Question
How much water should a breastfed baby with jaundice drink? How often should they drink, and how much each time? The baby always sleeps and can’t be woken up. What should I do?
Answer
Jaundice in newborns, especially those under a month old, is primarily caused by abnormal bilirubin metabolism, leading to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood and resulting in yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera. Adequate hydration can only promote bilirubin metabolism to some extent and does not truly serve as a treatment. For breastfed babies, there is no need to drink excessive amounts of water; however, for formula-fed babies, it is appropriate to give water between meals to prevent diarrhea. Provide the baby with an adequate amount of water daily without overdoing it. Breast milk itself contains moisture. For babies who always sleep, try to wake them up to drink water during feeding or when changing diapers, but excessive disturbance of the baby’s sleep may also affect their growth and development.