Breastfeeding and Drinking Alcohol

I have breast fed three wonderfully healthy girls. I would definitely say that a little wine is not bad for the baby. I have stayed with the .08 level. By the time the alcohol reaches the milk it is completely diluted. I did drink wine a lot with my first girl because she was colic, and I was told that might help her calm, and usually when I tried it worked!

I would say Tamara A's advice is pretty in line with my thoughts, research and the advice given to me by my Obgyn. So, no need for me to repeat it when she said and typed it so eloquently.

You will find some women are uninformed about "pump and dump" and some groups that support breastfeeding have strong opinions about drinking alcohol while doing so.

Good luck and congrats.

E.
When I breastfed my daughter, I would have the occassional beer. Everything I researched regarding it said it was okay. My daughter had no effects from this other than it would make her a bit sleepy. At that point, that was a welcome side effect! In my personal opinion, it should be fine unless you drank the entire bottle.

Have a glass of wine... it's not going to hurt anyone~

As a matter of fact, a beer will increase your milk output..

I have been breastfeeding my 9 month old since he was born I have me a drink every now and then and wait a couple of hours before breastfeeding the doctor always told me that was alright. It doesnt seem to bother my lil one he is conent just like always.

I just received a newsletter about that today! Check out www.babycenter.com a serch for an article named "Alcohol & Nursing Moms". I was quite torn about it myself. But after EXTENSIVE research I have relized that you can drink, just in moderation.

Hope this helps!
J.

E.,
my mother is a registered head nurse and did the research for me in regards to drinking while pregnant. She's advised me that in paticular "wine" be it red or white is actually a good thing for the baby as it increases your amount of (i believe)red blood cells, of course in moderation. too much of anything can never be good. I would have at least one glass a week , but maybe two or three within the week. I am the mother of a healthy baby boy whos now 4yrs old and was born at 10lbs 1ounce. Since you are breastfeeding, you would'nt want to drink it right before the the baby may want to feed, however at night, when feedings are less, i'd go for it!!!

Hi there! Congratulations on your new baby, and on making the decision to breastfeed!

I bf my daughter until she was 13 months old, and I never had any problems with occassional drink. It takes a few hours for the alcohol to leave your milk, so I would try your best to time it so you aren't drinking right before you nurse. For example, I would have a drink at night when I knew it would be several hours before the next feeding.

If all else fails, and you wind up having a LOT to drink, you can always "pump and dump" - pump your milk and toss it before your next feeding. I never actually had to do that though.

Good luck!

Yes, this is completely ok. In fact, many books and sources recommend a single glass of wine to relax you when you are trying to adjust to breastfeeding. The rule of thumb is to allow yourself 2 hours per drink to get it out of your system. However, one drink before feeding is definitely ok. I hope this helps, and good luck with breastfeeding!

I think an occasional glass of wine is fine and I did drink wine but I waited till after baby was 6 months old

Hello, I breastfeed my youngest child( she is 8y/o) for 10 1/2-11 mos. I found an occasional glass did not bother her. I noticed that different foods(that I ate) bothered her more. Another mother at church, who bf, also had told me that when she weaned her 3 boys from breastmilk to regular milk or formula, she added a small amount of pasturized apple juice. It made the milk or formula sweeter like breastmilk.It worked for my child.

Hi, E.! My lactation consultant told me that it's okay to drink 4 oz. of wine every day if I want to while nursing. Her name is Cindy Earle and she's on staff at Pediatrics East in Collierville if you want to double check. Good luck!
D.

Hi, E.. A glass of wine with a meal once a day should be fine. Make sure you continue to be well hydrated with liquid besides the wine. If you find that your baby is more sleepy than usual after your glass of wine, then you may need to be more careful about hydration or the amount of food you eat with it. By eating a full meal and being well hydrated, you cut back on the amount of alcohol that ends up in your breast milk. I hope this helps reassure you.
S. Forrest
Mothering the Mother

PUMP N' DUMP

oh yeah enjoy a glass of wine or two you deserve it.

I too heard that a small ocasional glass of wine should be OK. However, abstaining was my choice. Compared to the child's life, breastfeeding is such a short period of time, that abstaining isn't that hard. And I felt that if my son developed problems or had a learing disablility later, I would never forgive myself.

it is best to breastfeed before you nurse- the truth is the effects have been really well filtered by the time you nurse your baby- if you are not feeling the effect, neither will your baby.... so if you are feeling the effect- so will your baby... so a single glass of wine is great.... just fine- a half a pitcher of margaritas is too much!

