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Breastfeeding

Introduction to Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding or bottle feeding your newborn baby is a personal decision. If you choose to breastfeed, it will be helpful if you are in a supportive environment and have resources to assist you with questions you may have or problems that may develop.  

  • Consider attending a series of La Leche League meetings or reading La Leche League's book on breastfeeding (The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding) before the birth of your baby.

  • Ask other breastfeeding mothers for advice.

  • A supportive network including other like-minded mothers helps with the commitments of this style of feeding.

  • If you are undecided at birth time, consider a one-month trial. It is easy to go from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding.

  • The first month of breastfeeding is the most difficult, so if you get through that period, the rest will be easier.


Next: Comparison with Formula-Feeding »

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Breastfeeding

Newborn Jaundice »

Newborn Jaundice Overview

Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and the white part (the sclera) of the eyes. It results from having too much of a substance called bilirubin in the blood.

Bilirubin is formed when the body breaks down old red blood cells. The liver usually processes and removes the bilirubin from the blood.

Jaundice in babies usually occurs because their immature livers are not efficient at removing bilirubin from the bloodstream.

Newborn Jaundice Causes

  • Jaundice in newborns most commonly occurs because their livers are not mature enough to remove bilirubin from the blood. Jaundice may also be caused by a number of other medical conditions.

    • Physiologic jaundice is the most common form of newborn jaundice. The baby's liver plays the most important part in bilirubin breakdown. The type of bilirubin that causes the yello...

Read the Newborn Jaundice article »



Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Counseling the Breastfeeding Mother »

In the time before managed care and "drive-through" deliveries, the vast majority of newborns remained in the hospital for several days after birth.

Read More on eMedicine »

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