Pump and Dump at 3 weeks old?

synchrosally · March 2013

I know I'm putting the cart before the horse, but I can't help but worry about this test I have to have done after my second child is born.

I have a kind of tumor in my left eye that the Dr is pretty sure is benign (but could be cancerous), but he can't confirm the diagnosis because he cannot do the test which requires a florescent dye to be injected my veins while a photograph is taken of my eye (he won't do it while I'm pregnant). The test must be done after I deliver, but the kicker is, the dye stays in the bloodstream for 4 days, which means I cannot breastfeed for 4 days and have to pump and dump. I have my next appointment scheduled for approximately 2-3 weeks after I (hopefully) deliver. It's at this appointment that I will be scheduling the required test. I don't want to start pumping so early to build up supply, and I don't really want to feed with a bottle at only 2-3 weeks old either.

I don't know what I should do. Postpone the test? What do you think about pumping so early? Is there something I'm not thinking of here? I have another 5-6 weeks to worry about this. I hate the stupid waiting.

Ken&Anna · March 2013

Who told you that you can't breastfeed while the dye is still in your bloodstream? Ophthalmologists don't know much about breastfeeding... I would go ask a Lactation Consultant if it would be okay for you to breastfeed after the test. They have a book (I forget what it's called) that lists all the medications and whether or not they're safe to take during breastfeeding--it tells you what the chances are of the medication getting into your breast milk and what the chances are that the medication will cause your supply to go down. They'll probably have information about the dye, too.

Can you possibly postpone the test until your LO is 6-8 weeks old, or even 8-12 weeks? By then you should have your supply somewhat regulated and pumping/introducing a bottle shouldn't be as big of a problem. If you need to supplement for a few days while you continue to pump it wouldn't be the end of the world.

tokenhoser · March 2013

I would call Infantrisk and ask for advice for your specific situation. Ask your doctor for the name of the dye he wants to use.

https://www.infantrisk.com/

We are now open to answer calls Monday-Friday 8am-5pm central time. Please contact us at (806)-352-2519.

Exposure via breastmilk is different than via pregnancy - in pregnancy, it's your blood to baby's blood. Via breastmilk, it's your blood to your milk to baby's stomach to baby's bloodstream. Things that are dangerous in pregnancy are not necessarily dangerous in breastfeeding, but a lot of doctors just throw out "pump and dump" as blanket, easy advice.

synchrosally · March 2013

Thanks ladies. I will contact infantrisk to see what they say.

I haven't talked to my retinologist about my breastfeeding concerns yet. I had other things to worry about/ask him like "can I push during labour" and "do we need to induce early", so asking him about this didn't really cross my mind (that and I'd been at the office for 3 hours waiting to be seen).

From my preliminary research, all the sources say the risk of the dye is greater in breastfeeding than in pregnancy and it stays in the bloodstream (and in the milk) and can cause a phototoxic reaction.

Ugh. I hate this. As if there aren't enough concerns and complaints during pregnancy.

tokenhoser · March 2013

If you are open to using donor milk, that might be a good option. Human Milk for Human Babies is active in Canada (check it on Facebook); I've seen really good responses and if you're in a major city, I'm sure you'd have volunteers.

((hugs)) What a crazy time! I hope it's all over soon and very uneventful for both use and baby.

PepperBug · March 2013

I had to pump and dump with my son when he was only a few weeks old (although I only had to do it for 24 hours), and I also had to supplement him with formula for a few days due to extreme weight loss and a delay in my milk coming in when he was less than a week old. He did great with both. I had no impact on my supply from the 24 hours of pumping/dumping. Also, we wound up having the opposite problem with bottles. Despite the fact that he was used to taking bottles, he started refusing them at 5 weeks old.

synchrosally · March 2013

AmyG*:

what is the dye, what is the test, what do you know about amount given? I can look it up for you and see what I can find.

often the norm is the recommed pumping and dumping for some set period of time, but looking at the data it may be like some drugs that if you were to pump and dump it would be for a few hours or a day.That will depend on the half life of the med, how long it stays in your system, as well as a bit about it's peak in your blood stream, and volume of distribution thru your system.

The dye is sodium flourescein.The test uses 5ml of 10% sodium flourescein.

I have to have a flourescein angiography done. I will have to have the flourescein again when we go to treat the tumor with photodynamic therapy (PDT) (which I just realized I will again face the same problem).

Thanks so much for the help.

lil_jen051708 · March 2013

I would talk to your eye dr about how soon the test needs to be done. You don't want to postpone this and risk your health so make sure you think about you too!

I did pump early to relieve a horrible engorgement and we also gave DS a bottle around 3 weeks I think. He did fine. I would pump and dump. Make sure you are pumping every time DS gets a bottle. If you have to use formula, it's ok. You can continue your bf relationship after your test is done. You might need to work with a lactation consultant but talk about it with her as soon as you deliver and get your baby a good start on BFing. It sounds like BFing is important to you but so is your health and since you couldn't do the test while pregnant, I wouldn't wait too long after delivery to do it if your dr says it needs to be done ASAP. Take care of yourself too!!

synchrosally · March 2013

AmyG*:
Sodium Fluorescein is rated L3 for safety. on a scale of 1-5, this is moderately safe.

The American Academy of Pediatrics list it as a maternal medication usually compatible with breastfeeding.

with a newborn the potential issue would be photo toxicity--and if newborn were being treated for jaundice with photo therapy lights, that would be a problem.

the half life would be 4.4 hours.

so in 4.4 hours, 1/2 of the med is out of your system.

in 8.8 hours 1/4 remains

in 13.2 hours 1/8 remains.

17.6 hours 1/16 remains.

22 hours, 1/32 remains

that would be an extremely SMALL amount of med that could potentially be in your milk if you were to pump and dump for 12-24 hours.

the med is also absorbed orally at 50%, so if a small amount were to enter your milk 50% of that small amount would be absorbed by your baby orally.

If I were you, without more info than this I might refrain from nursing for a half life or 3 (half a day or so). But then again I'd probably just nurse baby after being away from them for the hours before and after the testing when I felt a bit more back to normal.

Thank you SO MUCH! This makes me feel a lot better. It's still a ways off, but it's something I wanted to research and think about in advance so I know what to ask and what my options are.

blondie42107 · March 2013

There is nothing wrong with pumping early on. Moms do it all the time when milk surge is delayed or baby is in the nicu, etc.

synchrosally · March 2013

blondie42107:
There is nothing wrong with pumping early on. Moms do it all the time when milk surge is delayed or baby is in the nicu, etc.

True. However, I have a history of oversupply created by pumping too early while nursing on demand. I'm really hoping to avoid this problem this time and let my body regulate itself first. In the end I'll do what I have to do for me and my baby.

Pump and Dump at 3 weeks old?

Re: Pump and Dump at 3 weeks old?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards