<<I wonder how local anesthesia affects these babies & breastfeeding?>>

In our hospital virtually all circs are done with local anesthesia.  Our
babies, too, are sleepy the day of the circ.  Because of this the nurses
know to get the baby back out to his mother to nurse as soon as the
procedure is done, while the anesthesia is still in effect.  I assume (and
tell the mothers) that it's probably like having local anesthesia for a
dental procedure--the numbing lasts for a little while, but once it wears
off the cut area is going to hurt a great deal.  Babies sleep to block the
pain.  We've noticed that the babies start waking up and nursing better
sometime in the evening if the circ is done in the morning.

I have been very surprised to read that apparently in many hospitals this
is still being done with no pain control.  Just out of curiousity (hope
this isn't getting into the off-limits area), are the parents aware that no
anesthesia is going to be used?  There are just a couple of doctors here
who don't use it, and when I have carefully relayed this information to
mothers, they have been appalled.  They have then known to ask their doctor
"whether they use anesthesia," and if the answer is no, have requested
another doctor for the procedure.  Also, since there are many nurses on
Lactnet who may have ethical concerns about non-religious circumcision, you
may be interested in an organization called "Nurses for the Rights of the
Child."  They can provide information to nurses who wish to avoid assisting
in the procedure.  Their address is 369 Montezuma #354, Santa Fe, New
Mexico 87501, telephone 505-989-7377, email [log in to unmask]

Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC, Appleton, Wisconsin
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