Major surgery soon and I'm worried about BF'ing.

[Una]

Not immediately after of course! Do I wait a day? Two days? I'm worried that having this surgery will really affect our nursing relationship. I am seriously considering postponing the surgery until after she is weaned.

How long after the anesthesia wears off do I wait? The doctor seemed really put off by that question. What kind of pain killers are safe for me to take and still be able to breastfeed?

DD is only 16 months old and still quite dependent on nursing. I've had this surgery scheduled for months now, and I'm just now freaking out...

[mysticmomma]

When you are awake enough to hold her, it is safe to nurse. Most docs, even anesthesiologists are not aware of safety in bf so they will just tell you to cover their own behinds not to do it or pump and dump. With a 16 month old, you are way out of the woods for any type of somnolence effect on her from the drugs, and most narcotic pain relievers are also fine for BF.

[YummyYarnAddict]

Just echoing what the PP said. Moms nurse right after c-sections and even newborns get anesthesia. I'm having surgery in a few days and my ds will surely nurse that afternoon. I've had surgery a few times in my "nursing career" and always breastfed as soon as my lil ones were back with me.

[Una]

Whew!

Oh, thank goodness I don't have to wait days to nurse! The doctor performing the surgery made it seem like I had to wait forever!

[Lydiah]

I went under general and I nursed as soon as I was awake enough to hold DD with out dropping her. I was even on percocet and I still nursed so you should be just fine.

[dziejen]

Previous posters have given you some good advice. I just wanted to add that if you are able to talk to the anesthesiologist and find out what you are going to receive in advance or if the doctor can tell you what meds you will be given you can call a La Leche League Leader in your area and they should be able to look it up for you in Dr Thomas Hale's Medications and Mother's Milk so that you will be completely informed. You could also try LactMed the Drug and Lactation Database: http://lactmed.nlm.nih.gov.
Another thing to be aware of is that your toddler is different than a newborn who is much smaller and usually receiving only breastmilk (although as the mother of another toddler some days I know it seems like all they do is nurse!). I wish you a safe surgery and a speedy recovery!

[SparklingGemini]

Ditto everyone else!!

I had an ovarian cyst removed when DD was five weeks. I spoke to the anesthesiologist on the phone the night before my surgery and we discussed making sure all the meds were safe for nursing.

I woke up asking for my DD and they brought her to me right away and I nursed her right then.

The good thing about inhaled anesthetic is that its pretty much out of your system once its turned off. I was more worried about the pain meds, so I used them very sparingly.

Your DD is a lot older than mine was so I think you'll be just fine!

[rissa523]

Glad to hear all of this news. I have a surgery scheduled for January so I have time but I'm sure my now 14 month old daughter will still be nursing by then and I was really nervous. My surgeon has told me that he's not concerned, he told me not to nurse until I was really awake and aware of my surroundings after the surgery. He told me not to bedshare the first night after my surgery and told me that narcotics (like percocet and vicodin) are safe while breastfeeding. He also told me there should be no need for pump and dump, but its good to hear other women back up his story. Sometimes I worry that doctors will tell you everything is fine and safe even if it isn't.

[mysticmomma]

Originally Posted by rissa523

Glad to hear all of this news. I have a surgery scheduled for January so I have time but I'm sure my now 14 month old daughter will still be nursing by then and I was really nervous. My surgeon has told me that he's not concerned, he told me not to nurse until I was really awake and aware of my surroundings after the surgery. He told me not to bedshare the first night after my surgery and told me that narcotics (like percocet and vicodin) are safe while breastfeeding. He also told me there should be no need for pump and dump, but its good to hear other women back up his story. Sometimes I worry that doctors will tell you everything is fine and safe even if it isn't.

What a great and well informed physician!

[Una]

I wish the nurses at the hospital where as informed as the mama's here. I was stuck on Dilauded, an antibiotic and aspirin and told not to breastfeed for two weeks. Thats all fine and dandy, except that my breasts were going to explode off my chest and my toddler wanted to nurse.

Sheesh.

[mysticmomma]

Um.. you don't have to do whtat they say.