Keyhole Gall Bladder Removal & Still Breastfeeding -need some advice pls!

Hi there,
Just wondering if anyone can help me pls...

After several very nasty gall stone attacks, I am finally booked in to get my gall bladder removed via keyhole surgery at the end of Nov but am worried how I will go with keeping up b/f my nearly 6mo DD while I recover in hosp and from the anaethetic.

Anyone else out there been in the same boat??

Also would like to know how your recovery was and timeframes of how long till you could do normal things again? I also have a 21mo DS and a shiftworking DH so I need to work out how long he'll need to take off work to look after the kids while I'm recovering.

Would welcome any advice as I really don't want the surgery to upset my B/F as I;m really enjoying it this time round and would like to get to 8m at least BF if possible.

I'm not in the same boat, but i have known a few women who BF through other operations (one pelvic floor repair, one thyroidectomy) and both managed to go on BFing. They pumped before the procedure so there was milk for when they were out. Depending on the anaesthetic sometimes you can BF right away - check with your anaesthetist - tell them you BF and it's really important to you to continue so they can tailor your drugs to that end. The thyroid lady couldn't BF for about 3 days because of some radiation issues, but she'd pumped enough for a week (knew a long time in advance that she was likely to need extra milk though), the other lady BF her bubs (who was about 9months i think - she was having a botched episiotomy and stitch up repaired) about 2 hours after she woke up. Both women had a few days in hospital and both had their MIL's or DH's bring the bubs in for their feeds. If your baby is under 6 months old you can sometimes petition to have the baby with you in hospital, but depending on how weaning is going they might not let you do that.

As for your procedure, my XMIL had it done a few years ago. She was in hospital for one night, and was relatively mobile but a bit sore when she got home. SHe had the op on the Tuesday and went back to work the following Monday, though they did say she should wait another week. She was FAR less ill from the operation than she had been from the gall stones and pain she was getting before then. It does depend on the exact procedure though, how recovery goes.

If i were you i'd call the surgeon's office and talk to someone there. Ask how long you'll be in hossie, what the anaesthetic''s effect on breastfeeding will be, and whether you can have the baby with you. Think about calling ABA and hiring a hospital grade pump if you''ll be in hospital for more than a night or two, and build up a supply of EBM for while you're away. Take a pump to hospital with you - pump and dump or pump and store depending on what the guidelines on the anaesthetic are.

It might be a few days or a week or two before your eating is back to normal, but this shouldn't effect your supply long term so long as you continue to offer the breast at regular times. Once you're able to be WITH your baby, feed first and only top-up with EBM if you're empty and bubs is still hungry.

I would ask DH to take about a week off work from when you come out of hospital or arrange for someone else to come and be with you for those days after you get home. Maybe you won't need them, but the company will be better and with a baby to nurse and a littly to run about after it'll be hard work if you're still feeling sore from the op.

Most of all try not to worry. You're going to feel so much better after the op in general, a few bumpy weeks will be worth it. You sound really determined, i'm sure you'll maintain your supply just fine.

Bx

thanks so much for your advice Bx!

Hadn't thought about speaking to the anaesthetist so I might do that next week as at least then I'll have a better idea of how much EBM I will need in stock to cover me. I've spoken with the surgeon but he just seemed to casual about it all and was like 'lets just see how you go!" kind of thing. I;m a bit of a control freak so I need to have solid plan A's & B's before I can relax.

I have my days. One day I'm actualy looking forward to it to fianlly get rid of the pain but then the next I start to stress about it all.

Thanks again :-)

Call the surgeons and ask them for details. Tell them you need to have an idea. I work for a surgeon, generally if you are going in to have this done and you have not had an attack (rather than going in at 2am to the emergency dept and having the op then) your recovery time is way better, because after an attack your liver is going crazy and that is what makes you feel so sick for days after an attack. Try to eat as low fat or no fat as possible leading upto surgery and you should only be in overnight. It is a quick operation, and anesethic is so much better these days than what it was 10yrs ago. Good luck.

Hi, I am going for surgery tomorrow and have been given very vage ideas about how long I cant BF for after. I found this usefull surgery and breastfeeding exclusively? - birthtalks ?