I too like to have glass of wine every once in a while, even when I was breastfeeding. I never had any problems with the little one, except for maybe not wanting to get out of bed for the midnight feed :) Practice moderation and you should be fine as should your little one. Also plan ahead, if you know you are going to be drinking pump/feed before and wait as long as possible to feed again. Or have your glass of wine after the baby goes to bed. Hope this helps.

You say that various baby sites say that it is okay, but you must remember that since you are breast feeding what ever you put in your body goes to your child. We are told constantly not to drink while pregnant because it can cause harm to your unborn child, if this is so how can it possibly be okay to drink while breast feeding? Either way it all goes straight to your child be it born or unborn.

You are going to get mixed feedback from websites and doctors- depending on their stance on alcohol.
When I breastfed my 2 daughters, I would also enjoy a glass of red wine. As long as you limit yourself to the one, you and your daughter will be fine.

It does pass through the breast milk to some extent and I had an occasional beer or glass of wine while I was breastfeeding. The baby sure slept better! If I ever had more than one, I would simply "pump and dump." It's probably a good idea to get your baby used to drinking from a bottle anyway in case you are ever called away on an emergency and can't be there to feed her (or if you wanted to actually go out for dinner or something). If you can sneak one bottle of formula in after you've had a couple of drinks, you can pump that milk and dump it. I can't remember how it is that you build up a supply of milk in your freezer if you are exclusively breastfeeding though. Might be a good idea to get a bit of a stockpile started.

I was pretty anemic when I was pregnant w/my first and my midwife suggested a glass of red wine, for the iron. Also as well a pint of stout beer, great for the protein, about as much as a pork chop! (Given, I didn't drink them together or at the same time, everthing in moderation.) If you get really paranoid...pump and dump! Good Luck :)
N. M

Congratulations on your 6-week old! My 6-month old is doing well and I had a glass of wine or a beer on a regular basis during my nursing. I would try to time the "drink" as close as possible to when I was going to nurse. That way, it would be metabolized before I fed in two hours. Don't worry! (Just don't go overbaord! ;-) )

Good luck!

If you have your glass of wine or whatever alcohal drink, then do the next feeding of what is called pump and dump. Don't let your baby drink your milk right after your drink. It does affect your baby for up to 12-24hrs. Alcohal dehydrates,causing the loss of fluids needed for milk production. It can make your baby sleepy,sluggish,& unable to suck well.If you choose to drink wine,It should be no more than 5oz of wine. Alot of this info you could read in "What to expect the first year".
Happy nursing, V.

i think its okay to have wine ever now and then i dont think it will hurt anything if your worried about it ask your dr but i think your baby will be fine.

My thoughts/feelings on this is that if there's a question in your mind, don't do it. Dr's don't know everything...they just "practice". 50 yrs ago they told us that smoking was good for our health. Having children requires a lot of sacrifice...why stop here? Give it up while you're breastfeeding...it'll taste that much better when you get back to it.

1 glass of wine (4 oz.) metabolizes in approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. So, you can either "pump and dump" if it is before then or wait the appropriate amount of time before breastfeeding.

Hope that helps!

Chris in Kennesaw, GA

Hello. I have a seven month old son and breastfed for the first four months. I would have an occasional glass of wine but only right after feeding and if I felt the least bit guilty I fed him formula and just pumped to get it out. The only thing I would say about having an occasional drink is that you may find the guilt or not being able to have that bonding moment because of a drink to not be worth it. My mother works for one of the best pediatricians in Ga and he said that it would be fine. I never noticed any effect on my child but I did not like the guilt I personally felt.

E.,
My advice would be to wait. Your daughter is so young and whatever is in your system will go into hers- even certain foods will affect, why not alcohol. I have no issue with having a glass once the feeding slows down. I would have a glass occassionally if I knew that by the time I nursed again, it would be well out of my system, but my son was much older, around 6-7 months. If you drink, I would suggest pump your milk soon afterwards and give her formula and then the next feeding would be fine. Good luck- I know its hard!
C.

When I was nursing I checked with a breast feeding consultant at my pediatricans office and she said an occassion glass of wine would not harm the baby or my milk. I am not a heavy drinker by any means, but my little girl had a terrible case of the colic and a glass of wine or two sure calmed my nerves. It was so intense I had to call my Mom from Florida to stay with me and my husband for over two months. Now, all is well and she is a healthy 8 month old.

