By Rama B.
My son, Y, is two years and eight months old as I am writing this little story. I am breastfeeding him on demand (early mornings, evenings, and sometimes night feedings).
Yesterday, we took Y to the hospital for an adenoidectomy surgery that required general anesthesia. We made the decision to go for the surgery option after facing some repetitive severe throat infections and strong snoring during the nights. In addition to that, the enlarged adenoids were also triggering severe asthma symptoms. He has been under medical treatments for those issues for a year, but it did not completely work.
In the days before the surgery, I was very anxious because I was wondering how we would manage the fasting periods that my son would have to observe. No nursing or food would be allowed for eight hours before the surgery and for three hours after.
The day before surgery, Y had his dinner at around 6:30 PM. He fell asleep at the breast at 8:30 PM. I put him in his bed gently after he fell asleep. He woke up at 2 AM because of his snoring and nasal congestion. He and I laid down together on the large bed, and he breastfed for almost two hours before falling asleep again. I breastfed him again at 7 AM for 15 minutes before going to the hospital.
From that time until 1 PM, Y did not ask to eat or to breastfeed. We were just singing and playing together until the medical staff came to transfer him to the operating room. After the surgery, we went in to join him after some time in the recovery room to monitor his blood pressure. We stayed at the hospital under observation. We had to wait three more hours before giving him any liquid or food. He was sleeping for a lot of that time.
When he woke up, Y asked for water. I brought him a glass of water; he drank a few drops but stopped immediately, saying that his throat was really hurting. Then he requested to breastfeed; so I sat with him for almost an hour without any complaints of pain or sore throat. He was even looking at his father, smiling and laughing.
Breastfeeding was helping him to cope with the pain and at the same time providing the nutrients, calories, and fluids to rehydrate him post surgery. After monitoring, the doctor allowed us to go home. Y breastfed during the night. When he woke up in the morning, I found him very active – as active as he was before the surgery! He started eating regular foods again. I was expecting that he would be weak and maybe in pain.
I believe that breastfeeding played a huge role in coping with the stress and the pain of the surgery. I think breastmilk helped to strengthen his body to recover faster than expected.
Breastfeeding is really more than nutritional nourishing, it is comforting, reassuring to both the child and the parents during such a challenging event. I was already convinced about the benefits of breastfeeding as long as possible. That experience reinforced more my willingness to achieve the goal of breastfeeding until the child stops by himself. I just hope I will be able to do so.
We always love to receive your breastfeeding and human milk feeding experiences. Please send your stories to Kylie at [email protected]
More resources on this topic:
Supporting Breastfeeding Families–Today, Tomorrow, Always
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Your gift helps support this blog and the website!
Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted. Thank you!
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Posted: November 18, 2025 by Yael Breimer
The Soothing Power of Breastfeeding After Surgery
By Rama B.
Yesterday, we took Y to the hospital for an adenoidectomy surgery that required general anesthesia. We made the decision to go for the surgery option after facing some repetitive severe throat infections and strong snoring during the nights. In addition to that, the enlarged adenoids were also triggering severe asthma symptoms. He has been under medical treatments for those issues for a year, but it did not completely work.
In the days before the surgery, I was very anxious because I was wondering how we would manage the fasting periods that my son would have to observe. No nursing or food would be allowed for eight hours before the surgery and for three hours after.
The day before surgery, Y had his dinner at around 6:30 PM. He fell asleep at the breast at 8:30 PM. I put him in his bed gently after he fell asleep. He woke up at 2 AM because of his snoring and nasal congestion. He and I laid down together on the large bed, and he breastfed for almost two hours before falling asleep again. I breastfed him again at 7 AM for 15 minutes before going to the hospital.
From that time until 1 PM, Y did not ask to eat or to breastfeed. We were just singing and playing together until the medical staff came to transfer him to the operating room. After the surgery, we went in to join him after some time in the recovery room to monitor his blood pressure. We stayed at the hospital under observation. We had to wait three more hours before giving him any liquid or food. He was sleeping for a lot of that time.
When he woke up, Y asked for water. I brought him a glass of water; he drank a few drops but stopped immediately, saying that his throat was really hurting. Then he requested to breastfeed; so I sat with him for almost an hour without any complaints of pain or sore throat. He was even looking at his father, smiling and laughing.
Breastfeeding was helping him to cope with the pain and at the same time providing the nutrients, calories, and fluids to rehydrate him post surgery. After monitoring, the doctor allowed us to go home. Y breastfed during the night. When he woke up in the morning, I found him very active – as active as he was before the surgery! He started eating regular foods again. I was expecting that he would be weak and maybe in pain.
I believe that breastfeeding played a huge role in coping with the stress and the pain of the surgery. I think breastmilk helped to strengthen his body to recover faster than expected.
Breastfeeding is really more than nutritional nourishing, it is comforting, reassuring to both the child and the parents during such a challenging event. I was already convinced about the benefits of breastfeeding as long as possible. That experience reinforced more my willingness to achieve the goal of breastfeeding until the child stops by himself. I just hope I will be able to do so.
We always love to receive your breastfeeding and human milk feeding experiences. Please send your stories to Kylie at [email protected]
More resources on this topic:
Supporting Breastfeeding Families–Today, Tomorrow, Always
Please consider donating to La Leche League USA.
Your gift helps support this blog and the website!
Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted. Thank you!
Follow us on:
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Category: Breastfeeding and Health Conditions, Breastfeeding and Hospitalization, Extended breastfeeding
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