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Pediatrics draft its 1997
policy statement supporting breastfeeding.
Having surgery - do I have
to pump & dump?
| NAME: |
Dawne
|
| BABY'S NAME: |
Michelle |
| BABY'S AGE: |
9 months
|
|
BIRTH WEIGHT:
|
8 lbs, 6.7
|
| CURRENT WEIGHT:
|
20 lbs
|
I
am due to have day surgery at the end of July and am concerned
about what to do with my daughter. I am still nursing her on
demand and she refuses to take expressed breast milk from any
container. Because my surgery will be done under a general
anesthetic, I am worried that I will have to pump and dump for
24 hours post surgery. Is there any type of anesthesia I can
have that won't pass through breastmilk? Thank you for your
time.
What
kind of anesthesia that is appropriate depends on the type of
surgery. A spinal or local anesthetic will pose no problem to
the nursing baby. However, the surgery may not be appropriate
for this. I'll assume, for now, that you need a general
anesthetic, such as sodium penthal which is given intraveneously
or a inhalation anesthetic such as nitrous oxide or flurethane.
What is comforting is that when the mother is awake and alert,
she is free of the anesthetic. Once a mother is alert and awake,
it means that you have cleared the drug from your body. However,
as a safety measure, you can pump and dump a small amount (about
1/2 ounce or 1 tablespoon from each breast) of the milk for an
hour or so after the surgery, then it will pose no danger to
your nursing baby. You don't need to pump and dump for longer
than this.
Another question is post-op pain medication. Some, such
acetaminophen and ibuprofen are perfectly safe for breastfeeding
mothers to take. If a stronger pain medication is necessary,
such as codeine or demeral, you should nurse your baby and then
take the medication. As an adult, you will clear those
medications within four hours. Then, you can breastfeed again
after that four hours is up.
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