what do you think about drinking while you are breastfeeding?

Was just reading some info on the ABA website, very interesting and good to know.

I haven't touched a drop through put my pregnancy- my choice and each to there own, so not saying u are wrong if u have or do etc.

I agree on the ppl who said if u deny yourself something u will just want it more, so i think if i felt like while after bubs was born then i prob would have one or two , but not until bubs was in some form of routine and i knew that she wouldn't need another feed for a few hours.

I know that family want to get champers for after the birth for me as thats my drink of choice but i wont be drinking any as i would not feel comfortable doing it so soon, i hope they understand :)

i guess everyone is different and u have to do what ever u feel ok and comfortable with

Alioops and Kate, thank you for setting out the facts on this issue, that makes total sense.

On the basis of that information I can see how drinking while BF is many degrees "lower risk" than during pregnancy - and from someone who has enjoyed a glass of wine every few weeks during the preg, that's welcome news!

I don't drink while pg so I wouldn't drink while bf.

Not judging those who have had a glass or two while bf each to their own, but I wouldn't even drink caffinated drinks let alone alcohol.

My sister drank during her pg and while bf and the developmental delays are showing up in her dd.

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I don't drink while pg so I wouldn't drink while bf.



My sister drank during her pg and while bf and the developmental delays are showing up in her dd.

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Hey sirenz ,do u mind me asking how much your sister drank?

during pregnancy, the amount of alcohol consumed doesn't make much difference - you can be a regular drinker, or you can have one binge - and can still do the same amount of damage (google fetal alcohol syndrome - you should find lots of information)

the delays mentioned can more than likely be linked to FAS from the alcohol consumption during pregnancy, not BF (unless the mum is constantly pickled and the bub is constantly drinking very alcoholic milk). the child may have been slower to develop anyway (not all kids develop at the same rate) but may have signs of FAS

i know of someone with three children - she didn't drink through any of the pregnancies, and has only had small amounts of alcohol while BF the youngest. it is the middle child with developmental and learning delays - so you really can't guarantee that developmental delays are related to alcohol consumption


we all do what we feel comfortable with. when DD first arrived, i didn't have caffeinne, i didn't eat much spicy food, no alcohol. then i realised i was depriving myself of foods/drinks i wanted and was beginning to resent breast feeding my daughter. so i reintroduced them gradually. i don't drink a lot of caffeinated drinks, but if i have a headache, i'll have a coke instead of pain meds (this was recommended to me by my neurosurgeon as a way of preventing migraines developing - caffeine was the only difference between two preventative drugs - and the non-caffeinated ones didn't work). i started eating full flavoured food again - i had no intention of weaning DD early and i wasn't going to go without the food i enjoyed indefinitely.

it's up to you to make the call as to what to include or leave out of your diet - but you can't judge others for making a different call to you. if someone it putting their child at risk (copious alcohol etc) then there are ways to report this - but consuming caffeine and/or small amounts of alcohol - not a drama.

I figured it was ok to have the odd glass (or two) when the private hossy I was in for DS1 offered mums a glass of red or white with the evening meal ;).
Funny, I didn't drink very much while BFing DS1 - didn't deny myself, just limited it to one glass once or twice a week with a meal. But with DS2 ... let's just say that while my consumption has still been "in moderation", I've definitely been more relaxed about it. Didn't help that DS2 arrived two weeks before Xmas ...

I actually thought that as much as anything, our new baby's liver had to break down the alcohol that went into their system ... so that is why it should be limited.

i'm not sure how much she drank, but she usually drinks every day/night :(

I never saw the harm in a guinness or a glass of wine - I just don't get drunk. I don't want DS to see me like that. I'm also on drugs that affect how alcohol affects me - so even not BFing I don't drink much. That's about looking after DS too.

I still don't have caffeine. DS was hypersensitive to it as a baby, so did me no favours. It woke him up more than me, even filtered down in breastmilk! I gave it up at 6w pg and haven't taken it up again, but that's my choice. Well, I did take chocolate up again the moment DS weaned: 2 days of not wanting milk and that was it, he was weaned and I bought a bag of chocolate brazil nuts!

I also had a small glass of wine a month in pregnancy - nothing too alcoholic, but with weddings, holidays, 80th birthday parties, family gatherings... a small glass was all I would have and even then certain people told me I was being silly and should have more.

I don't think ppl should be encouraging pg women to drink more just because they are attending a wedding etc. Personally I wouldn't have had any alcohol at all, but you did the right thing by only have one. Surely its not the be all and end all if a person can't have a drink of alcohol while pg or bf? I don't understand why its so important to drink when at these types of events.

IMO I feel it is much better to abstain from any and all alcohol while pg. After all it won't kill anyone for not drinking for 9 months, but drinking it could damage a baby's developing brain.

Its great to hear everyone's views on this.

Its a topic where everyone has to make the decision for them selves if they drink nothing some a lot ,and when they do drink.

Some very good points were made and i have taken in a lot