Can I continue to breastfeed my newborn baby if he has jaundice?

There are many causes of jaundice, and the causes of jaundice should be addressed accordingly. In the past, this type of jaundice in newborns was called "breast milk jaundice" because the mother could not feed or feed the baby poorly. This was often misunderstood, so now it is not called "breast milk jaundice" as much as possible, and has been renamed "poor breastfeeding jaundice" or "starvation jaundice", which refers to the poor feeding of newborns in the early stage because they did not receive enough and correct assistance.

Poor feeding means that the mother has no experience in breastfeeding and cannot assess whether the baby is full, which makes the baby hungry all the time, so that the jaundice cannot be discharged well, that is, the poor "enterohepatic circulation" causes jaundice! Because jaundice is discharged from the liver to the small intestine, and then discharged through feces, and feces contain bile, so it will be yellow; but if the baby drinks very little breast milk, the bile goes to the small intestine and is absorbed back into the body. The jaundice cannot be discharged all the time, which will cause the jaundice to increase. This is caused by poor feeding!

To avoid this type of jaundice, skin contact should be started as soon as possible after birth, and breastfeeding should be done when the baby wants to eat, and it should be ensured that the baby is properly latched on and is getting the milk. This does not mean stopping breastfeeding, but rather encouraging more feeding. Only when the baby eats enough will the jaundice go away faster. If the baby drinks very little milk or is on an empty stomach, the color of the baby's skin will become more and more yellow!

Another condition related to breast milk, which may require temporary cessation of breastfeeding, is jaundice caused by fatty acid metabolism in breast milk. This usually occurs after the baby is two or three weeks old, because the components in breast milk compete with the body for the metabolism of jaundice, making it difficult for the baby's jaundice to go away. At this time, just stop breastfeeding for 48 hours or a period of time, and you can resume breastfeeding soon after the jaundice goes away.

If you are still not sure, be sure to consult a pediatrician before deciding whether to stop feeding the baby.