VUB study breastfeeding and surgery: important questions often not asked
There is a clear need for better information and support for breastfeeding women undergoing surgery
Breastfeeding while undergoing surgery can be challenging for many women. Although guidelines exist on how healthcare providers can safely support breastfeeding mothers before, during and after surgery, the extent to which these guidelines are applied in practice is not clear. Prof Eline Tommelein (Department of Experimental Pharmacology VUB) investigated how women experience such care.
In an online study, Tommelein surveyed 193 Belgian women who were breastfeeding at the time they underwent a surgical procedure involving analgesia or anaesthesia. The participants completed a questionnaire between September 2021 and April 2022 about their experiences with the care surrounding their surgery, the use of medication and the advice they received about breastfeeding.
Results showed that important information was often not discussed. 23.3 per cent of the participants were not asked by any healthcare provider before the procedure whether they were breastfeeding, 22.3 per cent reported that there was no conversation about the use and safety of medication while breastfeeding.
In addition, women often received varying and sometimes contradictory advice. About a quarter of the participants were advised to resume breastfeeding immediately after the procedure, while ultimately 43.5 per cent actually did so. 5.7 per cent of those surveyed were advised to temporarily pump and discard their breast milk, ranging from once to 24 hours after the procedure. In practice, only some of the women followed the advice. As clear information was often lacking, many mothers went looking for answers themselves. Almost 40 per cent sought information on online forums and over a quarter consulted websites.
The results point to a clear need for better information and support for breastfeeding women undergoing surgery. More training for healthcare providers, clear hospital protocols and better awareness of existing guidelines could help to better guide mothers and avoid unnecessary interruptions to breastfeeding.
More info:
Eline Tommelein: Eline.Tommelein@vub.be
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