tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post6315189235498403837..comments2023-09-09T11:07:31.879-04:00Comments on Blacktating: Oooohh, weeee, hey! What up wit dat?Elitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01294923997458681675noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-52090394589455089202011-10-03T00:13:10.617-04:002011-10-03T00:13:10.617-04:00I really love to read the opinions of mom's on...I really love to read the opinions of mom's on jaundice problem of breast feeding babies. I gather some good and insightful idea which update my knowledge. This website is really good and impressive i will follow it in the future for sure.home remedies for jaundicehttp://www.homeremediesfinder.com/remedy/jaundice.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-26269889441912327202010-08-27T15:51:36.238-04:002010-08-27T15:51:36.238-04:00I'm new to the site and late to this post: but...I'm new to the site and late to this post: but I'll add - <br /><br />My daughter became VERY jaundiced - I think her peak number was 18? We had the bili blanket at home (thankfully they didn't requier us to come back to check her into the hospital). Doctor sent us over to see an LC to get me on-track with latches and such.<br /><br />She had a heck of a bruise on her head from trying to come out regularly pre-emergency c-section, so those extra red blood cells might've contributed. And pooping it out is all that clears the jaundice, but kid needs something to poop out, right? :)<br /><br />LC was a godsend. She set up a plan that involved a very dedicated every-two-hours feeding off both breasts followed by 1oz of formula, but only until her numbers started going down. She was very clear that this was temporary and it'd be back to boob full time soon. <br /><br />I didn't feel like it messed with my plan to breast feed and it helped get her better quickly. No formula since and she'll be six months next week.<br /><br />Watching her daily blood draws was heartbreaking though.cdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-63470226663394863202010-07-01T23:44:32.579-04:002010-07-01T23:44:32.579-04:00Both my boys were slightly jaundiced. My first wa...Both my boys were slightly jaundiced. My first was a preemie so the doctor watched him very carefully. I was happy that there was never a mention of using formula at all. The only mention of formula for either was with my second when they said his blood sugar was a little low after birth (I nursed right away but sent him to the nursery for the birth checks before he was done so I could be transferred to my postpartum room as soon as possible). It wasn't even close to the danger zone. Thankfully my LC happened to be in there at the time (as my husband will do anything a doctor says without question). The pediatrician on call was going to give formula without my consent. My LC was livid and refused to allow them and she came and helped me express more colostrum for him. It did the trick! This was precisely why we won't use a pediatrician here - we use our very pro-breastfeeding family doc.Penguinelknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-32999997306752864062010-06-20T09:53:37.251-04:002010-06-20T09:53:37.251-04:00My first was the only child of mine to have jaundi...My first was the only child of mine to have jaundice and she actually had it for about 2weeks or so. The advice I was given in the hospital (by my mw) was to nurse her on demand and let her have some time in direct sunlight, naked, a couple of times a day. She was fine. <br /><br />This is entirely anecdotal but I find it interesting that my next two children didn't have jaundice. I don't think it had much to do with what they were being fed as all my children were nursed in the beginning. The only significant difference that I can think of between their births was that my youngest two were left attached to their placentas until well after their cords stopped pulsing. Personally, I think this is one of the most effective ways of preventing physiological jaundice but that's an opinion based on personal experience and not really valid, lol.Rebekah Chttp://thoughtfulmomma.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-8191872344247237202010-06-17T22:36:26.795-04:002010-06-17T22:36:26.795-04:00I'm in Australia and two out of my three daugh...I'm in Australia and two out of my three daughters had some jaundice - the firstborn, delivered by emergency c-section at 36 weeks, was the worst. No-one ever suggested formula to me - not the midwives, not the paed, not the regular nurses. With the firstborn, who was having trouble latching, I was told that it would be a good idea to express colostrum for her and either spoon or syringe it into her (this wasn't just for jaundice reasons but for hydratrion as well) and I did this, I had lots of colostrum and, later, milk so there was no issue there, and am very glad I did, as it avoided me even thinking in terms of formula.<br /><br />My eldest went under the bili lights for half a day, but that was all. The youngest didn't get the lights, I was advised to put her in windows / sunlight as much as possible and keep feeding on demand, which I did.<br /><br />I haven't heard of anyone in an Australian hospital being offered or pushed formula as a solution for jaundice. Sometimes I think they jump a bit quick to the bili lights but not to the bottle.Kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-79672973562830223292010-06-17T17:55:34.755-04:002010-06-17T17:55:34.755-04:00I get so mad hearing stories like this, and the ig...I get so mad hearing stories like this, and the ignorance of doctors about normal jaundice. I've done a lot of research into jaundice as evidenced in breastfeeding babies, and it makes me wonder: Why haven't pediatricians done the same??<br /><br />Seriously, babybeatnik's story is one of those where you just want to smack some sense into someone.hobomamanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-49260814225178934462010-06-16T21:11:22.167-04:002010-06-16T21:11:22.167-04:00I am SO sorry you had such an awful experience. I ...I am SO sorry you had such an awful experience. I have never heard of anything like this before. It must be so frustrating not to know if another course of action might have yielded a better outcome. Thank goodness your baby girl is OK!Elita @ Blacktatinghttp://www.blacktating.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-59057695062610179682010-06-16T20:51:44.696-04:002010-06-16T20:51:44.696-04:00I had an AWFUL experience with jaundice and the ho...I had an AWFUL experience with jaundice and the hospital. When we left the hospital 2 days after Kairi was born, her bili level was 14. They say they usually don't let babies with that level go home, but they prescribed a bili-blanket and plenty of sunshine with the request that I check back with the pediatrician in 2 days. <br /><br />Upon checking back, her bili level had gone up to 18 and she was readmitted to the hospital. The doctor asked us to suspend breastfeeding for 12 hours to determine if it was breastfeeding related (which is the harmless kind) or actual jaundice that could do some damage. I was told to supplement only with Pedialyte. <br /><br />Once her level got down to 12 a few days later, they re-released us. The doctor said that they typically wait until the level is 11 or under, but he prescribed the bili-blanket again and asked us to return to his office in 2 days. <br /><br />We returned and they checked her bili level: this time it was up to 21. We made our return to the hospital with the advice to suspend breastfeeding again for 12 hours. I asked if I was only allowed to give her Pedialyte throughout that time period again this time and the doctor looked at me like I was crazy. "Why on Earth would you think that? NO! Give her formula!" <br /><br />So this time we sat again in the hospital with Kairi laying in only a diaper and a blindfold in a bili-bed. It was heartbreaking. I cried every time I had to put that blindfold back on her. I don't remember how long we stayed this time, but I think it was maybe 4 days. I told the doctor that I wanted to wait until her level was at 11 before we went home, period. I didn't want to do this again. <br /><br />The last day we were there, her level had gotten to 11.5 and the doctor said that would have to be enough, he was ordering her release. He said we were welcome to stay another night until it dropped to 11, but our insurance wouldn't pay for it since he ordered the release. <br /><br />We checked back 2 days later and her bili level had sky-rocketed to 28. They said that after this time if we had to come back again or if her levels didn't go down immediately we'd have to start talking about blood transfusions. Again we were told to suspend breastfeeding. <br /><br />All I wanted to do was hold my daughter. The hospital room was cold and I couldn't bare to see her lying there in just a diaper. One morning while I was eating breakfast I told myself I would cover her with a light blanket for the time it took me to eat then take it back off of her so she'd at least be warm for a few minutes. The nurse came in and freaked out on me. "It's NOT going to work if she's covered up!" she screamed, waking my daughter and my husband. "Don't you ever want to go home, or would you like your daughter to be stuck in this bed for the rest of her life?!" <br /><br />Overall, we spent 11 out of the first 15 days my daughter was alive in the hospital with her in the bili-bed. It was horrifying. <br /><br />Later on, when she was almost 5 months old the pediatrician told me that I could only nurse her 3-4 times in a 24 hour period of time, so I switched doctors. I am so very disappointed with the way that things were handled, now knowing that they could have been done so much differently. Kairi is 14 months old now and I still cry thinking about it.