CT scan contrast and nursing...

[Ty&Gwen's Mommy]

I have Crohn's Disease and had a CT scan today. I was told not to nurse for 24 hours from the time they injected the contrast (iodine). Everything I've read supports this statement, but I just wanted to double-check. I know that a lot of "no-no's" have been debunked as myths, but this one still seems to be valid. I guess it has something to do with the fact that many people are allergic to iodine (shellfish, etc.) and they don't want to trigger something in the baby if she has an allergy.

Anyone have any idea about this? I'm actually welcoming the break as I have a rotten cold that I think might be bronchitis as well, and I need rest. DH has gladly volunteered to have a slumber party with Gwen tonight so that I can just pump at midnight and 4am and get a decent night's rest.

[Thomas's Mum]

I had a contrast CT yesterday, and last October. The academy of radiologists says it is not necessary to pump and dump due to the short half-life of the dye. That may partly depend on the age of your baby; my son was 7 months old in October and is now 11 months old. I nursed him with no problem. Good luck!

The way it was explained to me was that there was concern about how the iodine would affect the baby's thyroid. I'm looking for the link of the information and will post it as soon as I find it.

[Ty&Gwen's Mommy]

Thank you! My daughter is 12 weeks, so I may play it safe just to be sure. I worry enough about either of my kids developing Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis (or any number of other autoimmune disorders, for that matter) that I don't like to take any chances with their health. It's only until 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, and I may just start back into routine after breakfast. This cold/bronchitis/whatever is kicking my butt so much that I think I'm going to suck it up and take advantage of having the bed to myself for a night. *sigh*

[@llli*google.316]

So sorry to hear you're sick!!

It's just a regular CT scan? I was given one of those a few days after LO was born (to rule out pulmonary embolism) and they told me I had to FF for 24 hours. I only found out later that this advice was quite wrong.

Newer imaging methods such as CT scan and MRI scans are of no concern, even if contrast is used.

from More and More Breastfeeding Myths

However, one of the most common reasons to do a lung scan is to diagnose a clot in the lung. This can now be done better and faster with CT scan, which does not require interrupting breastfeeding for even 1 second.

from You Should Keep Breastfeeding

If YOU need a rest, however, that's another story entirely! Just make sure to pump.

[Thomas's Mum]

http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear...o-pump-an.html

http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/radioisotopes.html

Still looking for the radiologists' policy and will be back

[Ty&Gwen's Mommy]

Thank you, again. I think *I* need the break more than anything. Everyone has been commenting on how red my face is and how ill I appear. A night's rest might do me some good. I already have my pump ready to go so that I can get up when Gwen feeds tonight. I feel so incomplete without her in bed with me and when we're not nursing. She will take a bottle from everyone except me, which is why DH is going to be having a sleepover downstairs tonight. Heck, if I'm even in the room she will boycott the bottle. That's FANTASTIC for those moments when grandma tries to slip one in while I'm tending to her big brother and she fusses for a minute (my mother never even considered nursing, so she's always telling me the baby isn't getting enough or whatever), but rough when there are times that I can't nurse her. With my disease, sometimes I will have to take a pill that I CANNOT expose her to. There is one drug that has been proven to cause apnea in infants. I take it only when absolutely necessary, which thankfully has only been twice so far. So, this should be interesting tonight. I'm going to miss my baby girl something awful.