Breastfeeding after a CT scan..

[nowtygaffer]

I am having a CT scan urogram later this week and have been told that I shouldn't breastfeed for 24hrs after the scan. My DS is 4mths old and is exclusively breastfed. I have been expressing for a week now but my DS is not happy having a bottle. My DH and MIL have tried to give it to him but he doesn't want to take it. He's also got a bad cough and cold! Can anyone give me advice on encouraging him to take the bottle? I'm getting desparate!!!

You really need a second opinion on this, nowtygaffer.

They may be right, but 24 hours sounds a long time to me...though I see the usual info sources say 24 hours without saying why.

Search tomography here toxnet.nlm.nih.gov and ask your medic people what the risk is to your baby, and how long it lasts. The risk to a 4 mth old may be different from that of a newborn, for instance.

Call the department where you are having the scan and ask them what contrast agent you will be having. Because normal iodinated contrast agents do not need you to stop breastfeeding at all, and are perfectly safe

Thanks. I will look into it a bit more, 24hrs does seem a long time.

The thing to remember on these agents is that a) they are iodine b) they are designed to leave your body very fast (within 2 hours normally) and c) they are large molecules that are injected into you as they can't be taken up if given orally - so would be hard to get into breastmilk, and then not likely to be absorbed by the baby