Question:
Can I continue to breastfeed my daughter after surgery?

I am currently brest feeding my daughter and would like to continue after surgery. Has anyone ever done this? I realize that I will have to throw away the milk I express while I am on pain meds, how long will that be? Because I will be taking in so few calories, will my milk just stop? Any advise is appreciated.    — Denise M. (posted on February 23, 2001)

February 23, 2001
Hi! How old is your breast fed child? I am pretty sure that a surgeon won't consider surgery on a woman who has given birth within the last three to six months. If it's been longer than that and you are still breast feeding, you may need to make a decision. Either to continue breast feeding and postpone surgery or vice versa. Just as the surgeon's do not want you to get pregnant within the first year after surgery, I would think breast feeding would be a part of that. Post-operatively speaking, your body is going through MASSIVE changes. Not to mention with the first few days of morphine and such ... you more than likely won't feel up to pumping. Thus, your body will think you are weening and stop producing milk. I had foot surgery 6 weeks after my son was born and had planned to do the "pump and toss" routine. But the first day of surgery, I was on heavy pain meds. I couldn't even stay awake to eat. So, needless to say I couldn't pump. By day 2, I couldn't squeeze more than two drops. (Mind you before that I could pump TWO 8 oz. bottles worth from each breast!) My best advice is to ask when making your consultation appointment if the surgeon even considers surgery so soon after pregnancy and during breast feeding. If they say no, then you know ahead of time you have time to make a decision. I hope this helps!!
   — Rachael R.

February 23, 2001
Hi! I'm a breastfeeding mom also. However my daughter Madison is 15 months old. I have made the decision to make this the perfect opportunity to ween her. Dr. Wongsa told me that it was a lucky baby who is still being breastfed at this age. He told me he would provide me with a breast pump and that I would be able to continue to breastfeed if I wanted. I didn't think about asking if the baby would get enough nutrients on my limited diet. She is of course eating solids and the breastfeeding is more like her pacifier. But he encouraged it. I would ask a few more questions concerning the diet. I hope this helps in some way. God bless you and your baby!
   — stephanie G.

February 24, 2001
I was on pain meds for 8 days from open RNY.
   — Cindy H.

May 6, 2002
My now nearly 3 year old daughter was just 13 months when I had my RNY and was still breastfeeding her. I was also undergoing the process of becoming a La Leche League Leader, and so was in contact with quite a few good resourses! Fortunately, I was able to wait until my daughter was at a place where the temporary change in nursing schedule wouldn't have blind-sided her. She wasn't nursing a whole lot at that point, but I didn't want to wean her either. I was able to nurse going in to surgery, and soon afterwards (that same day). I was on a morphine pump for a couple of days, and a few other minor medications, but was told that a 13 month old's liver was mature enough to metabolize the small amount of morphine that would've gotten through to her. We did not encounter any problems, and I continued to nurse until she was about 19 months along. My biggest concern is now: I'm due with my 3rd child in 2 weeks, and I've been able to gain 20 lbs. and am very healthy lab wise, etc. I'm still worried about being able to sustain a baby solely on breastmilk. I was told by both my RNY surgeon and OB that I should be able to; and I will have my labs closely watched, but would love to email with anyone else who has gone through these early stages. I'm currently about 1 1/2 years out of surgery, and my wt. was leveling out at 138-136 before I got pg. I am now a La Leche League leader, but still have yet to find much info about post-RNY and breastfeeding myself.
   — Laura R.

September 2, 2002
Hi! This is my first posting. I am a Board Certified Lactation Consultant- my name is slighty disguised so if you have any direct questions E-mail me at [email protected] Anyway.... When breastfeeding the baby gets the same nutrients and antibodies regardless of the mom's nutritional status. The ammount may be decreased but it is still wholesome. Mom needs to make sure she is taking in 200 to 500 extra quality calories a day to account for the calories being consumed by the child- depending on child's age and intake. I work with moms that have CF- now THAT is nutritional compromise! They still nurse quite well for long terms too. LLL is great for general BF advice but the needs of a gastric bypass patient may not be in their experience. For really specific medically oriented advice seek a Board certified LC in your area- call your local maternity ward or look on the IBLCE web site. Pain meds are given routinely after C sections and the infants are right at the breast- unless you are on something unusual I see no need to toss milk. Morphine is better than demerol because infants can be a little sleepy with demerol (not noted with MS) But I assume in most cases we are talking about the infants are established on solids so the percentage of their diet that is breast milk is not large. Will your milk stop? Maybe- with the stress of surgery, separation and rapid weight loss you may find that your milk supply hits the skids. Even if you don't have a huge supply it is great to continue to put your child to breast for comfort and there will be some recovery in your supply. I am looking at surgery when my youngest is about 16 months old and I will continue to nurse as I am able and as he wishes. The calories consumed will be minimal and the quality will be fine. After all said- I would not encourage a mom with a young infant- not on solids yet- to get WLS. The positive effects of breastmilk are dose related and I'd hate to see someone wean early for WLS when one of the most important factors in preventing obesity is the length of the infant's breastfeeding experience. (Good studies have shown up to a 57% decrease in obesity later in life associated with long term breastfeeding- 12 mo.+) Food for thought!
   — Edith W.

April 28, 2004
I continued to nurse my two year old -- Of course she gets most of her nutrition from solids. But there was nothing more comforting to her than when I came home from the hospital and we could be together. It is so traumatic for them to be away from us at this age... It was very healing for her. I am 7 weeks post op and she still nurses more now than before surgery. Before surgery, she might skip a day or two. Now she nurses three or four times a day and probably more if I didn't tell her no, that my belly hurt and ask her if we could just cuddle instead. It is a wonderful way to reconnect intimately.
   — Rachel Propes