Should I breastfeed my Jaundiced baby?
While many newborns experience jaundice to some degree it is more acute in a smaller portion. Jaundiced babies appear tinted yellow or orange due to their body’s excess of bilirubin. Bilirubin is produced when a human body breaks down extra red blood cells.
Normal newborn jaundice occurs withing the first week of life and lasts generally no more than fourteen days. You will find that your baby is often sleepy and needs to be woken up before you can breastfeed.
If your baby is jaundiced then breastfeeding will actually help as the bilirubin leaves the body during your child’s bowel movement. Frequent nursing will help your child eliminate the excess bilirubin as quickly as possible.
A word of caution: jaundice that lasts longer than fourteen days or occurs after the first week can be a sign of other more serious medical conditions. be sure to check with your doctor as to the cause of the jaundice.
