Need positive stories BF w/pain meds

[Rhapsodi]

Thursday I'm having surgery. I will likely be on Oxycodeine for pain relief.

I've been told by surgeon, midwife, lactation consultant the pain meds are fine while BF. (I was on Percocet during pregnancy too.) I'm asking 2 other doctors tomorrow too.

Pediatrician (who knows I'm very particular on diet/meds and I know very well) said I have to pump and dump. No BF until 12-24 hrs after last pill.

So I decided to look at Lactmed.net it's very scary with infants going to ER, needing detox, low weight, etc.

My LO will be 3weeks old tomorrow, so it's a little different than a newborn with moms who had a csection.

The other info pediatrician may have taken into account is LO at 24&28 weeks in utero had echogenic bowel and dialated kidney. It did go away at 31weeks though. LO also has GERD and is on Zantac.

I've been pumping as much as I can but I only have enough B
M for a day or 2 I think. I'm hoping to not supplement with formula, but will if it's necessary.

Please help give me good/non eventful stories of using pain meds while BF. I need help making this decision.

 

[Literati_Love]

Not the same at all but I used naproxen (just an NSAID) for about a week after birth and everything was fine. I was told at the hospital to take it and it was safe, but an LC said I should try not to take it when my milk came in. I figured if a doctor at the hospital prescribed it knowing I was BFing and that they tell all nursing mothers to take it then it was probably fine. I wasn't taking a lot and finished my dose like I was instructed at the hospital because I was in pain. Not the same type of med but I guess an example where I chose to listen to the majority of medical professionals rather than just one with a different opinion. It was uneventful and my baby is extremely healthy.

 

[Maxy1]

Not the same but I went to hospital for mastitis and was stuck there for a week and was on codeine. I was pumping and Bfing DS at 7 weeks old. The hospital told me to pump and dump but the lactation consultants said it was fine. He didn't have any problems with it. He is 3 now and is fine.

I know its not the same but I would probably go with what the lactation consultant said if she is properly qualified and experienced. Rather than google stuff (scary) I would go and talk to a good pharmacist about it. Pharmacists are only trained in medications and effects and will have a more specialised view on the matter.

 

[Rhapsodi]

I didn't even think about asking a pharmacist! Great idea!

I am leading towards just taking it and nursing as need be (night in particular) and using my pumped milk during the day until I run out. But reading Lactmed (the lactation consultant suggested I check it out) makes me nervous!

 

[Feathers]

I've had surgery twice during BF DS, and taken pain relief afterwards (diclofenac once and codeine the other time). I was really worried about possible effects on DS but I was assured they were fine and that the doctors try and balance the risks with the need for pain relief. Obviously nothing would be better, but realistically pain relief has to be taken sometimes. DS was absolutely fine although I watched him carefully!
I'd go with lactation consultant. Codeine can have some scary effects when you google, but they wouldn't prescribe something that would damage baby!

 

[Kiwiberry]

I had to have my wisdom teeth taken out after I had my baby. I was on hydrocodone. My baby seemed just fine for a few days of breastfeeding. I ended up flushing the rest down the toilet though because I got paranoid since my baby is in the NICU.

 

[minties]

I was prescribed tramadol, codeine and diclofenac whilst breastfeeding. I didn't have anu issues from the medications affecting my daughter.

 

[Rhapsodi]

Thanks everyone! I'm feeling much better about it. I talked with the midwife yesterday who said when ever I take a pill I can feed, then pump and dump once or twice before feeding again. I want to nurse but want him exposed to the least amount of crap I can, so I think this will work for us.

 

[misspriss]

I was given percocet along with an NSAID in the hospital while pumping for my preemie in the NICU, and discharged with percocet then Tylenol 3. My doctor assured me it was safe and no one ever said otherwise, my son never suffered for it. He was a bit sleepy, but I think that was a preemie thing. I will never know if it had anything to do with hr meds or not, but nothing bad came of it just had to wake him for feeds.

 

[supertabby]

For first week after DD was born I was on a morphine drin and magnesium sulphate drip, then codeine and ibuprofen after that. She's a healthy normal bright 3 year old now. Breastfeeding was a struggle for us but we discovered after DS was born that DD had a tongue tie that was undiagnosed.

Make sure that your bottles are as close to breastfeeding as possible - the Medela Calma requires baby to use same tongue action as bf - just in case of any nipper confusion. DS recently had a few days off bf as he was in hospital on a feeding tube, I was worried he wouldn't bf afterwards but it was no problem, he's older though so not the same in know.

Good luck with everything and hope you have a speedy recovery afterwards.

 

[Disneyfan88]

I was given Percocet while I was still in the hospital after my c-section, and my prescriptions that I was given when I was discharged included 600mg ibuprofen and norco. All doctors and hospital staff knew I wanted my daughter to receive breastmilk from me, and all were considered safe. I'm pretty sure that the meds I was prescribed are standard for c-sections at that hospital. I did drop the norco as soon as I felt the ibuprofen alone was enough for pain management.

 

[Rhapsodi]

Thanks everyone! The first 2 days I tried to pump /dump once or twice after a pill then nurse. But it was too hard without DH home so I gave up and just nursed. It did make him sleepy but I almost needed him to sleep so I could sleep. So it did work out. We still try to do 2 bottles a day for his meds (Zantac) but he hates bottles (he will take it if he's desperate).

We do the kiinde bottles. He seems to be fine with them they are made for bf babies.
Our 2 biggest issues is 1 after I take a pain pill (I'm only taking them at night or early morning) he gets made. I'm not sure if the meds are just making him extra tired or if it's changing the taste of the milk.
And 2 his reflux is still acting up.

But I am much more comfortable with him having nurse with the meds.