<br /><br />(Oh, and sorry for the novel of a comment.)babybeatniknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-5589516212849249842010-06-16T19:23:23.518-04:002010-06-16T19:23:23.518-04:00i had a breastfed jaundice baby at 10 days old his...i had a breastfed jaundice baby at 10 days old his bilirubin count was still high and for 2 days i was told to supplement and is count went down to within normal ranges. after that i was told it was my breastmilk must have high proteins. My you I was a first time mother the next time I will know what to do, however I will by then have a better diet and detox pre-pregnancy.Alkenionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-3564512974455066482010-06-16T09:45:03.525-04:002010-06-16T09:45:03.525-04:00You inspired me to post. The misinformed interfer...You inspired me to post. The misinformed interference is absurd. <br />http://thoughts-of-home.blogspot.com/2010/06/breastfeeding-ignorance-in-medical.htmlcarolenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-11693901377437552042010-06-15T21:47:54.214-04:002010-06-15T21:47:54.214-04:00I, also like Lisa RM, had a slightly jaundiced bab...I, also like Lisa RM, had a slightly jaundiced baby girl. I was told, however, that in order to keep her jaundice from becoming worse, I needed to be sure to feed her every two hours and provide as much sunlight as possible. In doing this, within a day, she was fine!<br /><br />It is truly a shame that there is so much widespread misconceptions going around about the topic. Thanks for sharing!<br /><br />I am your newest follower! As a breastfeeding mommy of color, I am glad to have found your site. I also have a blog that deals with, among other things, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, etc. When you get a chance, come stop by: <br />http://mommyhoodnextright.blogspot.com<br />-Jessica a.k.a Nya's momNya's momhttp://mommyhoodnextright.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-64267652104133637542010-06-15T15:11:57.384-04:002010-06-15T15:11:57.384-04:00Jaundice was addressed as an issue at the 4 day ap...Jaundice was addressed as an issue at the 4 day appointment. I nursed like crazy, but the numbers kept going up. They told me to use formula every time, but I didn't want to. Then the numbers went up so high that she said he was near hospitalization, so I took her advice to 1) start using formula and 2) STOP BFing! She said that some moms produce a hormone which inhibits the baby from expelling the bilirubin and that I could be endangering my baby. So I pumped and dumped all that precious colostrum for 5 days in a row. Looking back I am horrified (and no, I never went back to that evil Ped).Laurennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-1481481462788333682010-06-15T12:24:46.359-04:002010-06-15T12:24:46.359-04:00my hubby is white and I'm guessing this prob i...my hubby is white and I'm guessing this prob is more geared towards lighter people. Neither of my 3 kids had any issues and I breasfed all of them. There was this witch of a nurse who must have worked the night shift who supplemented my baby at the hospital and because I was also sleep deprived instead of going off I just cried. I've since had my next 2 kids at home (not all because of that lady) and will be having my 3rd home birth this fall. I hate hearing the "hospital storis" but I'm crazy for having home-births so I guess I don't know what I'm talking about.<br /><br />Great post glad to hear some others with some of the same concerns I had.@home-momhttp://home-momblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-63085787601873883092010-06-15T11:34:57.714-04:002010-06-15T11:34:57.714-04:00yes my breastfed baby was jaundiced for awhile. sh...yes my breastfed baby was jaundiced for awhile. she had to go under the bili lights in the hospital and have a follow up blood test 1 week after coming home. in the hospital they tried to get me to give her formula and i refused. they didn't push, but still. after having 3 that i gave up far too easily on i didn't need people tempting me with the easy way out on my 4th. when she was 3 weeks old her ped tried to tell me i HAD to supplement with formula because she wasn't gaining weight. i tried once and cried uncontrollably the entire time. then she threw it all up. never did that again. she is 11 months old. healthy, happy and breastfed!!Jeaninehttp://twitter.com/neenee_is_menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-44681059917025069272010-06-15T08:49:01.646-04:002010-06-15T08:49:01.646-04:00A really good point, Stephanie. We are constantly ...A really good point, Stephanie. We are constantly comparing breastfed babies to formula fed babies, instead of the other way around. I mean, when did your pediatrician's office get the new WHO Code growth charts that are based on breastfed babies? Mine only got them within the last year or so. I'll bet there are plenty of offices still using growth charts based on formula fed babies to assess breastfed babies.Elita @ Blacktatinghttp://www.blacktating.