Breastmilk jaundice - 5 weeks old

Re: Breastmilk jaundice - 5 weeks old

• bluebird0521 member

  July 2014

  My baby had jaundice and formula was never suggested. In fact, my doctor said breast feeding often was the best thing I could do to get rid of it. We also placed him in indirect sunlight, basically just opened the blinds while he was in the swing and I nursed him in a rocking chair by the window. His bilirubin stayed stagnant for a week but then went down.

  
  

  Personally, I would just breast feed and make sure to feed on demand. My doctor said that formula would only be considered if it seemed like my son was not satisfied, wasn't gaining weight, and his bilirubin got worse. He did lose weight in the beginning but not enough that formula was ever an option.

  
  

  I will say my doctor told me bilirubin levels over 16 usually require phototherapy at the hospital for 24 hours. Was this mentioned to you at all?  

  
  

  
  

  
  

          
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• surpriseaddition member

  July 2014

  I've had 3 babies who were all BF and all had jaundice early on.  Two required phototherapy and used a biliblanket at home (a glowing neon blanket that you wrap around them under their onesie) and the blanket needed to be plugged in.  I would ask your doctor if that is an option.  Otherwise, I would just take LO out into the sunlight several times a day (early morning, late afternoon/early evening) to benefit from natural UV rays.  For all three, they just asked me to pump any extra BM and try and bottle feed that.  They never suggested formula instead, but I also had a plentiful BM supply.  GL! 

  
  **DD1 - 7/9/98**

  **DS - 11/9/00**

  **DD2 - 4/30/13**
  

  Report0 Reply
• pttr84 member

  July 2014

  My son was diagnosed with breastmilk jaundice at his one month appointment (didn't have it as a newborn) and it was suggested we do the 24 hours of formula with a recheck of his bilirubin after that time. The pedi wanted us to switch to formula to confirm the diagnosis, with some babies breastmilk blocks the ability to dispose of bilirubin (didn't happen with my first LO). If the 24 hours of formala DIDN'T decrease his bilirubin then we could have been looking at a more serious problem.

  My DH fed DS formula while I pumped and after a day his levels had decreased enough that it proved the diagnosis and I could go back to nursing full time. To us the one day of formula was worth it to make sure he didn't have a more serious health problem.

  On the upside, the pumping helped get a little freezer stash for when I went back to work!

  

  Report0 Reply
• bunniekrissy member

  July 2014

  My lo still had yellowish eyes at 2 months and his levels came back at 9. That's obviously a lot lower than 18, but the jaundice did last quite a while. Eventually it went away.

       
  
   
  
  
  
  

  Report0 Reply