Definition of Breast milk jaundice:

Breast milk jaundice is persistently high levels of bilirubin in a newborn's blood caused by certain substances found in breast milk. Bilirubin is a yellow-colored fluid that forms when red blood cells break down.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

If jaundice occurs or persists past the first week of life in an otherwise healthy and thriving breast-fed infant, the condition is called "breast milk jaundice." It is probably caused by factors in the breast milk that blocks certain proteins in the liver that break down bilirubin.

Breast milk jaundice tends to run in families. It occurs equally often in males and females and affects approximately 0.5% to 2.4% of all newborns.