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-45016821408013016872010-06-14T18:47:30.386-04:002010-06-14T18:47:30.386-04:00My 35 week third son developed jaundice within hou...My 35 week third son developed jaundice within hours of his birth ten years ago. <br />My pediatrician at the time saw him in hospital and warned me that if the <br />jaundice did not resolve quickly (which jaundice by definition can not since it <br />is a cycle that, once begun, must run), my son should be given more fluids than <br />my breasts could produce. He said that could be either formula or water. The <br />hospital nurses routinely gave me a pamphlet on jaundice. The pamphlet said that <br />breastfeeding babies don't need supplementation to clear bilirubin and that <br />water was particularly bad since it filled the baby with non-nutritive fluids <br />and could cause malnutrition. I laughed out loud when I turned the pamphlet over <br />and discovered it was produced by Ross Labs. So Ross convinced the ped <br />supplementation wasn't necessary. <br /><br />My son had the normal increase in bilirubin to its high and then dropped after <br />we were home and followed by a home health nurse who told me that even if his <br />bilirubin did not drop, he would still be treated at home with a bili-blanket. <br />It dropped and all was well without returning to the hospital.<br /><br />My nephew was born a few months ago at 35 weeks. My SIL was told she would never <br />produce enough milk because a 35 weeker's suck is too weak. By hospital rule he <br />spent 24 hours in the NICU despite perfect Apgars so early breastfeeding could <br />not be established. After discharge his jaundice ran its course so the bilirubin <br />rose and hospital insisted on readmitting him - meaning more separation from <br />mother and more supplementation. Despite all this, he did finally latch properly <br />and nurse exclusively as my 35 weeker did from the beginning. But in my nephew's <br />case there was a NICU stay and second hospitalization.<br /><br />So I think the answer to why hospitals are routinely supplementing babies with <br />jaundice is found by following the money. Far more money is made on supplemented <br />babies.Jake A Marcusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-10539113410245630482010-06-14T16:45:29.941-04:002010-06-14T16:45:29.941-04:00I gave birth in a birthing center and didn't r...I gave birth in a birthing center and didn't receive any bad advice, per se.... when I saw a lactation consultant two weeks later due to latching issues she told me that my baby was "way too jaundiced" and that if it got any worse I should take him to the hospital. My sister and midwives advised me to nurse as often as possible. It cleared up by 4 weeks.<br /><br />My sister in law gave birth 3 months after me and switched to formula after a week because her pediatrician said it would clear up her daughter's jaundice.Splotch13noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-29455646212855668342010-06-14T09:02:35.342-04:002010-06-14T09:02:35.342-04:00Both of my girls were jaundiced... in fact, lookin...Both of my girls were jaundiced... in fact, looking back at pictures of the Bear when she was 3 days old, you can see how yellow she was (which, for a "high yellow child" is pretty yellow!) I feel I as lucky in that I delivered both children at a breastfeeding friendly/ knowledgeable hospital (in Chicago and in St. Louis) and formula was never pushed on us to flush out the bili. <br />SIL had a not-so-favorable experience delivering in Green Bay, bililights and the bili-blanket were really pushed on her as well as formula and as a result, their nursing relationship ended after about 3 weeks. :(<br />ITA with Stephanie in that the fear of litigation is a driving factor, I think if hospitals were very clear about what jaundice is and how it's taken care of instead of pushing the easy fix, we might have more BFing successes. If you ask your average mom, she might not know what jaundice is/ does, only that it's "bad."Karianna Freyhttp://twitter.com/kariannafreynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-27400856030548772942010-06-14T01:00:11.804-04:002010-06-14T01:00:11.804-04:00My little guy was pretty jaundiced by the time we ...My little guy was pretty jaundiced by the time we left the hospital. I was exclusively nursing but I know now (and had an inkling then) that is wasn't going well. I was never seen by the LC despite the fact that I asked to and was discharged home on the weekend. So when I got home he was so lethargic from the jaundice that he wasn't nursing and as a NICU nurse I knew he needed fluids. I cried and cried as he got one ounce of formula at a time to get him through till I got my pump, still attempting to nurse the entire time. <br />The damage was done and even though he was getting my milk he couldn't latch to bf. Thankfully at 6 days of life I was able to see a LC