Eating and drinking in labor

[Contented73]

This topic seems to keep coming up again and again with my clients, so I'm hoping someone has some good info for me. I'm definitely able to explain why it's importat to eat/drink during labor, and I always explain why hospitals (at least around here) forbid it. For some reason, my clients always end up asking - "well, how common IS it to aspirate under general?" and "how often do women wind up needing general for a c/s?"

So does anyone have any research specifically about those questions? Or about the issue in general? I would like to give my clients some good resources for this, for them to take to their doctors and discuss. Otherwise, I swear, women are denying themselves food and drink -- even when we are home before heading to the hospital! Some are just so scared about this issue, and I'd love to have some hard facts to share with them, or medical type references from OB's stating that withholding food is not necessary.

[Sileree]

Here is a study that says the risk of aspiration is 7 in 10 million.

[Charmie981]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have another question to add: what is the protocol for mothers who have a general and wish to breastfeed? My friend was recently told if she had a tubal ligation under general, she'd have to pump and dump for 24 hours...SURELY moms who have a c-section under a general aren't given those same instructions...right??

[memiles]

Originally Posted by Charmie981

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have another question to add: what is the protocol for mothers who have a general and wish to breastfeed? My friend was recently told if she had a tubal ligation under general, she'd have to pump and dump for 24 hours...SURELY moms who have a c-section under a general aren't given those same instructions...right??

My surgeries weren't for surgical births or tubals, but I've had three operations under general while breastfeeding. Never was I told that I had to pump and dump. The nurse doing my pre-op physical once told me that it would be necessary, but both the surgeon and anesthesiologist told me that they could use meds that were breastfeeding friendly.

But nothing would surprise me, sometimes the information given about meds and breastfeeding makes me :

[Contented73]

7 in 10 MILLION?!?!?! Are you kidding me?!?!

I can't believe we are starving ALL women for something that might happen that is less probable than getting hit with lightning.

I wonder how many c/sections are the result of:
1) starving women in labor and
2) immobilizing women in labor

This makes me ill. And then, when I discuss how rare it is with my clients they say "but if there is any risk at all, I should just follow my doctors orders" I mean seriously....they ride in cars don't they? I honestly think the average person has no idea how to do risk assessment these days.

[rajahkat]

The kicker though is that it's at least as dangerous (if not more so) to aspirate stomach acid (which is why they tend to have you take an antacid before surgery) so the whole avoiding food seems completely backwards.

My thought was always what about folks who come in off the street from an accident and need surgery? They haven't been avoiding food, they still do the surgery. And my needing emergency surgery during birth is no more likely to happen then needing surgery after an accident, so why act like it's a probability, especially when avoiding food and water is MORE LIKELY to wear the mother down to the point of needing more medical help.

Total bologne.

[jeffsdear]

Breastfeeding & general anesthesia

According to La Leche Leagues' Breastfeeding Answer Book, the usual recommendation for breastfeeding & anesthesia is that if the mom is aware enough to be able to breastfeed, she can, because as the body metabolizes the medication from the bloodstream, it also leaves the milk. So there is normally no need to pump and dump. If you need exact pages and reference, PM me, and I can email them to you.