Hi E.,
I'm J. and I live in Olive Branch. I breast feed both my rugrats who are 8 and 5 now. I would have the occasional glass of wine and they have turned out just fine. Also if I was planning on going out and having a real good time I would pump and store as much as possible before I went out and i would Pump and dump after I went out. I would say if you plan on having a glass with dinner you will be just fine.

Good luck with your decision.
Jen

Hi E.,
I am originated from France, so I can tell you I do love red wine with a good meal. But if you are breastfeeding you should not drink or have one glass but do not breasfeed you baby just after. Because whatever you are taking will go directly to your baby.
If you want a have a nice glass of wine wait untill you put your baby a sleep and have one, knowing that the next time you will breastfeed will be the morning.
Take care

You should be fine but if you have any doubts just hold off. I found that an occasional glass gave my daughter bad gas. Call your doctor and see what he/she thinks. Moderation is always the key. Good luck!

It's Okay as long as you don't go overboard.

E.,

I have also read in baby books and internet websites that an OCCASSIONAL glass of red wine is ok. As long as it is OCCASSIONAL and just ONE glass. Any more and most people start to get tipsy. And red wine is suppose to be good for you.

Hope that helps.

L. R.
Atlanta, GA

Whenever you eat or drink something you don't want to pass on to the baby, just "pump and dump" your milk until the food or drink is out of your system. If you don't have a pump, you can hand express as well. Try to replace the feeding with breast milk. The longer you can wait to introduce a bottle, however, the better to avoid nipple confusion. Baptist East has several really good lacation consultants and they don't care if you delivered there or not. Good luck and congrats on nursing!!!

Dear E.,
currently there is no research about how much drink you can have while breastfeeding. But, as you probably read somewhere, while you are breastfeeding, yes... the alcohol get into your system including your breastmilk. Baby reaction to alcohol is like taking concentrated alcohol from your breastmilk and the effect of the baby is so much longer. If you really want to have occasional drink, my advice is to drink at night and pump your milk and discard it. Have you ever felt, as soon as you drink fluid, you can feel your breast start to engorge? It's the same mechanism I am using here. Or... drink alcohol after you finish breastfeed. Hope that advice helps. :)

I work in L&D (Labor and Delivery) in a hospital in Georgia. Any more question, do not hesitate to ask... hopefully I can help. L.

La Leche League is really the best source of free, accurate, up to date breastfeeding information available. You can contact any leader--find one at www.lalecheleague.org. Doctors and nurses are not always up to date on current breastfeeding research, and may give outdated advice. Same with random people online! "Pump and dump" is not necessary when it comes to alcohol.

According to Dr. Thomas Hale, a pediatrician who is the foremost expert on medications and breastfeeding (he is the author of "Medications and Mother's Milk," which is updated every two years and is the authority on this issue. The Poison Control Center uses this book to answer questions for breastfeeding mothers):

"Ethanol passes into milk while it is in the plasma compartment. I generally suggest it is ok to breastfeed after one, maybe two regular drinks (not supersized).

Or the mom can wait for about 3-4 hours following her last ingested drink, or just wait until she is sober.

Remember alcohol passes into and OUT of milk as a function of maternal plasma level. Thus as the mom's level drops, so do the levels in milk.

This all means that if the mom does not have high levels of alcohol in her blood, then her milk is not likely to have high levels either.

One last comment. Alcohol is believed to reduce milk synthesis to a slight degree, some caution is recommended for moms with poor milk supply. Secondly, it may impart a 'taste' to milk that infants don't like, so they may refuse to breastfeed until the alcohol is gone.

Tom Hale, Ph.D."

That was his response to a question about alcohol use in breastfeeding mothers on his website: http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/53/1374.html?###-###...#

What this means is that if you are feeling the effects of the alcohol, it is still in your bloodstream, and therefore still in your milk. Once you no longer feel the effects, it has left your bloodstream AND it has left your milk. There is no need to "pump and dump." If you have a drink immediately after breastfeeding, and your baby isn't likely to want to nurse again for several hours, chances are by that time the alcohol will have left your milk.

The bottom line, of course, is to take this information and do what feels right to you. If your baby wakes up and wants to nurse earlier than you expected, and you're still feeling the effects of a glass of wine, will you feel ok about nursing (as Dr. Hale suggests you can), or will you feel guilty and worried? Or will you give your baby some milk you've expressed and frozen earlier, and wait to nurse until you feel completely sober? Given the facts that are available, go with your instincts.

