I realize this is not a lactation issue, but it does relate when a 'nursling'
or any child must have anesthesia.  When Lisa or any other mother has been
told her child needs a procedure that requires anesthesia or sedation and the
doctor bans the parent from being  present--- I cringe.  As a nurse, I did
considerable work as "Patient Education Coordinator" for 4 years at a busy
hospital with 20 to 30 surgeries going on daily.  This included pre-operative
education for adults, and children.  I spent a lot of time in the OR
observing all types of operations, and have also worked as a surgical nurse.

Children, as well as adults need adequate preparation for any procedure that
is foreign and potentially  frightening.  Having anesthesia myself, general
anesthesia and spinal in different operations, as an informed, cooperative
adult was an anxiety producing experience.
Many hospitals and doctors prevent parents from being present for anesthesia
induction.  Parents are blithly reassured that the child "will be fine" and
having the parent there will only worry the child more.  The parent lets the
nurse or attendant take the child and often it is "fine".  BUT, I have seen
little children start to cry as soon as they realize they are being carried
away from Mommy and that they are in that strange OR environment that looks
like outer space.  One child I observed became frantic and they  "gassed him
down"  as quickly as possible.  But having Mommy present was not even
considered an option as she would be too upset and "we've always done it this
way".
I vowed this would NEVER happen to my children.  When our 6 year old needed
his tonsils removed we traveled 100 miles to UVA where parents are not only
"allowed" but encouraged to be with their children for anesthesia. It went
beautifully, and his only comments after was about how bad the mask and gas
smelled, even with the strawberry sented oil he had chosen with the
anesthesiologist.   Many hospitals now have pre-anesthesia rooms where
children can be held in Mommy's or Daddy's arms until asleep.  Parents are
properly prepared for the experience and can reassure their little one as
they would for other necessary but unpleasant events in their lives.  Why
can't dentists in their private offices do this too?    Lisa, I would try to
dialog, bargain, convince your dentist to let you do what you know is right
for your child.  If he is unmovable I would search far and wide until I found
a dentist qualified to do the work who would cooperate with your very
reasonable requests.  He will probably say he is afraid you will faint, get
in the way, frighten the child, child will be more upset, etc.and his way
works best ----but I bet he's never tried it any other way.    This sounds an
awful lot like why dads used to be prevented from being in the delivery room
doesn't it?

Jane Bradshaw, LLLL, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Private Practice, Lynchburg, Va