Any experience of baby going under anaesthetic?

[Birchtree4]

Hello,
My soon to be 6 month old is going for a fairly straight forward facial op under anaesthetic. I'm really anxious about the anaesthetic though on reading I know the serious risks are quite rare.

Have anyones little ones of similar age gone through this? Would love to hear experiences.

Yes, at 2 days old. He was fine and I don’t remember them mentioning any specific risks.

My son was born 8 weeks early & had a general at 3 months old for a bilateral hernia. We had to wait for him to get to 3kg in weight before they would operate. Like others he was taken off me & didn't see him until he was in recovery. He was absolutely fine. Worst part was staying in a children's ward overnight as he was the youngest one there & just wanted me to hold him all night!

DS had a benign tumour removed at 19 days old. I cry just remembering being escorted out after they had put him under but the hospital staff were so kind.
He was in theatre for 2hrs and recovered amazingly well.
He is now 6’2’’, at university and thriving!

My daughter many times, first one at 7 months. Its harder for parents I think, you have a real feeling of having no control but everyone was kind and the nurses are used to parents being upset and I could never thank them enough for their calm, professional behaviour.
I always found it harder to deal with a very hungry and thirsty child before the actual GA, sometimes we had a long wait which was difficult.
She woke up groggy and crying each time but its amazing how quickly they bounce back!

Forgot to say that she remembers nothing much about it. She remembers the trolley rides and watching Peppa Pig on a screen while she went under but nothing else really. She is 14 now.

Son had an operation aged two.
A bit distressed with the new environment but Staff were great having him sat up chatting to him and me also showing him his favourite book and had his favourite toy alongside.
Laid him back and small circular mask was applied.
A while later I was taken into Recovery and he was tucked up in a high sided cot .
Absolutely fine again if rather groggy when discharged later in the day.

Mine went under at 6 months also. We are bf and I think he had to fast! So I was at the ready when he awoke - he was super hungry.

Hope it all goes well.

Happy to answer any specific questions

My son had an operation at 7 weeks for an inguinal hernia. They had me hold him while they put the gas on and put him to sleep and then took him away. It was scary but all went perfectly

My baby did.
It’s worse for you than it is for them!
Every minute seems like an hour. However they are in the best place for them.
Afterwards just hug them and let them eat and drink when they feel ok.

We went through it, bit scary at the time. Be prepared for them to turn you away if they are snuffly and also the wait with a fasting child feels like forever because you can't explain to them why they can't eat.

My eldest at 6 months- cleft lip. I'd read some info so thought I was prepared but it was still horrible!

He was so chubby they couldn't find a vein to take some blood first before putting in a cannula, so I had to hold him while he was jabbed over and over again with needles. They knocked him out with a gas mask thing in the end - my partner took baby and held him while they put it over his face. Apparently it can look like they're fitting as they pass out - this didn't happen but my partner was a bit shaken, which he was surprised at himself when he came back to me without him.

Then baby came round much, much sooner than he was expected to, and was inconsolable until I fed him. Iirc nearly 2 hours too soon. As he was crying fresh blood was coming through the dressings. Within a day though he was all smiles again and playing like nothing had happened. They had to put elbow splints on so that he couldn't bend his arms to touch his face so that took some getting used to, and we bought one of those baby station things to keep him distracted until it'd all healed.

My oldest had a GA for an MRI at 8 months. She was fine and recovered very quickly. I did call the anesthesiologist before as the amount of time I had to not give her milk before seemed too long for a breastfed baby. They reduced it and it was still hard to distract her from feeding but we managed as they had loads of toys on the ward. I took her down and stated with her till she was under then was taken back to the ward to wait. A nurse took me to the recovery room as she came in so I was there when she woke up.

Oh gosh it's hard but it'll be ok. DS had general at 18 months. It was actually straight forward but I found it very emotionally tough.

He was fine & recovered quickly. Hugs.

Just to add something different, I found the time they were under to be totally bizarre - with such a young BF baby (surgeries at 3 and 4 months) we'd never really been separated and if I left them for a short while I'd be worried if they were settled, hungry etc. When they're under anesthetic you worry but their care is totally out of your hands so I tried my best to read a book and eat food with 2 hands.
Nurses are lovely when you cry after handing them over and they bounce back sooo quickly. Good luck

My ds had 2 operations under GA aged 5 and again aged 6 months. Ex DH went in with him when he was anaesthetised and sobbed! Lot of pacing the floor for us during both operations but of course ds was absolutely fine. He’s 16 now.

My youngest has had 4 operations now, each time I’ve held him as he’s fine to sleep and transferred him over. He didn’t fight it at all and just literally went to sleep so quickly. He’s always a bit groggy as he comes round and cries but is normally awake and eating and drinking within an hour.

There’s always been a nurse looking after me and always gives cuddles as I leave him. I cry each time which is perfectly normal, it doesn’t get any easier.

He has ongoing issues so will have at least one more op. He’s 3 now, had the first when he was 10 months I think.

The worst bit for me is not letting him eat in the morning!