T. (labor doula, childbirth and breastfeeding educator)

Dear E.,

One's answer depends on personal convictions. Here are some of my thoughts...
1. Your baby receives first then your body second. So what may be one glass to you is too high of an amount for her.
2.There might not be any short term damage to the child but think of long term. An adult receives damage to various organs by prolonged exposure to alcohol. And her body is not fully developed yet.
3. I know you said it was an occasional glass but I personally have and would obstain.
S.

It is fine as long as you drink your drink right after a breastfeeding session. No need to pump and dump either. I did this with mine when I bf and had no issues and everything I read said it was ok as well. Every mom needs a little relaxation every now and then! :)

What I did: I got a breast pump and froze my extra milk. When I decided to have a drink I would give my baby the milk from the freezer (thawed of course) and empty the milk from my breast and discard it. It's more of a hassle than enjoyable. You could also supplement your breast milk with formula for those times you want a drink..but you still have to empty your breast of the alcohol. I would ask my doctor if it is ok to have a glass of wine and still breastfeed. For the most part you have to ask yourself...is it worth it?

There is nothing wrong having an occassional drink. I was worried as well, esp. with my first baby. However, my aunt swears that it helped calm her colicky child, and helped calm her nerves too! If you are worried about it, have your drink after you finished nursing. Your other option is to " pump and dump". Have your drink (s) after nursing, then when it is time for the next feeding, use a breast pump and discard your milk. If you have pumped before, you probably will have some frozen to give her, or just feed formula.
Either way, sit back, relax and enjoy your precious new baby girl, along with a nice glass of vino!
I

Hi E., by now you probabley get the fact that alcohol is in your milk at about the same concentration as in your blood. The closer to the drinking you are the higher the concentration.

So to avoid exposing your baby to higher alcohol concentrations, nurse before the drink and/or give your self 3-4 hours after before feeding your baby.

PS I'm a IBCLC(18yrs), I brfd 5 children>

Hi,
My babies never latched on but I pumped with my daughter for 10 months and am now pumping with my 3 month old son. Everyone told me 2 drinks (beer or wine) were fine. With my daughter I had a very big weekend planned and to tell you the truth, we were going to party. After exhausing research I finally found a nurse to tell me that if you drink too much you should wait 8 hours and pump at least 2 times in the eight hours and throw the milk away then it is okay to feed. What I have found with my son is if I even have one glass he gets more gassy (which sometimes isn't worth it) but I didn't notice it with my daughter. The very strange thing was one time I had dinner and about 4 drinks in about a 4 hour period - I pumped and smell the milk later and it smelled like pure alcohol! I was shocked, it almost smelled more condinsed. I don't want to scare you but I made sure to toss any milk after I have been drinking more than 1 beer or 1 glass of wine after that! I hope this helps and good luck with breast feeding.
S.

Hello,
I too like the wine once in a while. I breastfed both of my girls and I have another one due in about 9 wks. With my first daughter I was nervous about drinking and if I did have a drink or two I would pump out my milk just in case. With my second daughter I realized that it wouldn't hurt her, so if I were to have a drink I would do it only when she didn't have to feed for a couple of hours. Trust me the longer you breastfeed the less feeding you will have. I breastfed my last daughter until she was 1yr. and by then she only nursed once a day. You start to get more freedom, and can enjoy that drink.
If you really feel uncomfortable having a drink while nursing them I suggest pumping before hand then when it is time to feed give the baby the bottle (if started on one) and express out or pump out the other milk. Some say the alcohol only stays in your milk for a little while. Good luck. C.

I had the occasional half glass of wine too while I was nursing. The problem is "how much is too much"? I would recommend that you wait until your baby is at least 3 months old (if you're nursing exclusively) before you have more than a half glass every week. I would err on the side of caution until you have a solid sleeping/eating schedule and there are no other SIDS risks.

Hi E.,
I have always been told, even by my mother, that if you drink alcohol and you are breastfeeding then you need to pump that milk that has built up while you have been drinking then dump it. I wouldn't drink anymore after or even right before you do that. After that dumping then you should be fine.

Sincerely,
M.
Mother of a 12month old baby girl
Columbus, Ga

Listen to your conviction. If you feel bad about it, don't do it. The very occassional glass shouldn't be a problem, and as long as it is timed after the baby has eaten, so you do have a few hours to get the alchohol through your system.

Just remember that everything the wine does to you, it will do to your baby. If you indulge, it's best to express your milk and then supplement.

