Question
A 35-day-old baby, who at 20 days old had a jaundice index as high as 17, was diagnosed with a lung infection and received intravenous fluids and blue light therapy, after which the jaundice index dropped to 7. Following this, the baby continued to receive intravenous fluids and breast milk in a general ward, and the jaundice index further decreased to 6. However, the current jaundice index is 10. How should parents handle this situation?
Answer
Based on the medical description, the newborn’s jaundice index was excessively high after 20 days old but returned to normal after treatment. However, after breastfeeding, the jaundice index increased, which is likely indicative of breastfeeding jaundice. It is recommended to temporarily stop breastfeeding and allow the baby to get more sunlight exposure. Although the jaundice index decreased during the last two days of breastfeeding while in the hospital, the immune antibodies in breast milk may affect bilirubin metabolism, leading to jaundice.