To : Pat Gima and others
Re : Valium

The Valium generally used for dental procedures is an old anesthetic technique
in which they push IV Valium and Demerol to produce a short anesthesia for
dental surgery.  Its quite popular with dentists.

It's too bad they haven't discovered Versed(midazolam) which is actually far
superior for this purpose and for breastfeeding.  It is very water soluble,
has a rapid onset,  rapid redistribution,  and rapid recovery and elimination.

However,  I do not think a one-dose exposure of Valium would necessarily be
detrimental to a "normal" breastfeeding infant if the mom were to wait 6 or
more hours after the surgery.  First,  Valium rapidly redistributes out of the
plasma compartment and would largely be distributed in adipose tissue by
several or more hours.  This would not lead to high milk levels.  Demerol would
be largely gone in 4-6 hours.

The only time we become concerned about the benzodiazepines in lactating women
is when they are used day after day and where the levels could potentially
build up in the infant.

Regards

Tom Hale, PH.D.