Obligatory 12-hour fast before baby gets blood tests done tomorrow am - can I still bf her...

[winter singer]

[Cross-posted in Breastfeeding Challenges]

My DD has been diagnosed with anemia and we're having to have a whole raft of blood tests done on her. The doctor said that she needs to fast for 12 hours before the tests.They include checking the blood glucose and blood calcium levels, both of which can apparently be affected by whether or not the person being tested has been fasting.

When I made the appointment for DD's tests I asked the lab technicians if I could bf her during the fast time. They said they didn't know and that I should do what I want . I would vastly prefer to just keep bfing as usual, and I'm sure DD would too - the longest she's ever gone without milk has been five hours or so. But it would be a big hassle to have false positives in the tests, which I guess could happen if she has any food in her stomach (at least according to what I read on a quick Internet trawl just now).

I just wondered if any of you might know something more about this issue - I know next to nothing about blood glucose and blood calcium. I would imagine it all depends on how long it takes to digest breastmilk (and 12 hours seems like a very long time for that - maybe a good compromise would be to feed her two or three hours before the test and then not again till afterwards?).

Any quick insights much appreciated - I don't have much time to make up my mind as the tests are scheduled for tomorrow morning, which is already less than 12 hours away! DD is asleep now and has a bellyful of milk, but I'm sure that won't last her the night...

[Plaid Leopard]

I'm sorry, I don't have an answer to your question. I would think she could have breastmilk a few hours before the test, though.

Did you have your DD tested for anemia because you were concerned about her development and health, or was it a routine test that was done at a check up that came up positive for anemia?

In any case, here is a link to kellymom.com which may be useful.

[katelove]

Hi,

A fast does mean no breastfeeding during the fasting period. However 12 hours seems a long time to my DH and I (ED NP and ED RN respectively). I'm guessing that at the lab you spoke to a phlebotomist? My advice would be to phone/visit them again and ask to speak to a pathologist/scientist. They will be able to advise you on what she can and can't have and for how long prior.

Hope you can get it sorted.

Regards
Kate

ETA - just reread your post and saw that the tests are being done in the am. In that case I would suggest just giving her water between now and then.

[winter singer]

Many thanks for your responses! It's morning here now and DD will be having the blood draw in an hour's time.

She had a particularly rotten night last night - she was congested and is also cutting her canines. I didn't see katelove's message until just now and I'd been planning to do the compromise of leaving three to four hours between the last feed and having the test done, but DD was in such a state this morning that DH went over to the lab when it opened at 7 am and talked it over with them, and they agreed to postpone the calcium and glycemic tests until later and only do the other blood tests today.

Plaid Leopard, we had the first blood draw done, and the anemia was diagnosed, last month after we took DD in for a routine check-up. Her weight gain had slowed considerably and she'd gone down from the 35th to the 15th percentile, so the doctor sent her for a blood draw. (I could tell you the details of the results if you're interested.)

She was in a risk group for anemia because she was 4 weeks premature and 5.4 lbs when she was born. I'd actually suggested to the doctor way back when she was 9 mo that we test her for anemia, but at the time he thought it would be too disruptive for her.

She's been on iron supplements for the past month, since the diagnosis. I'm hoping they will have done the trick and the tests today will show an improvement. I'll soon find out, anyway!

[KatWrangler]

Did you get the test results yet?