Breastfeeding

The most common 2 reasons for neonatal jaundice are: 1. Breastfeeding jaundice 2. Breastmilk jaundice For breastfeeding jaundice, the amount that baby drinks, especially initially when your milk supply can’t meet the demand, is inadequate. More feeding is required so baby can poop more, and the jaundice can improve. If you don’t have enough milk, top up with formula milk. For breastmilk jaundice, baby’s liver is still maturing, and so it takes a longer time to break down things and get rid of the bilirubin. For the above 2 reasons, continue breastfeeding, and top up with formula milk. If the jaundice persists after 2-3 weeks, they’ll perform a direct bilirubin test on baby. If the levels are normal, then it’s likely one of the above 2 reasons, and you can just continue feeding and waiting for the levels to gradually drop (can take about a month). If the levels are high (uncommon), then they may refer you to the PD in the hospital for further tests. Since most breastfed babies usua