A nurse is caring for a 2-day-old newborn who has not passed meconium and has been receiving only small amounts of colostrum due to delayed breastfeeding initiation. The nurse notes the infant's skin and sclera appear yellow. Which explanation best describes why delayed feeding contributes to elevated bilirubin levels in this newborn?
- Delayed feeding reduces the newborn's ability to produce glucuronyl transferase in the liver.
- Insufficient caloric intake prevents the liver from converting unconjugated bilirubin into bile salts.
- Delayed feeding causes the newborn's red blood cells to hemolyze at a faster rate than normal.
- Without frequent stooling, bilirubin is reabsorbed from the gut back into the bloodstream through the enterohepatic circulation.