Breastfeeding with a band?

[Qvrfullmidwife 0]

Has anyone here successfully breasted with a band in place? Did you have any restriction while nursing?

When I asked the surgeon about pregnancy and b-feeding he just said "we will unfill it while you are pregnant and refill when you are done breastfeeding."

I nurse for well over a year and nursing is when I gain lots of weight, far more than when I am pregnant, even, because I am SO hungry ALL the time. In fact I usually go from nursing one to pregnant again.

Has anyone else successfully nursed with some restriction in place?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Sure, you can do it. You'll have to make EXTRA sure you are getting proper nutrition because as you know you'll be using more calories while breast feeding. But done right, it can certainly be done.

I wouldn't do it with restriction but I understand your concern.

[Mescla 0]

i asked this very question too. I did a search and found your thread. I am nursing too, my baby is 8 months. Ya, i am gaining weight too while nursing.. go figure.. i lost 30 then gaining.. considering banding too... have you got an answer from your surgeon...

[missjess 0]

My baby just turned 1 (woohoo) & I got my band in june & im STILL breastfeeding I only pumped & dumped for the 4 days I was in mexico! Breastfeeding is perfectly fine they unfill you when your pg because of the nausea that goes along with it.....sorry to put it this way but were already fat as it is so our bodies dont need 2000 cals a day to make milk or grow a baby.....I gained 8lbs during my pg then lost 26 right after I had him then gained all 26 back & decided omh its time to do something! I always GAIN like CRAZY when I BF!

Good Luck!

[Jachut 487]

Fluids and nutrition is mainly what you need, your body will use its energy stores for actually making breastmilk.

If you can breastfeed for a good long time, and keep your food intake moderate with the help of your band it will do GREAT things for your weight! Not to mention you've given your baby a great start in life. Ah, perhaps I got those things in the wrong order of priority, lol.

Good luck with it, but personally, I'd be prepared to be completely unfilled to breastfeed, I'm very passionate about it.

[Qvrfullmidwife 0]

Very passionate about it here, too, it is a big part of my midwifery practice not to mention the fact that I have now nursed ten children, but I have gained 40lbs while nursing this last one and enough is enough! Given that apparently my body makes rather efficient use of calories while nursing I just didnt see why we shouldnt at least CONSIDER somewhat of a fill, playing it by ear as long as baby/supply continued to do well.

Of course getting banded might be the first step, hmm?

[lcain25 0]

Hey, i just had a baby 5 weeks ago today. i was banded in july 2006 lost 20pds and had a new baby surprise! when i found out i was pregnant, my dr. said it would be best to get an unfil. four weeks after i gave birth i was very ready to be filled again and really BEGIN my weight loss. so i have lost 6 pds this week and am still nursing and my baby is getting plenty of milk. my baby was 3 weeks early and weighed 8pds 10ozs he is now over 12pds. so i'd say he's doing pretty well.

if your worried about the weight gain~ get a fill.

good luck!

[Qvrfullmidwife 0]

LOL Jack!!!!!!!!

[blahblahblah 4]

I am nursing my 18 month old twins and just had the surgery two weeks ago.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that I would wait until the baby is at least 6 months old (didn't catch the age of your baby) and eating some solids so that you won't have to worry as much about keeping your supply up. Proper hydration and nutrition are a given.

Although my girls are only nursing once a day (weaned from the 2nd nursing right after surgery because they were pulling off and annoying me...now I kinda wish I hadn't...), I have noticed a difficult time nursing when I have not had enough to drink....which, to be honest, is rather often...Having a hard time drinking all day!

Also, there was no reason to pump and dump at my girls' age because all of the medicines were the ones they would have given them if they needed surgery... Anesthesia is out of the systme very quickly, percocet is not a problem and the little bit of antibiotic is fine as well. I didn't nurse the first day because I was very sore, but the second day went fine.

Best of luck!

Rain

[mescla808 0]

its Me mescla, changed my screen name.. im the one that sent you a questions

[mescla808 0]

its Me mescla, changed my screen name.. im the one that sent you a question about breastfeeding and the band.. I got a lot of responses from this thread.. thanks... im confident now... this is my new screen name...

[shrinazaldivar 0]

I have an almost nine month old who is still nursing. Not only did I not need to get an unfill while pregnant (I had just gotten a fill when I got pregnant) I got another fill when she was 2 months old. I breastfed exclusively for the first 5 months and then started with baby foods for her etc. She eats small meals now--and does take some Water in a cup--but she is still breastfeeding 5-6 times in a 24 hour period. I have not had nor needed an unfill. My doctor's were happy with my pregnancy--I actually didn't gain weight--and lost more after. I am healthier now than at any time in the last 20 years of my life. My youngest is healthy and happy and her doctors are happy too. I nursed my other two children pre-lapband and gained more weight than I want to admit during that time due to sugar cravings. This time, I have lost steadily if slowly. I am now working harder at losing by upping my exercise regimen etc. But if you wanted to know about breastfeeding after lapband--don't let it stop you--it works just fine:) I hope this helps anyone who is researching this now or in the future....now if I could just find what I was looking for when I found this thread.......lol....happy bandster journey to you all.

shrina

286/175/140

Dr. Kuri 07/12/05

fill doc Dr. Malley in Ks

[Hippiemama 1]

Another nursing Mama here...I was banded yesturday and am still nursing my toddler (yowtch when she lays across my belly though, a pillow between us is helping).

Just wanted to encourage other nursing Mommies not to give up :smile2: