Hi there, my first child had jaundice (premature liver- yellow skin) when he was a newborn. It was so bad, it lasted about 3 months. He spent weeks in the hospital and we even had an at-home nurse come over to bring us equipment to care for him at home. It was terrible! We couldn't take him anywhere because he had to be hooked up to a special light. He was very sick and drowsy all the time - barely ate anything either.
Eventually, the doctors told us he had 'breastmilk jaundice' from me nursing him. (I had never heard of it) I was devistated! But they told me *not* to quit nursing. So I just added formula to his routine and he had a 50/50 diet of breastmilk and formula. He finally got rid of all the jaundice and he was healthy. However, my doctor told me that breastmilk jaundice usually runs in siblings. Now that we're pregnant with my 2nd, I'm so scared about the jaundice again! Did anyone else have this experience? I'm so nervous about nursing again because I don't want to cause this type of jaundice for my baby! What would you do??
My first had jaundice (also breastfed and was told to supplement, so I did) my second did not have jaundice and I breastfed her as well, eventually supplementing on my own but not till she was a month old or so. So just because the first has it, doesn't mean the second will. Don't let it scare you away from breastfeeding...it's definitely the best thing for baby, even if you do end up supplementing.
Did your first child have any difficulty with you using both breast and bottle? I had to use both with my first, and it was so convenient (could nurse at home, but use a bottle in public, plus husband could help feed ect...), that even though I did not have to supplement with my second, I choose to. Doing both from birth my children never had any issue going between breast and bottle, although my first son did ween early, at around 3 months. It may be that using both will work well again? Best of luck to you.
I personally have never heard of this so I looked it up and
Prevention
Breast milk jaundice cannot be prevented. When the condition occurs, it is very important to recognize the baby's yellow color as early as possible and have bilirubin levels checked right away to make sure that there are no other liver problems.
Breast feeding jaundice can be limited by making sure your baby is getting enough breast milk. Give your baby unlimited time at each breast, and feed approximately 10 to 12 times per day starting the first day of life. Get help from a lactation consultant or your doctor as soon as possible if you have any difficulty.
Now I have had 3 kids and breastfed all of them to 12 months and the only one that has jaundice was my middle child and all we had to do was keep him by the window so the sun is on him.
So My recommendation is feed the new baby every 2 hours as my doctor told me and the sites I found as well and when you put baby down in the bouncer wor swing or what ever keep some form of sunlight on at least 50% of the babies body.
Good Luck, My middle son had alot is "issues" that I was affraid of reliving too, and they have not, realx you have experience now that you did not so you will be able to catch it really early now and it should be easier. Deep Breaths and Congratulations please enjoy it and let the fear go. You do not want to miss out on the joy of what you have for the fear of what might be, I did and not one day goes by that I do not regret it.
I breastfed both my kids from birth.
My daughter did not have jaundice.
My son did.
He had to be hooked up to the blue-light apparatus at home, for about 1 week, 24 hours a day.
I still breastfed.
They never told me to stop.
My son was born 2 weeks before my due date.
all the best,
Susan
I had one child who was slightly jaundiced -but not the other. My sister's firsst child had to stay at the hospital for a week after her birth - nothing with the second child.
Jaundice is fixable - it's not preferred, obviously, but it can be addressed and cured. Don't get yourself anxious about this. You've lived through it with your first child and he's fine. Probably some of the stress was also because he was your first child.
Just becuase there's a higher risk does not mean your second child will also be jaundiced. And what's the risk? If it was 5 in a thousand maybe now it's 10 in a thousand - it's till mose likely to NOT occur.
If it happens with your second you're already a pro and know what to do. Plus every few years medical technology improves - for all we know new light set-ups are more portable and easy to arrange. thankfully we live in the 21st century and these things can be fixed.
Take it easy mama - relax and take care of your babies.
