The key difference between breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice is that breastfeeding jaundice is caused by the baby not receiving enough milk to lower its bilirubin levels, while breast milk jaundice is due to the mother’s milk inhibiting the ability of the infant’s liver to process bilirubin.
Jaundice is a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow. Newborn or neonatal jaundice occurs when a baby’s skin and eyes turn yellow from too much bilirubin. Neonatal jaundice occurs due to the elevation of total serum bilirubin. The clinical features of this condition may include yellowish discoloration of the skin, sclera, and mucous membrane. Breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice are two different types of neonatal jaundice.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Breastfeeding Jaundice
3. What is Breast Milk Jaundice
4. Similarities – Breastfeeding Jaundice and Breast Milk Jaundice
5. Breastfeeding Jaundice vs. Breast Milk Jaundice in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Breastfeeding Jaundice and Breast Milk Jaundice
7. Summary – Breastfeeding Jaundice vs. Breast Milk Jaundice
What is Breastfeeding Jaundice?
Breastfeeding jaundice is a type of neonatal jaundice that occurs when a baby is not getting enough breast milk, which leads to increased bilirubin levels. It is also known as suboptimal intake jaundice. Breastfeeding jaundice occurs in the first week of life when the baby and mother are in the early stages of learning how to breastfeed. Moreover, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes are the main signs of this type of infant jaundice. The risk factors for breastfeeding jaundice are the use of water or sugar water, depressed nipples, the mother’s unwillingness to breastfeed, inappropriate breastfeeding technique, and birth weight < 2500 g.
Figure 01: Neonatal Jaundice
Breastfeeding jaundice can be caused by difficulty breastfeeding, improper latching, or other substitutes that interfere with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding jaundice can be diagnosed by physical examination, laboratory test and skin test with a device called a transcutaneous bilirubinometer. Furthermore, treatment options for breastfeeding jaundice may include increasing the number of feedings per day and working with a lactation consultant to make sure the baby is receiving the right amount of milk each time.
What is Breast Milk Jaundice?
Breast milk jaundice is a type of neonatal jaundice that typically occurs one week after birth. This condition can last up to 12 weeks. The exact cause of breast milk jaundice is not known. Breast milk jaundice is linked to a substance in the breast milk that prevents certain proteins in the infant’s liver from breaking down bilirubin. This condition may also run in families. Moreover, the symptoms of breast milk jaundice may include a yellow discolouration of the skin and whites of the eyes, fatigue, listlessness, poor weight gain, and high-pitched crying. The risk factors for this condition are genetic or a family history of jaundice.
Figure 02: Breast Milk Jaundice
Breast milk jaundice can be diagnosed through family history, physical examination, and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for breast milk jaundice may include breastfeeding your baby more frequently or giving your baby formula in addition to breast milk and phototherapy.
What are the Similarities Between Breastfeeding Jaundice and Breast Milk Jaundice?
- Breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice are two different types of neonatal jaundice.
- Both these conditions occur in breastfed infants.
- They may cause similar symptoms, such as yellowish discoloration in the skin and eye whites.
- Both these conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
- They can be treated through continuous breastfeeding at regular intervals.
What is the Difference Between Breastfeeding Jaundice and Breast Milk Jaundice?
Breastfeeding jaundice is caused by the baby not receiving enough milk to lower their bilirubin levels, while breast milk jaundice is due to the mother’s milk inhibiting the ability of the infant’s liver to process bilirubin. Thus, this is the key difference between breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice. Furthermore, breastfeeding jaundice occurs in the first week of the baby’s life, while breast milk jaundice occurs in the second or later weeks of the baby’s life.
The infographic below presents the differences between breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Breastfeeding Jaundice and Breast Milk Jaundice
What are the bilirubin levels for breast milk jaundice?
The majority of breastfed infants may have bilirubin levels greater than or equal to 5 mg/dL while some amounts of exclusively breastfed infants have bilirubin levels above 10 mg/dL in week 3 of life.
How do you know if jaundice is from breast milk?
Doctors use a blood test to confirm this condition since it measures the amount of bilirubin in the baby’s blood.
How long can breast milk jaundice last?
Breast milk jaundice usually spontaneously resolves even without discontinuation of breastfeeding. It also can persist for 8-12 weeks of life before resolution.
Summary – Breastfeeding Jaundice vs. Breast Milk Jaundice
There are two common problems that can occur in newborns receiving milk: breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice. Breastfeeding jaundice is due to the baby not receiving enough milk to lower their bilirubin levels while breastmilk jaundice is due to the mother’s milk inhibiting the ability of the infant’s liver to process bilirubin. So, this summarizes the difference between breastfeeding jaundice and breast milk jaundice.
Reference:
1. “Breast Milk Jaundice.” Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
2. “Breast Feeding Jaundice.” Birth Injury Help Center.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Jaundice in Newborn” By Dr. Hudson – ID#: 5604 US Department of Health and Human Services (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Newborn baby in an incubator machine receiving phototherapy for neonatal jaundice” By Marco Verch Professional Photography (CC BY 2.0 DEED) via Flickr