Hope it helps you

Sorry for posting a link for another site :doh:

Hi DT, thanks for the post & best of luck for you for tomorrow.

Must be the week for them as I go in on Thursday.

I'll check out the site now but thought you may liek to know that I spoke with my anaethestist today who said that only approx 100th of the anaesthetic I get would go thru tot he breastmilk which is less than what they'd give to bubs if she had to go under herself for something. So he basically said that its up t me how long I wait aftrewards to feed but if I recover well there is now other reason why I would have to hold off.

Be sure to check back in & let me know how you go with recovery & hosp stay times, etc.

Thanks again.

Beck,

I had this surgery 4 weeks after the birth of my first son (by c/section). I had enough expressed for the day when I went in early morning, fed up until the op pre med, pumped the first feed after the op (once I was able to get up and about which was about midnight) and then fed bubs the next morning and left the hospital that day (afternoon I think). My surgeon had suggested I could even room in with bubs but given I wasn't in the maternity ward they required hubby to be there to look after him anyway so we thought it better they went home. Anaethitist said I didn't have to pump the feed if I didn't want too cause it was miniscul (sp??) quantity but given bubs was at home, I had had the morphine drip and I was exploding I just pumped and threw to be 100% sure and cause I was going to burst otherwise

Only had the one child and had help around but don't remember recovery being too bad other than the gas build up in the shoulder which stayed for the full six weeks for some reason (but that was just an ache).

got a bit of oozing from my belly button which may have been contributed to by the breastfeeding - tried to make I used a pillow between wounds and bubs immediately after - with a six mth old you may need to watch that but a bit of padding between you and bubs should prevent any hassles.

Given I'd had two GA's in the space of four weeks I recovered pretty well. Post op pain relief was the same brand as after the c/section so wasn't worried about the affects of that on bubs.

sorry if this is all over the place but just wanted to let you know have been there done that so to speak although with only bubs to look after. Can you work the op to tie in with your husbands days off cause I'm pretty sure after 3 or 4 days you'll be doing pretty well - i can't remember how well I was though for looking after a toddler though. I do know that 4 weeks later I had my inlaws for christmas and a christening and I was perfectly fine

I had this done when my dd was 8 weeks old. my wonderful mum was looking after dd and brought her to the hosp every 3 hrs during the day and i had expressed and froze before the surgery for the night time feeds.

also used the football hold to keep bub off my belly for a bit.

was only in for two nights, went home early on second day. but had mum there at home with me for a week which was very helpful.

GL with it all. it is a relief to be rid of the pain.

I also ha mine out when DD was 8 weeks. Recovery was fine. A little sore the next day but no more so than when I had mu c-sect. The only trouble I had was holding DD close to chest as it would put some weight on the top incision. just need to rest as much as possible for the first few days.

In regards to the breastfeeding, the main thing is to get the anethetist to write up plenty of fluids, to keep your supply up and then keep your fluids up once you can manage them orally. Also, many anethetist now say you don't need to pump and dump post procedure but if you feel more comfortable doing so, then pump enough for the first day. You can expect to be in for 1 night, most hospitals (incl prvate) don't keep you in longer than that...

My surgeon also said I could have DD room with me but keep in mind you will be groggy and probably not able to care for your child... and the nursing staff can't (policy).

Thanks for everyones help & advice. I had the op done on Thurs arvo (laprosocpic)and was back home agin by 10am yesterday. All went well with BF and I don't think my supply has been compromised which is the best news.

Pain has been manageable but strongest pain has been in tip of shoulders from the gas- much worse when I lay down at night so I slept with 4 pillows last night.

Am, trying to take it easy over the next few days. am still a bit groggy from the anaethetic and pain killers. Stomach incisions aren't giving me too much greif. feels more like I've done 1000 situps really so can handle that.

Definitely was no where near a bad as what I thought it would be- our minds can be our worst enemies sometimes.

Anyway thanks again guys- much appreciated :-)

Glad it turned out better than you had imagined, Beckstar! I hope you've got plenty of help at home especially over the next week, although I hear recovery time is usually pretty quick. :hug: