Jaundice Help

[Deleted]

STM of 7 day old twins. I nursed my first till15 months and didn't experience any jaundice issues. This time both twins had jaundice in the hospital. Twin G's was deemed low risk when discharged and Twin O's was low/intermediate so just needed a follow up lab next day. We are now in day 5 of labs. Pedi want us in this afternoon for a weight check and to discuss her feeding. I'm assuming I'll be told to stop breastfeeding and change to either formula or pumping.

Any ladies here have experience with either option with twins? Feeling like a failure this morning...

[billyhorrible]

My first had jaundice which turned out/ turned into breastmilk jaundice (lasted for about 10 weeks?) Breastmilk jaundice lasts a long time, but isn't as dangerous.

I think that it really depends on levels and doctors. My doctor was really supportive of breastfeeding so he told me to just nurse, nurse, nurse to help it move through the system.

[saraml13]

Hugs. I don't have twins, but DS1 had jaundice and we had to stay in the hospital to get treatment under the blue lights.

Has your milk come in? Jaundice can be a vicious cycle because it makes them extra sleepy, so they don't nurse frequently enough, so your milk takes longer to come in, and they do need to eat to clear the bilirubin out of their systems.

I'm sure you've heard the standard advice of lots of skin to skin and nurse as often as possible. Strip baby down to a diaper, tickle their feet, rub them with a wet washcloth to try to wake them up to eat. Obviously you only have so many hands and hours in the day and this is a lot harder with twins.

Don't view this as all or nothing. It's unlikely the doctor will tell you to outright stop breastfeeding. They may suggest you supplement with pumped milk and/or formula until the levels are back to normal. I know it can be different than your expectations, but a little bit of supplementation may help clear this up and then you can return to BF full time.

Alternatively, you could ask if they can send you home with a blue light blanket to do some light therapy at home. This option isn't universally available.

[Deleted]

@sarame13- yes my milk actually came in pretty quick...day 2 after birth.

[ellabee]

I'm sorry you're dealing with jaundice @jacks605. My DS is still getting over his and he's 3.5 weeks now. He had to have phototherapy.

He had a few other risk factors (<38weeker, cephalahematoma, Asian/American ethnicity), but they suspect it's also a bit of breastmilk jaundice.

When we went in for phototherapy, they had me pump and bottle feed while he was under the lights and also to make sure he was getting a certain amount of oz per his weight.

When we were discharged, the pedi did a bunch of weight checks to ensure he was still getting enough fluid to keep processing the bilirubin. If his weight hadn't been good, she would have recommend supplementing with formula.

She also said sometimes for breastmilk jaundice you can do pure formula supplementation for 24hrs (while you pump) to sort of "break the cycle" with the breastmilk/liver enzymes. We never got to that point, but I suppose i would have been alright with it if it meant we could kick the jaundice and go back to bf'ing after 1 day.

At any rate, ((hugs)) for having to deal with this. I know how much it sucks to have to deal with the worry and heel sticks and bili level anxiety.

[saraml13]

Feb 3, 2017 11:39:02 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

STM of 7 day old twins. I nursed my first till15 months and didn't experience any jaundice issues. This time both twins had jaundice in the hospital. Twin G's was deemed low risk when discharged and Twin O's was low/intermediate so just needed a follow up lab next day. We are now in day 5 of labs. Pedi want us in this afternoon for a weight check and to discuss her feeding. I'm assuming I'll be told to stop breastfeeding and change to either formula or pumping.

Any ladies here have experience with either option with twins? Feeling like a failure this morning...

Just checking in to see how you are doing. What did the doctor say?

[Deleted]

Feb 8, 2017 20:49:06 GMT -5 saraml13 said:

Feb 3, 2017 11:39:02 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

STM of 7 day old twins. I nursed my first till15 months and didn't experience any jaundice issues. This time both twins had jaundice in the hospital. Twin G's was deemed low risk when discharged and Twin O's was low/intermediate so just needed a follow up lab next day. We are now in day 5 of labs. Pedi want us in this afternoon for a weight check and to discuss her feeding. I'm assuming I'll be told to stop breastfeeding and change to either formula or pumping.

Any ladies here have experience with either option with twins? Feeling like a failure this morning...

Just checking in to see how you are doing. What did the doctor say?

Pedi said to supplement with 1oz of formula after each feed for 48hrs. It worked because her labs went from 17.3 on Friday to 13.5 on Sunday. No more labs or weight checks! Also gained 3.6oz too!

Normal 2week check up on Friday. 👍

[saraml13]

Feb 8, 2017 21:28:58 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

Feb 8, 2017 20:49:06 GMT -5 saraml13 said:

Just checking in to see how you are doing. What did the doctor say?

Pedi said to supplement with 1oz of formula after each feed for 48hrs. It worked because her labs went from 17.3 on Friday to 13.5 on Sunday. No more labs or weight checks! Also gained 3.6oz too!

Normal 2week check up on Friday. 👍

Great! Glad LO is doing well.

Were you able to stop supplementing after the 48 hours?

[Deleted]

I'm still supplementing after BF during night since that 1 oz for each twin gets them to sleep 3hrs between feedings. We just so the 2 MOTN ones. The rest of the time they are BF.

[seamonster]

Feb 8, 2017 23:20:20 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

I'm still supplementing after BF during night since that 1 oz for each twin gets them to sleep 3hrs between feedings. We just so the 2 MOTN ones. The rest of the time they are BF.

I'm glad it's going well. Has the pediatrician talked to you about backing off of supplementation at all? Not that you need to if that's what is best for them (I combo-fed for the first 12 weeks).

[Deleted]

Feb 13, 2017 12:25:34 GMT -5 seamonster said:

Feb 8, 2017 23:20:20 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

I'm still supplementing after BF during night since that 1 oz for each twin gets them to sleep 3hrs between feedings. We just so the 2 MOTN ones. The rest of the time they are BF.

I'm glad it's going well. Has the pediatrician talked to you about backing off of supplementation at all? Not that you need to if that's what is best for them (I combo-fed for the first 12 weeks).

We went back to BF all day and then 1-2 formula bottles at night to help them sleep a little better. 2week visit had them at low weight gain so both babes are to be supplementing after each feeding now. At pedi now for a weight check- FX they show progress. Do need to see about another kind for lil miss. She's been screaming in apparent gas and poop pains so using the very small stash of BM in have to supplement her.

[seamonster]

Feb 13, 2017 14:10:51 GMT -5 @jacks605 said:

Feb 13, 2017 12:25:34 GMT -5 seamonster said:

I'm glad it's going well. Has the pediatrician talked to you about backing off of supplementation at all? Not that you need to if that's what is best for them (I combo-fed for the first 12 weeks).

We went back to BF all day and then 1-2 formula bottles at night to help them sleep a little better. 2week visit had them at low weight gain so both babes are to be supplementing after each feeding now. At pedi now for a weight check- FX they show progress. Do need to see about another kind for lil miss. She's been screaming in apparent gas and poop pains so using the very small stash of BM in have to supplement her.

Probiotics powder in the formula bottles can help. We called it DS's fart powder. It helped with the gas and reflux.

[Deleted]

Thanks seamonster!!


We have a new formula to try for her for another week. Both gained well but they want a second week of supplementing to ensure they keep gaining well. She gained 3.5oz and he gained 6! Nurse was happy with both babies gains.