Had an MRI today...

[bettydoc]

... and was given an injection of contrast dye. Wasn't asked if I was breastfeeding and am now not able to breastfeed my 8 week old son for 24hrs . Have had to give him Aptamil to tide him over but I'm really upset by the whole experience. Not sure what I want anyone to say in response to this. Think I'm just a bit worried that he won't want me tomorrow. Feeding is firmly established but I'm scared he'll have difficulty latching on. Anyone been in same or similar situation?

He'll probably want you even more tomorrow, he really won't hold it against you. Be kind to yourself Xx

Oh shit

I am assuming that the need for the MRI was a pressing one so don't beat yourself up about it.

When DS was six weeks old I dutifully expressed five bottles of milk because I needed surgery and was told I would not be able to feed for at least 12 hours afterwards.

In the event he refused all and every bottle and basically as soon as he could nurse again latched on and nursed for six sodding hours.

But it was okay. I'm still feeding him now. So it does work out. Just make sure you have lots of skin to skin contact tomorrow, make sure he gets lots and lots of cuddles and express off any milk you can tonight (and ditch it obviously).

Oh and he won't remember a thing about this five minutes after that bra clip comes undone

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1952588/ is a soundly-based medical website to share with your doctors - it may not be the case you have to suspend breastfeeding.

YOU CAN BREASTFEED ALMOST STRAIGHT AWAY.

I had an MRI scan when DS3 was 12 weeks old and i was told when i rang up to confirm the appointment that i would have to pump and dump for at least 24 hours afterwards.

A good friend of mine is a LLL breastfeeding counsellor and i spoke to her, and after doing extensive research i found out that the actual risk of passing anything through my breastmilk to my DS was negligible.

Dr Tom Hale is a world expert on drugs and effects on breastmilk and although most websites reccomend not feeding for at least 24 hours, he disagrees and says that a maximum of fours hours, then pump and dump has proved to be fine.

There's a few threads on MN about it.

Anyway, i pumped and dumped after my MRI and DS was back to feeding a few hours afterwards. No ill after effects, he is absolutely fine.

If you have been pumping and dumping then i see no reason why you shouldn't breastfeed him at his next feed.

Thanks everyone. We rode it out and at about 1.30pm today we were back to our lovely breastfeeding selves again. :)