Alcohol and Breastfeeding

[Epacris]

I happily drink while breastfeeding. It is completely different to drinking during pregnancy (by many orders of magnitude).

Here's the ABA factsheet: http://www.lrc.asn.au/ABA_Alchohol_BF.pdf

[Crystalwings]

thanks for that. i have seen that factsheet but i guess i just don't know many people who admit to drinking while bf. i never drank once while pg but as you said they are totally different.

will continue to enjoy my red then thanks

[OceanPrincess]

Yeah I do, don't feel bad CW

Once I was sure I would get a few hours from last feed to next, I would have a glass or two. Never more than two.

[Epacris]

Alcohol during pregnancy verses alcohol during breastfeeding – I think of it like this.

We all know that alcohol passes freely though the placenta, so essentially your baby drinks what you drink. If you drink a glass of wine, your baby drinks a glass of wine, if your blood alcohol is 0.02 then so is your baby’s. (And I will freely admit that I did have the odd glass of wine during all of my pregnancies fully aware of the facts and risks).

When you drink while breastfeeding the alcohol goes into your breastmilk just as it goes into your blood. Your baby then drinks your breastmilk.

A pregnant woman drinking a glass of wine is like the baby drinking a drink that is 13% alcohol.
A breastfeeding woman drinking a glass of wine is like the baby drinking a drink that is 0.02% alcohol, if that! Completely different.

[kelebek]

I did drink while bf, I would wait until he had had a feed and knew it would be a few hours before he would want another drink.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Doesn't every woman need a pint of guinness a night whilst breastfeeding? I was told that by my mother and she kept buying me stout. (I like my alcohol so am not going to complain.)

[nothing2lose]

Lol FB..my mum always drank stout while breastfeeding.

[Nai]

I did! I am sure stout brought my milk in and beer makes you really engorged, not sure why.