I have searched the archives with little success, and hope you all and your collective wisdom can help.

I have a breastfeeding 18 month old who is scheduled for an upper and lower GI endoscopy with biopsy.  The baby is to have clear fluids only for 24 hours before the procedure and be NPO for 4 hours before.  The Dr. does not consider breastmilk to be a clear fluid.  I have asked repeatedly, but no one can tell me if the breastmilk fast is something specifically required for the procedure, or if there is a concern of aspiration under general anesthesia.  I have multiple resources for the safety of breastmilk as a clear liquid as it pertains to the risk of aspiration, but nothing specific to the GI tests.   The mother has only one lactating breast and is pregnant, so the volume of breastmilk this child gets daily is probably not large.  There was little enthusiasm from the Dr. as to the suggestion that the child be allowed to nurse from a pumped breast for comfort.  Withholding food for so long is going to be hard enough on the child, I see no need to make it worse by withholding the breast as a source of comfort as well.  

Thanks much,
Jenny Walters 

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