Patient's question:
An 8-day-old baby is not drinking breast milk well. After birth, on the 4th or 5th day, the baby's jaundice level slightly exceeded 12.8, so a few sessions of blue light treatment were administered. The previous treatment and outcomes are unclear: there wasn't much that could be done, and it was later found that the blue light exposure had caused the issue! Worries...Doctor's answer:
For mothers who worry about insufficient milk supply and thus digest additional milk or glucose water, it may lead to "nipple confusion." Breastfeeding requires more effort, whereas bottle feeding, due to gravity, only needs a light suck to provide milk (sugar) water. Smart babies naturally choose the easier option.Advice: Babies who are breastfed are more prone to jaundice, so switching to infant formula if necessary. This is because enzymes in breast milk can cause higher levels of bilirubin in the blood. If you suspect that your baby's jaundice is due to breastfeeding, you can try stopping for one or two days, wait for the jaundice to improve, and then focus on feeding again. The baby's jaundice should stabilize and stop worsening.
Another reason for jaundice that doesn't fade may be insufficient breast milk intake, leading to too little bowel movement, which keeps bilirubin in the intestines and prevents it from being excreted through urine or stool. In such cases, jaundice levels remain high. Usually, feeding the baby more frequently and ensuring they get enough milk will help stabilize their condition.