who got him latched with a nipple shield. His bili climbed pretty high and we followed up with outpatient labs but my ped never pushed formula. It did take a few weeks for it to go away but in the end he was fine and now is a 7mo nursing champ. <br /><br />I have seen both sides of jaundice fear as a NICU nurse and I agree that there is an institutional push to formula feed and get the bili out as quickly as possible. The fear is that uncontrolled jandice causes irreversible brain damage and very high levels require total exchange blood tranfusions and in that light formula looks like a simple solution to a potentially disasterous outcome. But this is rare and most cases can be handled with bili lights. As a bf mom I am much more sympathetic to my bf moms at work and I stand up for them. I will never forget how much it broke my heart to give my son a bottle. It made me cry to type the story.Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-72822958082334335862010-06-13T23:33:28.015-04:002010-06-13T23:33:28.015-04:00My baby girl was slightly jaundiced. They told me ...My baby girl was slightly jaundiced. They told me that they would want to supplement with formula only if the numbers weren't going down after a few feeds. As soon as the nurse told me that I pumped as much colostrum as I could so that I could give her that before any formula, I wanted to reduce any amount she might have to receive. The numbers went down so I didn't have to supplement at all.Brittany Phttp://twitter.com/sistasweetpeanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-41706363525053033192010-06-13T23:24:08.446-04:002010-06-13T23:24:08.446-04:00I'm lucky enough not to have ever received bad...I'm lucky enough not to have ever received bad breastfeeding advice related to jaundice, but that was luck (as my first had no jaundice and my second, who had pretty high numbers, was born at home and then seen by a supportive family doctor). I've heard hundreds of bad advice stories over the past few years. <br /><br />I think some of the fear is litigation, but most of it is lack of knowledge about what is biologically normal for an infant. With so many babies born in the past 30 years being formula fed most pediatricians haven't seen what is normal for a breastfed baby. They're always comparing the breastfed baby to the formula fed baby standard. But since ff babies eat more ounces because they don't digest the formula as well they have more fluids going through their body to push the bili out more quickly and their numbers go down faster. But a bf baby doesn't drink as much in those first few days so the numbers stay higher longer. The problem is that we should be considering the bf babies normal and comparing the ff babies to them. <br /><br />Breastfeeding is one of the few cases where we now compare the biological norm to a synthetic alternative. I've heard talks all over about the language we use to promote bfing. We currently say "Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections," but what we should really be saying is "Formula fed babies get more ear infections." There's nothing special about what breastmilk does (well there is, it's magical! but you know what I mean). In the rest of science we compare the alternative to the natural, but not in this case. <br /><br />It's interesting to think about.Stephanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-9812133220037695472010-06-13T21:43:43.606-04:002010-06-13T21:43:43.606-04:00I went through the same thing. I was told that she...I went through the same thing. I was told that she was jaundiced and that I had to give her formula to "flush it out." I stood in the hallway outside the nursery and cried as my doctor told me it was "no big deal." I think the fear is that for the rare few, it is a big deal and can cost permanent brain damage, so from a dr's perspective, flush it out as quickly as possibly by pumping your baby full of unnatural stuff that will make him/her pee. I dunno... Lydia just spit up each time I begrudgingly gave her formula. Then, as I was about to leave the hospital, a lactation consultant came in and asked if I needed any help. I talked to her about the jaundice thing, and she told me that she home-birthed all of her children, they were jaundiced, and she breastfed exclusively and were fine. From that point forward, no formula!Huppiemamanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536683374417960813.post-73802921856027876472010-06-13T21:20:13.145-04:002010-06-13T21:20:13.145-04:00I had a slightly jaundiced little boy. Looked yel...I had a slightly jaundiced little boy. Looked yellow as all get out, with his pasty-white-kid genes from both his dad and I and red hair to boot (well, orange fuzz- cleaned up after birth he looked like an orangutan) but his numbers were never that high. Pediatrician told us go outside, sit by the window; midwife said NURSE!Lisa RMhttp://wanderingwonderment.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com