Toward Understanding the Connections Between Infant Jaundice and Infant Feeding

Parents face a paradox when they are told: Breast is best; bottle-feeding is hazardous to health. But breast-fed babies are more likely to become severely jaundiced than bottle-fed babies, and severe jaundice can lead to brain damage. This article will explore the natural physiology of jaundice with a focus on breast-feeding-associated jaundice, primary prevention of hyperbilirubinemia, and current evidence-based recommendations about feeding jaundice breast-fed infants.

Key words: Infant jaundice, Breast-feeding, Bottle-feeding, Acute bilirubin encephalopathy, Fetal neonatal bilirubin metabolism, Primary prevention, Risk for kernicterus