breast feeding after weight loss surgery

I am curious, how many other women have done this besides myself? To be fair, Lilith (my daughter) had already started on solids before my surgery (she was 8 months old). I would never recommend giving a baby only breast milk right after the mother has had weight loss surgery unless it is suplemented with food and/ or formula. I remember my milk was so thin right after surgery that I knew it was almost devoid of the necessary fats a baby needs but it became thicker and I got my volume back at about 3 months post op. I took Reglan right after my surgery and pumped in the hospital to maintain my milk supply. I was fortunate that on my physicians team of experts, he had a nutritionist who was also a nurse midwife! She was only too willing to help me in my choice to keep breastfeeding. She was the one who prescribed the reglan. I was the only patient my physician had ever known that was able to keep their milk. I want to know if there are others out there that have done this and what their experience was like.

I have no experience with breastfeeding so soon after GBP. I just wanted to say hello there!!!! I live in Palmer, Alaska. I had my son, Hunter in 2006. I had my GBP in 2002. I hope you find some answers!!!! We hang out on the parenting board (see the post about the parenting board, there is a link there, if you are interested) -Jamie

My son was a little over 12 months old when I had my VSG. He is still breast feeding at two. I'm hoping I can wean him in January while I'm away getting my plastic surgery. I enjoy breast feeding, but he wants to nurse anytime I sit down. Any tips on weaning. I weaned my older child at 3 by getting pregnant. I think some women produce a lot more milk. Anytime I try to stop with the nursing I get so engorged and it is so painful.

Dianna

Well I had my surgery at 51, so no breastfeeding going on for me. But I think it's awesome you were able to do this.

To the poster who wants to wean .... my youngest wanted to bf forever. Of course, she doesn't remember that now. Heh. But at the time...

What I did was to start to lay the groundwork by bringing home books on weaning and talking about when she would no longer get nursies. Then, I started to limit her.

She was older, so talking worked, but with a 3 year old, probably distraction would work better. (Not that talking doesn't help too.)

Find something else to do when you sit down, such as read a book or play with a lap toy, and, if you are lucky, it will be something they want to do more than nursing. At age 3 it's about comfort and connecting with you more than the milk so just substitute other connecting and comforting activities.

And if you have one like mine who is very determined and very attached to nursing, at some point you may have to set a deadline. But that generally comes later.

I am so glad to find a positive story. My baby will be eight or nine months when I will be sleeved and I do want to continue breastfeeding him after my surgery. By then he will be on solids but I still want my milk to contain enough nutrients for him. Thanks for sharing!

I had my baby 3 1/2 years after WLS and 3 years after a BA. I breast fed him until he was 6 months old with little to no problems.