breastmilk jaundice ????

love22

Did anyone elses LO have breastmilk jaundice?  My DS seems to have it.  We chose to go on formula for 24 hours to see if it could lower his levels and now he is really constipated which seems to defeat the purpose of going on formula if he isn't pooping out the bilirubin.  If your LO had breastmilk jaundice how long did it last?

SummersJuly15

Breastmilk jaundice is very rare - how do you know he has that??

love22

His Dr told me he has it.  The only real way test for it is to go off breastmilk jaundice is to go off breastmilk and see how his jaundice levels respond.  They also said the specific parts of his bili levels indicate that that is what it is.  It is so rare I haven't found anyone else with any experience with it.  It is just so frustrating that everyone else's babies are all cured and I am still in the thick of fighting/following his bili levels.

Emcat1980@yahoo.com

What is his bili level?

True breastmilk jaundice is generally not a big deal. The bili levels are usually low and not a cause for concern. My son had physiologic jaundice + breastfeeding jaundice initially and his levels got above 15. This was all within the first week of life. Once we got him hydrated, my milk was in, and nursing was established, his levels began to trend down. He is still a little jaundice (breastmilk jaundice) but I haven't and won't recheck his levels.

Is he otherwise healthy, thriving, nursing well, making plenty of wet/dirty diapers (before you started the formula at least?). If so, and bloodwork reveals it's an indirect bilirubin (which I assume it has, since you mentioned labs), it's harmless as long as his numbers are fairly low and staying there. There is no need to treat, follow the level, or stop breastfeeding.

Judy&Brian

I had this with both of my sons.

First son had bili level of 17 and was in the ICU for 2 days.

2nd son had 16 bili and was on bili lights at home for about 1 week.

I had to stop breastfeeding and exclusively formula feed for a couple of days.