Dentistry under sedation: do I need to 'pump & dump'?

[DorothyBastard]

I am having some dental work done next month, and will be sedated (intravenous sedation - not a GA).

They have advised me that I cannot bf for 12 hours afterwards, but they've also said I need to express and throw it away. Is this the case?

DS is 6mo so I could probably get away with just not feeding for 12 hours without getting engorged/uncomfy.

Hopeful bump

This very question is how I discovered mumsnet many moons ago!

Yes, you need to dump the milk. Have you ever been sedated? It really did knock me sideways, you really don't want that getting into the baby.

Hope it all goes well for you.

kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/illness-surgery/dentalwork/

Thanks for the link cream. I'm in this boat as well and it looks like we are in the clear

Dorothy, check out the info at the breastfeeding network's info sheets pages (google it). There is one on dental treatment.

There is no evidence to justify pumping and dumping, or delaying resumption of BF, according to BFN.

Intravenous drugs don't always get to the milk (disclaimer: I am not a doc or dentist) and even if they do, they may not affect the milk or the baby in any way.

Oreo, don't know what you read here. What knocks you sideways does not necessarily affect your baby because the baby may only be getting a minuscule proportion of a by now ineffective dose.

Thanks everyone

As a dentist who does IV sedation, just wanted to add my perspective.

In the UK, dentists use IV midazolam, rather than the other medication mentioned on the Kellymom website. This is in the same drug family as diazepam, although the effects are not quite as long lasting as diazepam. It is still a powerful drug (which is also why it's so great!)

To contradict what tiktok says, the BNF specifically states that breastfeeding should be avoided for 24 hours after midazolam, although does agree that the actual amount in the milk is probably small. Personally, I would go with the BNF advice, but it's your call.

Hope the treatment goes well!

Sorry, just realised tiktokwas referring to the breastfeeding network, whereas I was referring to the British national formulary- the 'drug bible' dentists and doctors base their prescribing on! Silly me!

Pearly white check out the bfn evidence based fact sheet on this. See what you think. BNF never the sole word on meds and bf.

Also lactmed - good site for hcps.

The bfn factsheets are UK based and written by a pharmacist who specialises in this subject. https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/dibm/dental%20treatment.pdf This is the factsheet on dental treatment.

Advice to pump and dump seems well meaning but without evidence that this is necessary, this poses a risk to mum's supply, to baby's gut (particularly in babies under 6 months) etc etc. Pumping and dumping is not always a straightforward option

Seriously, Pearly. Read the research on this on lactmed. I have just googled the drug and lactmed. On their evidence - about 10 refs - it would be a massive over reaction to tell a mother of a six month old to suspend BF for 12 hours and to pump and dump.