Can a patient with hemolytic jaundice eat breast milk?

It is really pitiful to see babies suffering from hemolytic jaundice, and when the jaundice is severe, they need to receive professional treatment in the hospital for a period of time. Everyone knows the superiority and importance of breast milk to babies, but can children with hemolytic jaundice eat breast milk like normal babies? I believe this question is also a confusion in the minds of many mothers. So let’s find the answers to our questions together.

1. What is hemolytic jaundice?

Intrinsic defects in red blood cells themselves or damage to red blood cells by exogenous factors cause a large number of red blood cells to be destroyed and release a large amount of hemoglobin, which leads to an increase in the level of non-fat bilirubin in plasma. When this exceeds the processing capacity of liver cells, jaundice occurs.

2. Causes

Any disease that can cause massive destruction of red blood cells and produce hemolysis can cause hemolytic jaundice:

1. Congenital hemolytic anemia.

2. Acquired hemolytic anemia.

Symptoms

1. The sclera is often slightly yellow, and there is fever during acute attacks. The skin and mucous membranes are often noticeably pale.

3. There are signs of splenomegaly and vigorous bone marrow hyperplasia.

4. Increased serum total bilirubin, mainly increased non-comprehensive bilirubin.

5. The amount of urobilinogen in the urine increases but there is no bilirubin. During acute attacks, there is hemoglobinuria, which is soy sauce colored.

6. In chronic hemolysis, the hemosiderin content in the urine increases and the 24-hour fecal urobilinogen excretion increases.

7. In hereditary spherocytosis, the fragility of red blood cells increases, while in thalassemia the fragility decreases.

IV. Treatment

How to cure hemolytic jaundice? If a newborn baby suffers from hemolytic jaundice, the following two methods can be used:

1. Phototherapy exposes the newborn to light with a wavelength of 440nm, which can reduce his serum bilirubin and prevent the occurrence of kernicterus. If kernicterus has already occurred, it can speed up the recovery. After exposure to this light, bilirubin is photooxidized into a colorless substance and excreted from the body through urine and bile.

2. If the indirect bilirubin in the blood serum exceeds 20 mg/dl (342 μmol/L), exchange transfusion is required. Blood donors must first undergo a screening test for G6PD deficiency. Only those without G6PD deficiency can donate blood to avoid worsening of jaundice and jaundice after transfusion. Avoid blood donation from relatives. Patients with mild jaundice do not need blood transfusion.

IV. Hazards

If a newborn baby has severe jaundice, he or she may suffer from sequelae such as cerebral palsy and hearing impairment.

5. Can patients with hemolytic jaundice drink breast milk?

1. Yes. After being discharged from the hospital, the mother should insist on breastfeeding the baby. If jaundice symptoms still occur during feeding, switch to breastfeeding every other day. After the baby's condition improves, slowly transition to normal breastfeeding.

2. Patients with hemolytic jaundice can drink breast milk. To care for neonatal hemolytic jaundice, the newborn must be given adequate water, and the most easily accessible liquid for newborns is breast milk.

6. Nursing of neonatal hemolytic jaundice

1. Give newborns plenty of water. The way to determine whether a newborn's fluid intake is sufficient is to look at the newborn's urine. Generally, a normal newborn urinates 6-8 times a day. If the number is less than that, it is possible that his fluid intake is insufficient. Too little urination is not conducive to the excretion of bilirubin.

2. Parents should ensure the newborn's fluid intake. Generally, the newborn's meconium should be discharged within 2-3 days, which can reduce the degree of jaundice.

3. Parents should carefully observe the changes in jaundice. Jaundice starts to turn yellow from the head and starts to fade from the feet. The eyes are the first to turn yellow and the last to fade, so you can start by observing the eyes. If you don't know what to do, experts suggest that you can press any part of the body. As long as the skin appears white, it's fine. If it appears yellow, you should pay attention and send the child to the hospital for treatment immediately.

4. The way to determine whether the newborn's fluid intake is sufficient is to look at the newborn's urine. Generally, a normal newborn urinates 6-8 times a day. If the number is less than that, it is possible that his fluid intake is insufficient. Too little urination is not conducive to the excretion of bilirubin.