surgery
October 29, 2024

Breastfeeding, Surgery, and Anesthesia

Breast milk confers both direct and indirect infant benefits through at least 6 months of age and is recommended by the WHO and AAP to continue until 24 months. General anesthesia and most perioperative medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Physical separation from the infant may require a mother to pump, but discarding the expressed milk is rarely necessary. Mothers of normal term or older infants can resume pumping or direct breast feeding without interruption following anesthesia as soon as they are awake and alert. This is consistent with recent guidelines by the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
September 17, 2024
A Collaborative Approach: How to Talk to Your Provider About Medications and Breastfeeding
Empower yourself with knowledge and confidence, and remember that you have the right to question and understand the healthcare decisions that affect you and your baby.
September 17, 2024
Managing Blood Sugar in Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings remarkable changes to your body, but these shifts can also increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes, a condition that can affect both you and your baby. Understanding how pregnancy impacts your blood sugar and learning strategies to manage it can make a world of difference for your health. With simple lifestyle adjustments—like choosing the right foods and staying active—you can help ensure a healthy pregnancy. Discover how managing your blood sugar can protect you and your baby from potential complications and set the stage for a smooth, healthy journey ahead.
June 07, 2024
Weight Loss in Lactation
Many women are eager to lose weight after childbirth. However, a common concern is how to do so safely without compromising milk supply. Self-compassion is very important in this process as societal pressure for women to quickly revert to their "normal" state is often unrealistic. It's normal for it to take 6 to 12 months for a woman's body to return to its pre-pregnancy weight. In this article, we will discuss how to safely lose weight during lactation.
April 04, 2024
Domperidone and Low Milk Supply
In recent decades, domperidone has gained popularity in the breastfeeding community and has been used off-label to treat low milk supply. Domperidone’s major drawbacks are rare, but severe, including heart complications (cardiac arrhythmias due to QT-prolongation), weight gain, and anxiety or depression when it is discontinued. Average increases in daily milk volume are around 1.7 ounces (60 mL), which can be significant for premature infants, but less so for babies as they grow older. Currently domperidone is banned in the United States (US) and its consumption may complicate receiving healthcare in the US.
March 27, 2024
Sunscreen Smarts for Breastfeeding Families
Rain, shine, winter, summer, or any time spent outdoors leaves skin vulnerable to damage from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Regularly wearing sunscreen is clinically proven to reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma by about 40% and melanoma by about 50% (Sander, 2020). Additionally, daily sunscreen use plays a big role in antiaging prevention, a hot topic for women of all ages! Breastfeeding moms often know sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies until they are 6 months old. This raises questions about sunscreen safety when breastfeeding. The short answer is: use sunscreen (preferably non-nanoparticle zinc oxide). The long answer? Keep reading.
March 12, 2024
Navigating Food Allergies in Young Children
Complementary feeding can be an exciting opportunity for your child to explore new foods and develop their palate. When trying allergenic foods for the first time, children should be monitored for the development of wheezing, hives, vomiting, and diarrhea. Children with eczema and allergic rhinitis are at high risk of having food allergies and may desire to try allergenic foods for the first time with a clinician present. Recent AAP guidelines recommend against delaying the introduction of allergenic foods, even with children at high risk of having food allergies.
February 06, 2024
Nurturing with Nature: Herbal Research Woes
The InfantRisk Center receives daily inquiries regarding herbal supplements and their safety. In this article, we will discuss why we have not historically given recommendations regarding herbals and the difficulty regarding this topic.
February 01, 2024
Management of Cold and Flu During Pregnancy
In this article you will find the most commonly questioned cold and flu medications and supplements for use during pregnancy along with safety data.
January 18, 2024
Migraine Management in Pregnancy (A quick reference)
Migraines are very common in women of childbearing ages and can range from mild to debilitating. Many women feel that if they become pregnant or decide to breastfeed, that their options will be limited and they will have to live in severe pain for the safety of their baby. While some classes of medications can be problematic, there are many that can still be helpful and are safe during pregnancy and lactation. Below, you will find quick and concise information about your options.
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