A mother breastfeeding her baby with a gentle light, symbolizing care during jaundice.

Breast Milk Jaundice: Should You Continue Breastfeeding?

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Beau Callahan in Health & Wellness October 2026 • 4 min read.

"New research explores the impact of breastfeeding on jaundice treatment and infant health. Find out what the experts recommend for successful breastfeeding."


Breast milk jaundice is a common condition in newborns, characterized by a yellowing of the skin and eyes due to elevated levels of bilirubin. While typically harmless, it can cause anxiety for new parents eager to ensure their baby's well-being.

Historically, temporary cessation of breastfeeding and substitution with formula was a common treatment approach. The rationale was that this break would help lower bilirubin levels more quickly. However, this practice can lead to difficulties in re-establishing breastfeeding after the jaundice resolves.

A recent study published in the Korean Journal of Perinatology sheds light on the impact of continuing breastfeeding during jaundice treatment. This article delves into the findings of this research, offering valuable insights for healthcare providers and parents alike.

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Breastfeeding and Newborn Jaundice

Most newborns with jaundice can continue breastfeeding, although decisions about supplementation should be made case by case. Breast milk jaundice is described as neonatal jaundice associated with breastfeeding and abnormal bilirubin accumulation, which causes yellow discoloration of the skin. Breastfeeding jaundice is a separate pattern that can involve insufficient milk intake, excessive early weight loss, dehydration, and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia between 4 and 7 days postpartum.

The Study: Breastfeeding During Jaundice Treatment

A mother breastfeeding her baby with a gentle light, symbolizing care during jaundice.

The study, conducted at Cheil General Hospital & Women's Health Care Center in Korea, retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 59 full-term newborns admitted for phototherapy due to breast milk jaundice. The infants were divided into two groups: one group continued breastfeeding (35 infants), while the other temporarily stopped and received formula (24 infants).

Researchers compared the changes in serum total bilirubin levels between the two groups, as well as any difficulties mothers experienced in continuing or restarting breastfeeding after discharge. The study aimed to determine if continuing breastfeeding had any impact on the effectiveness of jaundice treatment and subsequent breastfeeding success.

  • No Significant Difference in Treatment Time: The time it took for bilirubin levels to decrease to below 13 mg/dL (the point at which treatment was considered successful) was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.066).
  • Fewer Breastfeeding Difficulties: The group that temporarily stopped breastfeeding experienced more difficulties, such as nipple confusion and breast engorgement, compared to the breastfeeding group (P=0.001).
  • Improved Breastfeeding Outcomes: In the long term, the breastfeeding duration (P=0.017) and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for six months (P=0.024) were significantly higher in the breastfeeding group.
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Continuing Breastfeeding During Treatment

A 2013 study by Ahn, Kim, Lee, Ko, Yoon, Jung, Pack, and Shin examined the effect of continuing breastfeeding during treatment of breast milk jaundice. A separate 2022 study, "Antioxidant and Anti-Hemolytic Effects of Human Breast Milk from Koreans," measured human breast milk pH according to the days after childbirth. That study reported a pH of 6.63±0.26 in breast milk produced less than 10 days after childbirth and found that pH decreased as lactation continued.

Breast Milk and Formula Feeding

A comparative study examined immunological programming in breast-fed and formula-fed infants. During the first year of life, serum TNF-a and IL-2 concentrations were significantly higher in formula-fed than in breast-fed infants. The reported analysis found this difference to be statistically significant, with ANOVA P=0·002.

These findings suggest that continuing breastfeeding during breast milk jaundice treatment doesn't hinder recovery. Rather it promotes successful long term breastfeeding and prevents problems associated with discontinuing breastfeeding.

Expert Recommendations

The study reinforces the WHO and UNICEF's guidance to support breastfeeding. Unless there are specific medical contraindications, continuing breastfeeding during jaundice treatment is generally recommended. This approach supports the emotional and physical well-being of both mother and baby, while facilitating successful long-term breastfeeding.

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Breast Milk, Microbiota, and Breastfeeding Duration

A 2025 study reported a link between neonatal jaundice and breast milk microbiota and metabolites. Breast milk from the healthy control group had elevated levels of 24 metabolites, predominantly lipids, including sphingolipids, phospholipids, and fatty acid derivatives. Separately, a review states that exclusive breastfeeding may provide long-term neurodevelopmental benefits and that interrupting breastfeeding to treat breast milk jaundice remains controversial because it may increase the risk of early breastfeeding termination.

Understanding Causes and Avoiding Unhelpful Substitutes

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that the bilirubin elevation in breast milk jaundice is a normal response to breastfeeding and that affected newborns otherwise seem healthy. Its cause is unknown, although factors in human milk that increase bilirubin's enterohepatic cycle or genetic variations affecting hepatic conjugation may play a role. The AAP also distinguishes this condition from early exaggerated physiologic jaundice, which may occur during the first 3 days of life and may not result from abnormalities in breast milk.

