Cheryl, I am forwarding your question on to LACTNET, a listserv list for
1500 professionals currently working in the field of lactation.

You will undoubtedly receive many interesting responses. I suggest that you
yourself join LACTNET,..it is free. You will find it very interesting.

I wonder WHY they suggest that a mom not bf on a PCA pump for a limited
time, when in fact, they give INFANTS morphine directly at times.

I myself had morphine injections for pain control after the birth of my
first child...to control pain from an abscess, and I bf through it all.
Where, I wonder, is the documentation to support this type of order?

As a friend of mine would say ( a physician, pediatrician)...another case of
breastfeeding being sacrificed on the altar of ignorance.

Sigh.

Kathleen

At 05:54 PM 9/13/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi my name is Cheryl Sherrill.  I am an RN who works in L&D, and
>postpartum and at work we have a raging debate going on concerning
>breastfeeding and post c-section morphine PCA's.  Our anesthesia service
>suggests that new moms do not breastfeed for 24 hours after they have
>had their morphine PCA.  However, our pediatrician does tell the moms
>that it is ok to breastfeed...hence the kunumdrum of what to do.
>
>I have a few specific questions concerning this issue.  (1) Is there
>sufficient colostrum in the average post partum woman that the babe
>would actually be getting the same amount of morphine as would she if
>her milk supply were already established?? The only information that I
>was able to look up at work said that the contraindication was "chronic"
>use of  morphine in the lactating woman.  Now does it make any
>differeance that our typical post-op c-section only keeps her PCA for
>less than 20 hours and typically only 12 hours post-op?
>(2) Did you have specific guidlines where you have previously worked
>concerning this that you might be able to share with me (policy and
>procedure?)
>Any light that you could shed on this subject would be grately
>appreciated and thank you very much for your time.
>
>Sincerely,
>Cheryl L. Sherrill R.N., B.S.N.
>
>
>
Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet,TLC, Indep. Consultant
http://together.net/~kbruce/kbbhome.html
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