Clinical update: understanding jaundice in the breastfed infant

Breastfed infants are more likely to be jaundiced than infants who are formula fed. Community practitioners need to understand the physiology of jaundice and the issues associated with breastfeeding so that they can support parents. Visible jaundice is a result of hyperbilirubinaemia and, in most cases, is harmless and caused by normal physiological processes. It does, however, require detection monitoring and sometimes treatment to prevent rare but serious health complications. Although some debate remains over the association between breastfeeding and jaundice, the literature suggests that in the breastfed infant, early onset jaundice may be a result of insufficient intake of breast milk and prolonged jaundice may be related to a constituent of breast milk itself (breast milk jaundice). Early breastfeeding support to promote good positioning, attachment and baby-led feeding may help prevent early onset jaundice. Management of jaundice in the breastfed infant involves referral to local services to determine bilirubin levels and exclude pathologies.