If your child requires surgery it's very important to know as much as you can before hand.  This will help you know what to expect during and after the operation.

The days before and of the surgery:

• Try to remain calm.  This may be very difficult but it's important to remain as calm as possible.  You will be able to ask more intelligent questions, better answer their questions and better understand important information that the surgeon and anesthesiologist need you know.  As well, it will be easier for your child to remain calm if you express a calm demeanor.
• Child's Diet.  Generally when a child is going to be sedated their diet is restricted for a few hours prior to sedation.  Generally, only clear liquids for 12 hours prior and nothing by mouth for about six hours prior.
• Medications.  The night before, they will likely be given any medications they usually get at bedtime, check with your surgeon to be sure.  They may offer a sedative to the child just before surgery.
• Anesthetics.  The anesthesiologist usually comes to speak with parents before surgery.  They will want to know if the child has been ill recently, as this may post-pone surgery.  They will also examine the child to make sure they do not have any chest congestion, etc.
• Going to the O.R. Some hospitals will let parents accompany the child into the operating room until they are ready to be sedated, or even during the sedation.  You will be required to wear the same protective clothing as the OR staff to prevent infections.

Immediately after the operation your child will be placed in the recovery area until they begin to wake. Once awake one (sometimes two) parent will be allowed to sit with child until they are fully awake at which time they will be sent to their room.  Some kids will feel nausea immediately following surgery, others may feel a bit sick for up to 24 hours after the operation.  IV fluids will likely be administered for up to 24 hours or more after surgery.

If the Fundoplication was performed laparoscopically the child will have five or six small dressings on his abdomen. If the child had and open Fundoplication they will likely have an NG-tube (naso-gastric tube) passed through their nose. This goes down the esophagus and into the stomach and will be used to drain the stomach in the hours after the operation.  They will likely be receiving oxygen and will have a large, long wound under dressing on their abdomen.  Sometimes a catheter is inserted to drain the bladder during surgery.  If your child has a catheter it will likely be removed a few days after surgery.

If a G-tube was placed at the time of the surgery they will also have a rubber tube protruding from a small hole in their abdomen, this will likely be covered with dressing as well.

The doctor and nurses will frequently listen to their abdomen with a stethoscope.  Once they hear bowel sounds return they will begin the process of introducing food.  Ice chips will be first, if it's tolerated they will slowly move on to clear liquids, then soft foods.  Some children may be exclusively G-tube fed for a time after their surgery.

Your child may not have a bowel movement for a day or so, that's ok.  If after two or more days they have not had a BM,  and they are feeling uncomfortable, they may be allowed a laxative.  Some kids could experience diarrhea after surgery, speak to the surgeon if it does not stop.  If the child doesn't have a catheter and doesn't empty their bladder within six to twelve hours of surgery the nurse will likely insert a catheter to drain it.

They will likely be given antibiotics (by IV, or mouth usually) to prevent infection.  Pain medication will also be administered and they may be given anti-nausea medication, as it is important to prevent vomiting, this could disrupt the wrap. The child will probably stay on their reflux medication for one month or more after surgery. They will also likely receive a prescription for pain medication when they are discharged. As they begin to heal you can switch to  and over-the-counter pain medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist which one they recommend for your child.

Your child will require diet modifications for at least four to six weeks after surgery as the fundo may make it difficult for your child to swallow solid food and pass gas.  Starting with water, milk, juice, smoothees, Jello, popsicles, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, milkshakes, etc.  Gradually increase the consistency as they can tolerate it.  Move on to soups with soft small particles (like Campbell’s), mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, etc.  Stay away from things like steak, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza dough, crackers and chips.  Anything carbonated is off limits—Coke, Root Beer, etc because they can not pass gas.  They will not eat as much as they could as the stomach is now smaller than it was before surgery.  It's possible they will lose weight in the first couple weeks after surgery but this should stop after a few weeks.  Some children have trouble getting their appetite back, others could develop oral and/or feeding aversions so it's important to watch them and discuss your concerns with the doctor if you think this may be happening.

Generally it's ok to bath the child forty-eight hours after surgery.  Wash any incisions  with soap and water, rinse with clean water and gently pat dry.  Sometimes irrigation saline may be used to clean the sites, ask your doctor.  Notify the doctor if the incisions become red, begin to drain or open, or smell.

Try to encourage the child to return to normal activities as they are able to.  With a laparoscopic fundo this could be in as little as a week or two.  Discourage heavy lifting for at least four weeks. An open fundo will take longer to recover from and it could be four to six weeks before they are able to return to their normal activities.  Straining and heavy lifting should be avoided to about eight weeks after an open fundo.  Be sure to discuss this with your surgeon.