Alcohol and Breastfeeding

**Crystalwings** · September 1st, 2011, 08:25 PM

There is so much conflicting advice out there.
On one hand they say 1-2 drinks a few times a week is ok as long as your baby is over 1 month but then say it is better not to drink (but that goes for everyone anyway)

I enjoy a red wine or 2 max a few times a week. I feed then once the kids are in bed i'll have a wine. Is this ok? Did you drink while bf? sometimes bub wakes a couple of hours after i've had one but she seems fine. She is meeting developmental milestones and i don't get drunk.

Did anyone else drink while breastfeeding?

ETA bub is 6mths

**Epacris** · September 1st, 2011, 08:29 PM

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

**onthefly** · September 1st, 2011, 08:32 PM

I think that on average, 1 standard drink will be gone from your blood system after about 2 hours (for women). If you feed then drink, then give it a couple of hours per standard drink before feeding then she shouldn't be getting any alcohol at all. Bear in mind also that the % of alcohol in your milk is the same as in your blood. So, for example, I *think* that 1 standard drink takes the average woman to 0.02.

** standard drinks are often smaller than what we pour ourselves and we all metabolise alcohol differently.

A lot of alcohol is not good, obviously. It can affect milk supply as it dehydrates you.
I have an ocasional small glass of wine in the evening. DD's sleep is unpredictable so I daren't have any more than that. I figure it's about half a standard drink, so I have 1 hour

**onthefly** · September 1st, 2011, 08:33 PM

nice work Ep!
Just to add a point from ABA info also - it is not necessary to pump and dump (as many women are often told)

**MummaSue** · September 1st, 2011, 08:34 PM

I have the odd glass of wine here and there, and don't really worry about it.

Bottoms up!!

**HotI** · September 1st, 2011, 08:35 PM

Here is a guide from the ABA website http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfin...lchohol_BF.pdf

i don't drink often (i reckon there would be less than 5 times i have had any alcohol since DD was born), but i just haven't felt like it since she was born. if her sleep was more consistent, and i knew i had a couple hours to myself, i might be more inclined to have one.

**Crystalwings** · September 1st, 2011, 08:42 PM

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** · September 1st, 2011, 08:44 PM

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** · September 1st, 2011, 09:19 PM

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** · September 1st, 2011, 09:29 PM

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** · September 2nd, 2011, 05:44 PM

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** · September 2nd, 2011, 06:17 PM

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

**Nai** · September 2nd, 2011, 07:45 PM

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

**nothing2lose** · September 2nd, 2011, 07:46 PM

Nai, I think it has something to do with the yeast... Or the vitamin B - or both!!!

**onthefly** · September 2nd, 2011, 08:18 PM

I read somewhere that the alcohol slows your flow or something, which leaves you feeling more engorged (but not actually with more milk)
Maybe yeast is supposed to help supply...? think it's in those lactation cookies.

**luna moth** · September 3rd, 2011, 07:55 AM

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

Brewers yeast in good quality unfiltered beer.

DH is a keen all grain home brewer, so I drink his beer from time to time. At the moment it's only once a week, but that's more for weight loss purposes than because I'm breastfeeding.

I went to a party a few weeks ago and had two West Coast coolers and a tequila shot. Oh yes, I'm wild! Got home at 2, fed DD at 4.

Had a "hangover" the next day, but I think that was from lack of sleep, sugar, and too much exposure to smoke, rather than my three standard drinks.

**deletedit** · September 3rd, 2011, 05:42 PM

Having got happily sozzled on one strongbow last night (the side effect of rarely drinking and having lost a lot of weight) I think the worst problem would be having to carry the baby and falling over!

Thankfully he slept through the night - absolutely loving the baby having his own room now so he doesn't wake us up 10 times a night to be fed