Babies Breastfeeding Breastfeeding After Gastric Bypass Surgery By Donna Murray, RN, BSN facebook twitter Donna Murray, RN, BSN has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rutgers University and is a current member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Nursing Honor Society. Learn about our editorial process Donna Murray, RN, BSN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Meredith Shur, MD on April 20, 2020 Meredith Shur, MD, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a certified medical examiner. Learn about our Review Board Meredith Shur, MD on April 20, 2020 Print Lita Bosch / Getty Images You can definitely breastfeed after gastric bypass surgery. Breastfeeding is not only possible, but it's also encouraged as long as you carefully manage your nutritional status, take your vitamin and mineral supplements, and see your baby's doctor regularly. Gastric bypass surgery is performed to help you lose weight and lower your risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. The surgery reduces the size of your stomach and bypasses the top portion of your small intestine. This decreases the number of calories that you take in each day and helps you lose weight, but it also affects your body's ability to absorb some important nutrients. After gastric bypass surgery, it is recommended to wait at least two years before becoming pregnant. Rapid weight loss, a lower daily calorie intake, and a limited ability to absorb folate, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, and iron can put you and your baby at risk for nutritional deficiencies. It is very important to follow the recommended post-surgery diet, eat enough protein each day and take your vitamin and mineral supplements. A poor nutritional status can affect the quantity and quality of your breast milk. What You Should Do Follow all of your post-surgery instructions. Adhere to your diet and make sure you eat the recommended amount of protein each day. Take all of the daily supplements that are prescribed to you. Wait two years after your surgery before getting pregnant. Make sure your doctor monitors your nutritional status while you are pregnant and when you are breastfeeding. This may require having your blood tested often. Breastfeed often to maintain a healthy supply of breast milk. Have your baby monitored regularly to ensure proper growth and development. If you are compliant with your follow-up care, you abide by your doctor's instructions, and you are mindful of your nutritional needs, you will have a greater chance of breastfeeding successfully after weight loss surgery. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Track your baby’s most exciting moments with our milestone checklist. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. La Leche League International. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding Eight Edition. Ballantine Books. New York. 2010.