Nutrition vs. jaundice in newborns

• April 27, 2024

The jaundice it is a condition that occurs when bilirubin levels in the blood increase. Bilirubin is a yellow chemical contained in red blood cells, which is broken down in the liver after the red blood cells have completed their life cycle in order to be replaced.

When the liver can not properly degrade certain levels of bilirubin, it builds up causing the skin and the whites of the eyes to turn yellow.

Many healthy babies can present jaundice In its first week of life, approximately 60% of them have mild bilirubin levels, which disappear after a few days.

The reason why newborns can present jaundice It is because when they are inside the maternal womb, the placenta is responsible for eliminating bilirubin from the body.

However after birth, it is the liver of the baby, and not the placenta, responsible for eliminating bilirubin. This type of jaundice It is known as "physiological" and after 2 weeks it usually disappears without causing any problems.
 

Jaundice secondary to poor breastfeeding technique : it occurs in babies during the first week of life and is associated with poor nutrition or because there is not enough milk in the mother or it takes a long time to leave.

In short, food is not enough, resulting in constipation and dehydration. In this case, it is important that the mother does not despair, that she tries breastfeeding at free demand and, if necessary, complements it with some milk formula.
 

Secondary jaundice of breast milk: It can appear in some babies after the first week of life and may be due to the way in which substances in breast milk (fatty acids and beta glucuronidases) affect the breakdown of bilirubin by the liver.

When breastfeeding is the cause, milk intake should be given more frequently, but if even then bilirubin levels are not reduced, substitution for a few days by milk formula should be considered. Then breast milk can be reintroduced if an increase in bilirubin levels is not observed again.

On the other hand, there is another type of jaundice It can be serious and occurs due to an increase in the replacement of red blood cells, as a result of abnormalities in blood cells, incompatibilities of blood group between baby and mother, infections or premature delivery.

If you detect that your baby has a yellow color, it is important that you take it immediately to the hospital or to the pediatrician. Most of the time it is usually not serious and the treatment consists of phototherapy, as well as feeding and hydrating the baby properly, to ensure the correct excretion of the bilirubin from the body.

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Video Medicine: Jaundice Medical Course (April 2024).