"Understanding and Supportive Care"

In January this year I had surgery on my shoulder to repair a labral tear. My experience from start to finish was great and each staff member involved really made me feel involved, listened to, valued and safe. A particular concern of mine was breastfeeding after the surgery. I was concerned that the drugs used during my surgery, the pain killers given afterwards and the mobility restriction I would have would mean that I would be unable to continue breastfeeding my son and, that with him being 19 months old, my concerns would be down played by staff who didn’t understand or appreciate why I was continuing to breastfeed.

This was absolutely not the case. When the anaesthetist (Dr Mitchell) visited me on the morning of my surgery I explained my concerns. She listened to everything I had to say and congratulated me on empowering myself and making an informed decision about my own care. She made me feel so normal which is quite rare when you’re breastfeeding a bigger baby. Dr Mitchell reassured me that the anaesthetic drugs were safe to breastfeed after and said she would perform a nerve block on my shoulder which would numb my entire arm for up to 36 hours, this would enable me to go home after my surgery that day and comfortably feed my son at bedtime.

She said that she could check which painkillers I had been prescribed and if they were not suitable for breastfeeding with ask for them to be switched to something else which would be safe. My experience of meeting Dr Mitchell made me feel so much more relaxed going into my surgery. I trusted that she really understood my concerns and valued them. Not all Drs see breastfeeding in the same light and some, in my experience, see breastfeeding as a barrier to them effectively treating a patient rather than the treatment as a barrier to continuing to breastfeed. Breastfeeding provides my son with so much more than nutrition, it is his comforter and he isn’t ready to stop yet, especially at very short notice. I really appreciate the time and concern taken by each of the doctors who cared for me, they all made a scary and stressful experience a lot easier.