Breastfeeding/co-sleeping and surgery

[kittywitty]

I need to have a tympanoplasty in March (again). My youngest will be 4 months old. Anything I should know for surgery? It will be general anesthesia. I read on kellymom that general anesthesia should not be a problem and I can nurse once I wake. Should I pump first before I feed her once I wake up? Best painkillers? I saw Demerol is ok, but how long should I take it? What about co-sleeping? Dh is not used to co-sleeping next to babies. I'm not worried about rolling on her-my head/ear will be in excruciating pain and there's no way I'll be rolling. Zero. Should I just not take pain meds before bed? Get someone else to sleep with her? I need logistics help here. TIA!

[PatioGardener]

I would worry about co-sleeping on pain opiod medication, or anything that will make you drowsy. Getting someone in to sleep with her, or setting up a bassinet right next to the bed would be ideas.

For breastfeeding, I would not pump and dump at all - I would nurse right after surgery. I have always read that if you can hold the baby you are OK to nurse after general anesthesia. for the pain meds, I think some are better than others. Kellymom is a good resource.

Good luck!

[Marissamom]

I had to have my wisdom teeth out when DD was 8 months. since they send you home when you're barely conscious after wisdom teeth extraction, I waited until I had slept off most of the anesthesia before having my mom bring DD home (she had a couple of bottles during and after the surgery). I didn't pump, I was way too out of it, the concentration of the anesthesia in your milk drops at the same rate as the concentration in your blood, so you don't have to pump and dump to get safe milk. 

I wouldn't cosleep while on strong pain medication. I was on one of the more mild medications they give, and I would get dizzy and disoriented. we kept DD in her bassinet until I was able to make it through the night with just Ibuprofen. when you can switch to more mild pain medication is going to depend on your pain levels. after a day or two I was alternating between the prescription pain medication and non-prescription pain medications. 

[kittywitty]

Thanks. I really hate pain meds and plan on only taking maybe one day of the strong stuff (demerol maybe or darvocet) and then going to tylenol.