General anaesthetic and breast feeding

[Blondeinlondon]

Does anyone know how long I need to stop breastfeeding after a general anaesthetic?
I need to have a routine op and don't know when to book it

[hunkermunker]

Don't think you do (but willing to be proved wrong!). People have general anaesthetic for c-sections and breastfeed successfully afterwards. You need to tell them you're bfeeding so they can give you appropriate pain-relief.

[tiktok]

You may be told ridiculous stuff about stopping for a GA, BIL....but once you have come round from the anaesthetic it is no longer in your system (because you are now awake) and once it is not in your system it is not in your milk. So you can bf as soon as you are awake. Even if the baby gets a minute trace, it won't harm him. Check all this out with your doc/surgeon, though. I am not a doctor.

[icklelulu]

I had a breast abcess removed when DS was 3wks and got told to hold off till lucnch time the following day. Had op at 11pm so waited bout 12hrs. Wasnt allowed DS with me over night anyway so wouldnt have made any difference. Anyway thats wot I got told but I would still talk to the surgeon about it!

[Blondeinlondon]

The surgeon was the usual over cautious "you should wait til you don't bf anymore" and looked shocked that I would bf past 6 mths

I will ask to speak to the anaesthic-can'tspellit-doc and see what they say

I want to have it done in Sept when DS will be 7 mths and he is not keen on taking a bottle!

[tiktok]

Some logic is needed!

Brand new babies are bf immdiately their mothers come round from a GA for a section. Mothers come round after about half an hour. If the mother is conscious, the anaesthetic is no longer present (if it was present, she would not be conscious!).

Babies themselves get GA, when they are operated on.

No one blinks at either of these scenarios.

The worst that could possibly happen is that some anaesthetic reaches the milk and the baby becomes mildly sleepy.

Big deal!

[Blondeinlondon]

Good point well made

[sazhig]

I would speak to a qualified councillor from say LLL, ABM or NCT - they will probably be able to tell you more than the surgoen/anaethetist (sp!) because they are the experts in breastfeeding (proved by the surgeon's reaction to bf beyond 6 months).

You will also need to get information from the hospital about any drugs they may give you post-operatively & again I would also consult a bf councillor or the BFN drugline to get accurate info on what you can & cannot take.

Hope it all goes well for you.