“How long do you have to wait to breastfeed after anesthesia?”

It sincerely depends on the type of anesthesia you have and what medications are used. There is no research that supports the need to pump and dump for 24 hours after anesthesia whether just sedation (MAC) or general anesthesia. Having said that, your anesthesiologist should avoid benzodiazepines and long-acting opioids and if this is done, you can resume breastfeeding immediately after recovery when discharged. Your surgeon should avoid prescribing you Tramadol for pain management and if necessary only prescribe immediate-release hydrocodone or oxycodone for post-operative pain management if Ibuprofen or Tylenol is not sufficient. Spinal or epidural anesthesia is the safest. Regardless, please defer to your personal anesthesiologist and surgeon for post-operative directions. Some anesthesiologists still favor the method of pumping and dumping for 24 hours, but this is not supported by the literature.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Dr. Podgorny

You don’t have to wait at all. It is safe to breastfeed immediately after general anesthesia. It is largely a myth that medicine from anesthesia will be present in any amount in your breast milk. You are good to take care of your baby as soon as you are up for it after your procedure!

Current recommendation is that you do not need to wait to breastfeed. Please talk to your anesthesiologist before the surgery.

Currently, the literature suggests that you you are able to resume breastfeeding immediately after general anesthesia because all the drugs are short acting and do not stay in the system for too long.

For sedation, you don't have to wait but for general anesthesia, it's a good idea to wait for 24 hrs after anesthesia

The old view was to "pump-and-dump" for at least 24 hours following a procedure. This view has evolved over time as evidence has become available. It is now quite clear that the level of anesthetic drugs in Mom's blood are very low shortly after surgery, and the breast milk levels are nearly undetectable. Both the American College of Gynecology (ACOG) and American Pediatric Association (APA) recommend breast feeding as soon as the mother feels comfortable...this can start even in the recovery room.