My doctor said my first baby had breastmilk jaundice and recommended I feed him formula to bring his bilirubin level down. I do not want to use formula this time. She is in private practice in Eastern Pennsylvania. Jaundice refers to the yellow coloring of the infant's skin that is associated with elevated bilirubin levels in the blood.
All babies have slight elevations in bilirubin after birth.
This is related to the normal breakdown of extra red blood cells that occurs as the infant adjusts to life outside the womb. High levels of bilirubin are a concern because it can lead to brain damage, but there have been no reports of a baby with breastmilk jaundice developing this dangerous complication. Preemies, more vulnerable to brain damage from high bilirubin, rarely develop serious complications. True breastmilk jaundice, also referred to as late onset jaundice, is relatively rare, in the range of 0.5 to 4 percent of births. It is sometimes diagnosed by feeding the baby other milk in addition to, or in place of, breastfeeding to see if the bilirubin level drops.