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MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
It’s perfectly safe to breastfeed after a mom receives anesthesia, new British medical guidelines say.<\/p>\n
And she can start as soon as she’s alert and able to do so, according to just-published guidelines from the U.K. Association of Anaesthetists.<\/p>\n
“The guidelines say there is no need to discard any breast milk<\/a> due to fear of contamination, since evidence shows that anesthetic and non-opioid painkiller drugs<\/a> are transferred to breast milk<\/a> in only very small amounts,” said Dr. Mike Kinsella of the association’s Safety Committee, based at St. Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, England. “For almost all of these drugs<\/a>, there is no evidence of effects on the breastfed<\/a> infant.”<\/p>\n But drugs such as opioids and benzodiazepines<\/a> should be used with caution, the guidelines said — especially with mothers of babies<\/a> younger than 6 weeks old.<\/p>\n “In this situation, the infant should be observed for signs of abnormal drowsiness and respiratory depression<\/a>, especially if the woman is also showing signs of sedation,” the guidelines said.<\/p>\n Reducing opioids is better for breastfeeding<\/a> women who have surgery, they noted, urging doctors to avoid giving them codeine<\/a> because of differences in infant metabolism. Local or regional anesthetics are least apt to disrupt breastfeeding<\/a>, according to the guidelines.<\/p>\n The guidelines were published July 31 in the journal Anaesthesia<\/i>, to mark the start of World Breast Feeding Week, Aug. 1-7.<\/p>\n Women with a child age 2 or younger should be asked if they are breastfeeding so they can be told breastfeeding is safe after surgery, according to the guidelines.<\/p>\n “Where possible, day surgery is preferable to avoid disrupting normal routines,” guidelines authors said in a journal news release. “A woman having day surgery should have a responsible adult stay with her for the first 24 hours. She should be cautious with co-sleeping, or sleeping while feeding the infant in a chair, as she may not be as responsive as normal.”<\/p>\n — Steven Reinberg<\/p>\n ![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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