Rough week - ? about nursing before ear tube placement

Well, we've been battling this ear infection (dd's first, btw) for 4
weeks now. Finally managed to get to the ENT this morning, and she's
got to get tubes. They say that the night before, she isn't to have
anything by mouth after midnight. I asked specifically about nursing
and she told me, "Nothing." Any suggestions for getting dd back to
sleep when she (inevitably) wakes up for her night nursing? She's not
going to understand, "Honey, you can't nurse because you will be under
anesthesia in a few hours."

As for the rough week part, in the middle of trying to get this ear
infection under wraps (5 different antibiotics, long story), she decided
to contract rotovirus. What we thought was diarrhea from the
antibiotics, wasn't. She was hospitalized Tuesday due to dehydration,
despite the fact I was nursing her three times our normal schedule. Was
discharged Wed because she "looked good", only to return Friday for IV
infusion, and be admitted upon our return Saturday for same. This time,
I knew to request the blood test to check her hydration (or lack of),
and I'm happy to say she's been off the IV for 24 hours, labs looked
good and we came home this morning.

I say all of that to say this... I was very surprised that not one
person we encountered in the past week has questioned my ability to bf
her through this. I fully expected to hear, from at least *someone* to
supplement with formula. We did use pedialyte, as much as we could
choke down her, as she wasn't too keen on the idea. All of the doctors
encouraged me to bf, bf, bf. No one mentioned weaning or even raised an
eyebrow to the fact that I'm still nursing. I was pleasantly surprised
at the support we received.

Well, dd seems to be on the mend. Only to face the tubes next week. I
wanted to check to see what others that might have been in the same
situation have done.

TIA,
Jodie

Should be able to have breastmilk 4 hours before surgery. That was standard
before my two sons' separate surgeries, one for a minor cyst removal but they
had to put him under and the other for cleft palate repair just last week.

Breastmilk is considered a clear liquid... I nursed Aries 3 hours before I
had to be at the hospital. So it was about 4 hours before surgery. I
nursed him right after the surgery as well... he bypassed recovery and came
right back to me... the nurse practically ordered me to nurse him.

--
Cadie and Aries
"Jodie" wrote in message
...
| Well, we've been battling this ear infection (dd's first, btw) for 4
| weeks now. Finally managed to get to the ENT this morning, and she's
| got to get tubes. They say that the night before, she isn't to have
| anything by mouth after midnight. I asked specifically about nursing
| and she told me, "Nothing." Any suggestions for getting dd back to
| sleep when she (inevitably) wakes up for her night nursing? She's not
| going to understand, "Honey, you can't nurse because you will be under
| anesthesia in a few hours."
|
| As for the rough week part, in the middle of trying to get this ear
| infection under wraps (5 different antibiotics, long story), she decided
| to contract rotovirus. What we thought was diarrhea from the
| antibiotics, wasn't. She was hospitalized Tuesday due to dehydration,
| despite the fact I was nursing her three times our normal schedule. Was
| discharged Wed because she "looked good", only to return Friday for IV
| infusion, and be admitted upon our return Saturday for same. This time,
| I knew to request the blood test to check her hydration (or lack of),
| and I'm happy to say she's been off the IV for 24 hours, labs looked
| good and we came home this morning.
|
| I say all of that to say this... I was very surprised that not one
| person we encountered in the past week has questioned my ability to bf
| her through this. I fully expected to hear, from at least *someone* to
| supplement with formula. We did use pedialyte, as much as we could
| choke down her, as she wasn't too keen on the idea. All of the doctors
| encouraged me to bf, bf, bf. No one mentioned weaning or even raised an
| eyebrow to the fact that I'm still nursing. I was pleasantly surprised
| at the support we received.
|
| Well, dd seems to be on the mend. Only to face the tubes next week. I
| wanted to check to see what others that might have been in the same
| situation have done.
|
| TIA,
| Jodie
|