I have heard that it is ok to have an occasional glass. However, my personal feeling is that if I wouldn't give my baby a glass of wine to drink, why would I expose him/her to it through my milk. You could pump and dump for 24 hours after drinking the wine and give tha baby a bottle of formula or some frozen breast milk during that time.. Personally, I just abstained from alcohol with both my kids.

check with your doctor

You can definately drink red wine. I have even had a martini while breastfeeding. Your liver absorbs most of the alcohol anyway. Just don't drink excessively! My lactation consultant told me all of this, and my son has never had any effects from it.

K.

I breastfed my son and recently went to another breastfeeding class in preparation for the birth of my daughter. It had been 4 years so I figured I'd brush up. They said if you have one glass of wine or 1 beer and don't feed for about 1 hour, your body metabolizes the alcohol and it's fine to feed the baby. If you plan to have more than one drink in an hour, it's a good idea to pump and dump.

Everything I have ever been told or have read anywhere says that it's okay. I know many people that have drank while breastfeeding, and they had no problems. In fact, they say that it helped them relax and such while they were breastfeeding. Hope this helps a little. New babies bring along lots of scary uncertainties. Good luck

Everything that I've read says it should be okay if it's just one serving. It takes your body about an hour to metabolize that. If you have any doubts, pump and dump. I breastfeed my son (almost 8 months), and when I need to replace a feeding with formula, I use a Playtex nurser. The nipple looks (and supposedly feels) more like yours. We had a little trouble learning to breastfeed in the beginning so I had to supplement with the nurser and it kept him from being confused.

L.

If you're going to only have 1-2 glasses of wine, there is no need to worry. My daughter was born in Germany as my husband was in the military & we had a German OB, they drink throughout their pregnancies there & do not see it as harmful to the fetus if you are intelligent about it and only have a glass or so. So, breastfeeding and having a glass or two is not going to hurt baby. If you have several just pump & dump-- that way you don't have to worry about the level of alcohol in your breast milk!

Indulge sweetheart-- we all need it sometimes!

i'm pregnant with my 3rd, and breast fed both of mine. i was told that a some alcohol is fine, it just might alter the taste a little, and you may notice the baby not nurse as well. i never had problems with a little beer, wine, or even a daquiri or marguarita.

I went to a breastfeeding class at the hospital and the nurse that taught the class said that you can have one drink for every hour that you do not breastfeed, so if you have 2 glasses of wine you shouldn't breastfeed for two hours. I followed it and my son never had an upset stomach or any negative affects from it (and he never acted tipsy either :-)). Hope this helps . . .

E.,

Kudos to you for wanting the very best for your baby by choosing breastmilk! I believe a good rule of thumb is to follow what you would have done during your pregnancy, as most things that you consume are transmitted into your milk: OTC meds like cold medicine or NSAID's, as well as gassy vegetables or wine. If you are having an occasional glass, and that's it, there's probably no harm done. Lots of doctors have in the past suggested a glass if pain or let-down reflex is a problem.

For me, if I had a second glass, I would express that milk (both sides, of course), and dump it!

Bottom line is, you've given your baby the intense gift of bonding and nurturing, as well as immunity and health benefits too numerous to mention, here in these first weeks. Just continue to do what feels right for both of you.

Best Wishes and Be Well!

Hi. I have a 2 1/2 year old and an 11 month old and faced the same concerns as you. With my older son I waited until he was 6 months old to drink anything. I figured by then he was eating solid and was bigger. With my younger son I didn't wait as long. You will get so many conflicting advice on this. I asked the kids dr and he said zero alcohol. My obyn said an occasional drink was ok. I took the advice of my sister-in-law. She has 5 kids and she breastfed them all until they were close to 2. She drank while nursing all of them and her children are all in gifted classes. Personally if I know I am going to have a few drinks I just wait until I put my son down for the night. He will usually sleep for about 4 hours. If he wakes up sooner I don't fret. I hope this helps.

My sister breastfed my niece. And like you she has a glass of wine on occasions. Well, she is a Registered Nurse and of course she questioned all of her co workers. And the nurses and the doctors said it was o.k. She works on the OB/GYN floor of the hospital and she is very close to one of the delivery doctors. And she told her she suggest making sure she had some frozen milk set aside for the day she drinks. And when she pumps the next time after drinking throw it out. I know it may seem like a waste, but you rather be safe than sorry. She even gave her a booklet that stated the information she told her about.