Discontinuation of Breast-Feeding Infrequent Among Jaundiced Neonates Treated at Home

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice is the most commonly treated medical condition in otherwise healthy newborns.¹ To resolve the current debate within the medical community whether intervention is necessary,² information pertaining to the benefits and risks of treatment is essential. Recent studies indicate that mothers consider jaundice a serious illness, thus increasing the risk of maternal behavior consistent with the vulnerable child syndrome.^3,4 These studies suggest that treatment of jaundice may dramatically affect breast-feeding, leading to interruption in breast-feeding during therapy and premature weaning of the child.

Elander and Lindberg⁵ reported that a short period of separation between the mother and her newborn, as may occur with hospitalization and phototherapy, can decrease the duration of breast-feeding.