breastfeeding and local anaesthetic

[amiami]

Can anyone give some advice on how long I would need to stop BF for following a local anaesthetic - I need to have a mole removed and my GP has advised me to wait until I have completely stopped BF. I was hoping to replace feeds with formula while expressing to keep my flow going until it the anaesthetic has cleared my system. Is this a bad idea?

yep, id take no risks. its not like its a desperate op.

No, you don't need to do this. There have been threads on this before. Someone will post links I'm sure.

The amount of anaesthetic that enters the blood stream and thus passes through into the breast milk is very small. I use it professionally all the time with breast feeding women with no ill effects.

Women breastfeed straight away after caesarians!!
It doesn't stay in the body or appear in breast milk to cause any trouble.
Gps know nothing about breastfeeding.

Thanks. I know it's right to wait. I have been in turmoil over the idea of stopping BF for vanity's sake really - the mole is v visible. Although the second DD starts playing with it - it's coming off!

You could have the op now and still breastfeed!

So would I need to have a break at all? DD has 3 feeds a day and 1 during the night. She is 8 months.

to remove a mole it's pointless to wait or stop bf. look here to see what all drugs you can have with bf and you can estimate how pointless his advice is. calgel or bonjela has more anaestetic in them than what would pass into your breastmilk. your gp sounds like he knows nothing about bf, i am afraid.

That's really helpful. Cheers. My female GP is pretty useless as far as this goes - I expected more support and encouragement rather than an instruction to stop.

i feel sure that more 'anaesthetic' would pass into your milk if you drank a couple glasses of vino while bf than would pass into your body if you had anaesthetic put on your whole arm.

yes, well she has definitely been anaesthetised in the past then

I had a mole removed from my leg when BF and DD was fine. Even if it is a cosmetic removal, I would go for sooner rather than later.

I've had 2 general anaesthics - both times the consultant said I was fine to bf once I came round from the op

I read about this on Kellymom.com a while back. No need to stop breastfeeding as far as I can see see here

HTH