Im still breast-feeding my daughter, can I have the Lap Band?

[KariK 0]

Im still breast feeding my daughter but I also supplement with formula. Nutritionally Im sure she will be just fine as she doesn't rely soley on breast milk for food. But what I'm worried about is, physically will it be painful on my port and incision sites? Im wondering if anyone else has experienced this dillema and how they dealt with it.

:help:

[vic72 0]

KariK -I am not banded yet but I have breast fed for 6 yrs (3 kids) and as long as you dont feel drained and get lots of Water you should be fine your body will take those fat cells and use them to make your milk suff. so you may lose a little faster. As far as the pain I imagine it will hurt dont know how old your baby is but if she is old enough to kick hard just back off alittle till you heal and resume back to normal after. Try laying down and feeding. After my 3rd child I had to feed like that some because I had a tubal and was in alot of pain and I could not hold him to much and feed. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Jachut 487]

I'd express for the first day or two if you can, but after that, i think I could have handled it. or yes, lie down on your side to feed.

[fabfatgrl 10]

I'm Banded and I've breastfed two babies (am still bfing one now!) I don't know if I'd want to breastfeed right after surgery... things were rather sore. But I think with a few pillows you could manage. The bigger concern would be getting in enough fluids immediately post-op. You'd have to push yourself more than the average patient just to be safe.

I would choose a hosptial that also has a maternity ward so one could arrange to have a hospital grade pump available... lactation consultant... etc. Do what you can to make sure you succeed. Plan for success

[KariK 0]

Thanks for replying everyone. Im scheduled for surgery on 7/28 with Dr. Speigel. I'll let you know how it goes!!

[Jachut 487]

What is the deal with anaesthetic and meds though? Wont there be a period where you wont be able to breastfeed due to the drugs in your system?

I'd start stockpiling some of that lovely breastmilk in the freezer perhaps to get you through, as you may have to express off your milk and discard it until your bloodstream is clear of medication.

And I'd actually seek the advice of a nutritionist or lactation consultant as to how to make sure your supply doesnt reduce during the liquid phase, you're going to have to be very careful to actually eat enough.

Good luck!

[KariK 0]

Oh my gosh I never even thought about the anesthetics! I'll have to ask Dr. Speigel and call a lactation specialist.

[Jachut 487]

Plenty of women have operations and manage to keep feeding though, dont panic. It'd just pay you to have a stockpile of milk in the freezer if you can start expressing some extra now, so that you have milk to use if you have to discard what you make for a while.

It'll be fine, it'll probably be for a few days that you cant use the milk.

[JMO 0]

Hey,

Congrats on your surgey date! I can only tell you my experience. I had to keep from breast feeding for the first 24 hours after surgery. Then the first milk I pumped and dumped. I then went back to feeding like normal. Another concern is make sure your pain meds are compatiable with nursing.. Good luck and keep us posted...

[KariK 0]

Just want to report that YES you can breast feed shortly after receiving the band. It has worked out just fine for me. I elected to not take any narcotic pain medicine and just stuck to extra strenth tylenol. I pumped and threw away my milk for a day and half. Ive been making sure to get a LOT of fluids and my supply is building right back up to normal. My baby is doing great :bananapartyhat: I want to say thank you to everyone who responded to this thread.

[Jachut 487]

Oh that's great news, I did actually think about you a few times during the past week or so.

Breastfeeding can surely only help your weightloss journey too - not to mention how great it is for your baby.

[dkla1313 0]

I am so thankful for this post! I am starting my classes to get the lap band thru Kiaser and that takes twelve weeks. After that your surgery is scheduled. By then my baby could be 6 months old-8 months, and I am a breastfeeder. So this is great news because I really want to continue thru the first year. As for the narcotics I am sure that even if you did not pump and dump you and the baby would be fine. I mean, I had a c section and they were pumping me full opf morphine for the first 24 hours and then gave me vicodin for about a month supply and they were never concerned. So I am asumming it would be no big deal. I am so excited guys! Cheers to health for me and my baby and to you guys!:thumbup:

[juniebug 0]

I have a 2 month old baby and just had a revision 2 days ago. I'm exclusively breastfeeding. My surgeon said it was okay to breastfeed right after waking up from the anesthesia and that only a tiny amount from the pain meds would go to the baby. I have felt really great and was able to get up in the night and feed my baby the same day as my revision. I have only taken the minimum pain meds and not very often. It has been so much easier than I expected. I can tell that my milk supply is about half what it used to be, but it seams like my baby is getting enough. I'm supposed to be on Clear Liquids for a week, but have already added in some creamy Soups to make sure I have enough liquid and calories for my baby.

[ahassan 0]

I am scheduled to have surgery on July 1 and I currently nurse my son who will be 11.5 months when I have the surgery. He is obviously at this point not exclusively nursing, but he is very clingy and dependent on me to nurse for comfort. I am not very nervous about the surgery itself. I am extremely nervous about how this will effect him because he is going to want to nurse as soon as I am home (it is same day surgery where I am). I am not planning on taking the narcotic pain meds, maybe just tylenol 3. Some people have said you have to pump and dump for 24 hours because of the anesthesia and then you can nurse like normal, but then some people have said that they nursed as soon as they were able to. Any guidance on this topic would be greatly appreciated!

[Mariaband 11]

Just want to report that YES you can breast feed shortly after receiving the band. It has worked out just fine for me. I elected to not take any narcotic pain medicine and just stuck to extra strenth tylenol. I pumped and threw away my milk for a day and half. Ive been making sure to get a LOT of fluids and my supply is building right back up to normal. My baby is doing great I want to say thank you to everyone who responded to this thread.

Thanks for your feedback.. I know it is an old post but I have a 2 month old baby and I am going to be banded Feb 15th,, the doc said no issues but I wanted to see women experiance so u engouraged me that it will not be a big problem..

thank you