As you are getting ready to fight the good fight on breastfeeding and
surgery...

The body has wonderful defense and support mechanisms that help keep it
intact during stressful times. One of these support mechanisms is called
"third spacing." Basically what that means is, when a mom has surgery, her
body decides it's under siege and throws extra fluids into the interstitial
fluid (basically - out of the blood circulation system and into the spaces
"between the cells" of the tissues).

We see this with C section moms - they will usually begin to diurese (ie
PEE!) (and sweat) copiously about 24 hours after the surgery. The body has
decided they're probably out of the worst of the danger, and it's safe to
let go of those extra fluids.

I warn moms pre-surgery (when I'm lucky enough to see them) that they should
expect this to happen. and just as they should concentrate on keeping their
pain levels low with medication "so you can use that energy to heal, not to
fight the pain" -- they should not worry about their milk supply. It will
come back.

After all, if you can re-lactate after years to feed an adopted baby, you
can certainly bring your milk supply back in a few days when you've been in
full production. We haven't found this to be a problem here. (Supportive
staff, pumps available in med/surg along with lc on call to those units,
baby allowed in as much as mom wants if dad or support person there to take
care of baby - as much as possible, not always if it's nutso.)

Dawn Kersula RN, FACCE, IBCLC (The Green Mtn Mama!)
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in southern Vermont

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