice because it makes removing bilirubin from the body even harder for babies' immature systems. Breast-feeding jaundice can occur when a baby does not get enough fluids, most often because feedings are spaced too far apart. If feedings become more frequent, this type of jaundice decreases or resolves very fast after birth. Breast milk jaundice is a rise in bilirubin levels that occurs about 10 to 14 days after birth. It is likely related to how certain components of breast milk affect bilirubin elimination in the infant.
Breast milk jaundice usually begins to fade by the second month, although a slight yellow tint may be visible throughout the duration of breast-feeding.It is alright to breastfeed and you should breastfeed even though your baby is jaundiced.
Suggested that to minimize jaundice, you nurse your baby right after delivery and you can start the first nursing within 30 minutes of delivery. You can insist that no formula, water or other fluids be given as there is scientific evidence that this can exacerbate the problem.

For my case, Amabel was sent to me for breastfeeding within an half after delivery and I total breastfeed her every 2 hours though she never drink much due to the sleepy spell . But I believe that's partly the reason why Amabel only suffered mild jaundice and recovered fast.

Labels: babycare, Breastfeeding, My views