toddler needs surgery and isn't nightweaned

hailey1312

My dd is 24 months old and isn't nightweaned. She is going to have outpatient dental surgery in 2 weeks. She still nurses at night and they said she can't have anything after midnight on the day of surgery. We have to be there at 6:30am and the surgery is at 7:30 am. I know she nurses at about 2 or 3ish am and then again at 5am. I read multiple places online that really it should only be about 4 hours for breastmilk, and not the usual "after midnight" thing. So I thought about letting her nurse around 2 or 3am since her surgery won't be till 7:30, then not again till after surgery. It will be hard enough to get her up and going without nursing when she wakes up. I don't want to lie to them when they ask and I have been told that I should talk directly to the anesthesiologist first. But I don't even know what to ask. I don't want to risk them canceling her surgery either, but I know it's ok to nurse 4 hours before surgery but I want them to know for real that she has nursed. Has anyone had to deal with a night nursing toddler going into surgery?

ncbelle

I think I'd ask now just to be on the safe side. Is she allowed liquids after midnight or nothing at all?

DeniseRN

Working as a nurse in a hospital, I will tell you there's always a discrepancy about what is truly NPO after midnight. Some say nothing, at all. Others, meds w sips of water are ok. Your best bet is to ask the anesthesiologist.

I would also have the research available, printed out or ready on your phone, that says breastmilk is completely digested in 4 hours. I believe kellymom has the info.

Also, if surgery is being done at a children's hospital they should, in theory, be more "in the know" about BF and should let it slide

nosoup4u

Ask! I know I've read the breastmilk thing before, I'm sure it's a common question with pediatric surgery.

twocents6708

My DD just had surgery on Wednesday. We were told no liquids after midnight at all. Surgery prep was at 6:30 and surgery at 7:30. DD usually nurses at least twice at night. She ate at 8:30 and then I dream fed her at 11:45. She didn't wake up until 4 am and wouldn't go back so sleep without nursing so we ended up going for a drive and she fell back asleep. She was fine when we got to the surgery center because there was lots to see. She was fine with DH or grandma holding her before surgery. It surprised me how little the fasting bothered her. She nursed as soon as she woke up in recovery.

ILoveRunning

twocents6708:

My DD just had surgery on Wednesday. We were told no liquids after midnight at all. Surgery prep was at 6:30 and surgery at 7:30. DD usually nurses at least twice at night. She ate at 8:30 and then I dream fed her at 11:45. She didn't wake up until 4 am and wouldn't go back so sleep without nursing so we ended up going for a drive and she fell back asleep. She was fine when we got to the surgery center because there was lots to see. She was fine with DH or grandma holding her before surgery. It surprised me how little the fasting bothered her. She nursed as soon as she woke up in recovery.

My DS had surgery a year ago (he was 11 months) and the same thing happened with us.  We were told no milk after 2am (6 hours before surgery) which was a conservative estimate, but I was ok with that.  When he woke at 4ish he wouldn't go back to bed and we were up for the day.  Once we got the center there was so much to see and do (it was a children's hospital w/ tons of toys) that he never asked.

When he woke up in recovery he nursed briefly before falling back asleep.  We stayed until he woke up for good and his vitals checked out.  Everyone was very supportive and even commented on how wonderful breastmilk was for a child after surgery.

Good luck! 

ETA: I would inquire in more detail about the duration of BM fasting beforehand.  Print off the information on kellymom and bring it with you to your pre-op appointment.  Your best bet would be to talk to the anesthesiologist directly.  I don't think that it is ever a good idea to lie about medical information, and you don't want them rescheduling your surgery at the last minute.