By Sam Morris (Volunteer Helper and Deputy Clinical supervisor for the BfN Drugs in Breastmilk Service and Registered Pharmacist, and Sarah Edwards (BfN Scottish Programme Manager).
Too often, our DiBM pharmacists are still contacted by parents who have been incorrectly told that they will not be able to breastfeed for hours or even days after a procedure under sedation or anaesthetic. Our factsheet on anaesthetics was viewed over 8000 times last year.
We are delighted to share the updated guidelines from the Association of Anaesthetists on the use of anaesthesia and sedation for patients who are breastfeeding.
We are proud that we were able to use the knowledge and experience gained working for and volunteering with BfN, as well as Sam’s clinical expertise as a pharmacist, to contribute to these guidelines, along with healthcare professionals from across the UK, and ensure they are truly parent-focused and protect both breastfeeding and breastfeeding families.
This incredible updated consensus guideline goes beyond the drugs and brings the focus back to the patient and, importantly, their baby. It balances the potential risks of anaesthetics and sedatives to breastfeeding infants against the often-unrecognised risks of interrupting breastfeeding. It guides healthcare professionals not only in advising parents when they can resume breastfeeding after an anaesthetic or sedative (spoiler alert: in most cases, it’s as soon as they want to, once they are awake and alert after the procedure), but also in planning all aspects of their care and recovery to protect and value breastfeeding. Where in the past, patients may have been told they have to “pump and dump” their milk after a procedure, now they are encouraged to “sleep and keep”.
Getting the support they need to care for and feed their babies in the way they want to, whilst also being cared for themselves, can make the difference between a traumatic ordeal with a hungry, distressed baby and the risk of mastitis or other complications, and a positive, empowering experience of healthcare, allowing mothers, parents and families to concentrate on healing and recuperation. High quality care is holistic. It’s not just about getting the procedure done but also about ensuring the overall wellbeing of breastfeeding mum or parent and baby.
This guideline protects breastfeeding women and families, but it will also protect healthcare professionals, who are often left between what feels like a rock and a hard place, not having access to expert evidence-based information and holding the responsibility of not just one but two or more people in their care. It will give them the confidence to support families in their feeding choices and provide the highest quality of care.
At the Breastfeeding Network, we continue to deliver high quality services across the UK, supporting parents and families in their feeding choices, proactively and effectively. We are passionate about going above and beyond, providing empathetic support and evidence-based information including through the National Breastfeeding Helpline and our unique pharmacist-run Drugs in Breastmilk information service. Our newly updated factsheet on anaesthetics explains the guideline in plain language for families and lay people and empowers them to advocate for themselves when discussing their care.
We hope that the women and families at the heart of this guidance will continue to receive increasingly high-quality support and care, but for that, we need both families and healthcare professionals to know about these guidelines and our services. If each person who reads this article shares it with their family, friends, or own healthcare professionals, together we can make a real difference.
For any queries relating to taking medication whilst breastfeeding, please contact the Drugs in Breastmilk team by email or on Facebook. Please note, the team is comprised of volunteers, who prioritise responding to medication-related questions from parents.