A retrospective comparison of feeding during phototherapy

PopulationNeonates admitted for phototherapy due to breast milk jaundice[1]
Sample size59[1]
SettingCheil general hospital[1]
ComparisonContinuing breastfeeding during treatment versus stopping breastfeeding[1]
Main outcomeChanges in serum total bilirubin and breastfeeding difficulties and success after discharge[1]
p-valueP=0.066; P=0.001; P=0.017; P=0.024[1]
Times cited1[1]

How the result compares with related jaundice studies

A separate study compared interrupting breastfeeding with phototherapy in otherwise healthy, jaundiced full-term infants; it reported similar therapeutic effects, but tested a different treatment comparison from continuing versus stopping breastfeeding during phototherapy.[2]

A randomized trial of lactation support in jaundiced infants found no difference in exclusive breastfeeding at three months between its groups, a different outcome and comparison from this study’s long-term follow-up.[1] [3]

A larger observational study found that phototherapy exposure was not associated with a difference in breastfeeding through nine months, while an association appeared at twelve months; it examined phototherapy exposure rather than feeding continuation during treatment.[4]

Clinical guidance cited in the evidence describes phototherapy as compatible with full breastfeeding, while allowing supplementation when milk supply is insufficient; this is broader guidance, not a result from the hospital-record comparison.[5]

What follow-up on breast milk jaundice could clarify

  • Would follow-up after discharge confirm the differences in breastfeeding duration and exclusive breastfeeding reported in this group?[1] [6]

Sources

  1. The Effect of Continuing Breastfeeding during Treatment of Breast Milk Jaundice (Korean Society of Perinatology, 2013)
  2. Interruption of breast-feeding versus phototherapy as treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in full-term infants. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  3. Lactation Support and Breastfeeding Duration in Jaundiced Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  4. Phototherapy for the Treatment of Neonatal Jaundice and Breastfeeding Duration and Exclusivity. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  5. ABM Clinical Protocol #22: Guidelines for Management of Jaundice in the Breastfeeding Infant 35 Weeks or More of Gestation—Revised 2017 (www.bfmed.org)
  6. synapse.koreamed.org (synapse.koreamed.org)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.14734/kjp.2013.24.4.259, Alternate LINK

Title: The Effect Of Continuing Breastfeeding During Treatment Of Breast Milk Jaundice

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Korean Journal of Perinatology

Publisher: Korean Society of Perinatology

Authors: Eun Sub Ahn, Minkyun Kim, Yeon Kyung Lee, Sun Young Ko, So Young Yoon, Goun Jung, Sung Won Pack, Son Moon Shin

Published: 2013-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is breast milk jaundice?

Breast milk jaundice is a common condition in newborns where there's a yellowing of the skin and eyes due to high levels of bilirubin. Bilirubin comes from the breakdown of red blood cells. While breast milk jaundice itself is usually harmless, the higher levels of bilirubin can cause concern for parents. It's important to understand the impact of this condition on treatment and infant health, as it affects the decisions new parents must make.

2

How was breast milk jaundice treated in the past, and what were the problems with that treatment?

Historically, the primary approach involved stopping breastfeeding temporarily and using formula to lower bilirubin levels rapidly. The rationale was that a break from Breast Milk would help lower the bilirubin levels faster. However, this method often created challenges in restarting breastfeeding after the jaundice subsided. The implications here are that, while the goal was a quick fix, it often led to problems for the baby and mother long after treatment concluded.

3

What did the study at Cheil General Hospital & Women's Health Care Center investigate?

The study, conducted at Cheil General Hospital & Women's Health Care Center, investigated how continuing breastfeeding during breast milk jaundice treatment affects recovery. The study compared two groups of newborns, one that continued breastfeeding and one that temporarily stopped to receive formula. Researchers looked at how quickly bilirubin levels decreased, and also evaluated difficulties mothers had in continuing or restarting breastfeeding after discharge. The significance is that the results of the study provide evidence for healthcare providers and parents alike to determine if continuing breastfeeding affects treatment and breastfeeding success.

4

What were the main findings of the study regarding breastfeeding during jaundice treatment?

The study revealed that there was no significant difference in the time it took for bilirubin levels to drop below 13 mg/dL between the groups, which is considered successful treatment. The group who continued breastfeeding had fewer breastfeeding difficulties, such as nipple confusion and breast engorgement. In the long term, the duration of breastfeeding and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for six months were significantly higher in the breastfeeding group. Therefore, continuing breastfeeding doesn't hinder recovery, but it actually supports better long term breastfeeding success and prevents issues linked to discontinuing breastfeeding.

5

What are the expert recommendations for treating breast milk jaundice?

Based on the evidence, unless there are specific medical reasons against it, continuing breastfeeding during treatment for breast milk jaundice is generally recommended. This aligns with WHO and UNICEF's guidelines. This approach supports the emotional and physical well-being of both mother and baby, and makes it easier to have successful long-term breastfeeding. Healthcare providers and parents now have solid evidence to support their decisions, potentially improving the outcomes for both mothers and infants experiencing jaundice.

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