Gallbladder Surgery Prep for Breastfeeding Moms

Preparing Months in Advance Helps Limit Anxiety and Heal Faster

Apr 21, 2009 Carmen Sofia Grant

It is recommended that any mom with gallstones have her gallbladder removed before having another baby. Properly preparing for surgery is important for relieving stress.

Suffering through gallbladder pain during pregnancy and finding ways to soothe the pain is a feat in itself. After baby is born, it is time to prepare to get the stone ridden gallbladder out. The majority of all gallbladder surgeries are done with a laparoscope, which is less invasive than open abdominal surgery, and is easier to heal from.

Planning for Gallbladder Surgery as a Breastfeeding Mom

The most important part of a surgery and recovery plan for the breastfeeding mom is to make sure baby will be nourished for the days mom's breasts are out of commission. Purchase a breast pump before baby is born and start pumping two weeks after the milk supply is established. Each time baby eats, pump the other breast and collect milk into sterile breastmilk bags. Gerber and Lansinoh make great breastmilk storage bags with labels to see how much milk is being collected and stored. In the beginning, a lactating breast will only produce about an ounce of milk. Keep feeding and pumping simultaneously to build a good week's supply.

Before the Gallbladder Surgery

Make sure there is someone at home to watch baby during and after surgery. This is important since mom will not be able to lift baby, or even hold him or her because of how tender the abdomen will be. The more rest mom gets, the faster she will heal and the sooner she can get back to caring for baby.

Also try to give the baby a bottle a few weeks before surgery. Even if it is just one feeding a day, and if baby only takes in an ounce at a time. Baby needs preparation too and should be given time to get used to the rubber nipple to avoid a hunger strike after moms surgery.

The Day of the Gallbladder Surgery

Taking baby to the hospital for feedings is certainly an option, since mom will be waiting in the hospital room at least two hours before surgery. However, just know that baby can be exposed to germs, and caring for a sick baby after surgery can not be pleasant. It is better for the little one to stay at home with a caregiver, than to take him or her to the hospital. Take the breastpump to the hospital to relieve engorgement. Don't forget to take some extra storage bags to store the milk. Have a spouse, relative, or friend take the milk home during the surgery or take a cooler with ice packs to store the milk.

What to Expect After Gallbladder Operation

After surgery, the pain will be very intense. The post-op nurse may give morphine or other pain medicine to control the just-got-hit-by-a-bus feeling in the abdomen. Once urine is successfully passed it is time to go home and recover. The doctor will prescribe narcotic pain medicine. Try not to let the doses lapse, or the pain may become unbearable.

Recovering from Gallbladder Surgery

Once at home greet and kiss baby, and get some sleep. Separation will be hard at first, but it is better to sacrifice a little time initially in order to heal quicker. Keep pumping and dumping milk during the recovery phase to relieve engorgement and to keep the milk supply steady. An unused breast will stop producing milk, so it is important to keep pumping. Unfortunately, the milk should be dumped since it will be infused with pain medication.

Try not to not lift anything or bend over too much to prevent breaking a stitch. Attempting to do too much too soon will prolong the healing process and keep mom and baby separated longer. Ease back into a regular routine and do a little walking around the house to increase blood flow to the abdomen. Light walking means going from the bedroom to the kitchen or living room and back a few times a day, not doing laps around the house. It will take about five days to a week to be able to move around comfortably and another week to recover fully.

This is not official medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about concerns you may have with your health.

The copyright of the article Gallbladder Surgery Prep for Breastfeeding Moms in Pregnancy & Childbirth is owned by Carmen Sofia Grant. Permission to republish Gallbladder Surgery Prep for Breastfeeding Moms in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Drawing of Laparscopic Surgery

Lansinoh Breastfeeding Storage Bags

Comments

May 17, 2009 5:26 AM

Rebecca Simms :

Although I was not pregnant at the time, 4 years ago I had severe gallbladder symptoms. The pain was hard to deal with and my doctor advised me to get surgery and not wait. Luckily a friend came with a solution that I did not know of. I tried a natural flush and I got rid of 6 gallstones of small to medium size. I do not know if this will work for cases where the stones are of larger size but it would certainly not hurt to try.
Rebecca,

Jun 9, 2009 12:30 PM

Guest :

I have been reading a lot about flushing and it seems it is dangerous. If you do a flush and a stone gets caught in the common bile duct, it can lead to infection, or worse.
Besides this, the malfunction of the gall bladder that caused the stones to begin with will create new stones soon enough. Its best to remove it once you have had an attack.

2 Comments