Can you drink while your breastfeeding?

Answer 1

If you read the books it tells you that you can drink a glass of wine or 1 alcholic beverage while you are breastfeeding, but you must do it in moderation. That doesn't mean 1 drink every night of the week. That means 1 drink for every 2-3 weeks. Or on special occasions. I have even asked my doctors this when I was breastfeeding.

Answer 2

I wonder where people get their information. Moderate drinking while breastfeeding is ok. You *should not* breastfeed while you are drunk. Really you shouldn't take care of a child while drunk so that really isn't so much a breastfeeding issue, more of a child care issue. Alcohol (in moderation) is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding mothers.

1 - 2 drinks should be fine. Less than 2% of the alcohol that a mother drinks reaches her milk. The amount of alcohol in milk peaks about 45 minutes after drinking. If you can time the drinking and breastfeeding so that you breastfeed right before drinking that's even better. The alcohol leaves your breastmilk even if you don't breastfeed or pump. It's just the same as your blood alcohol level. If you are away from your baby for a long period of time (out for a few drinks with friends) then you would want to pump to prevent engorgement and to keep your milk supply up.

Another consideration is the age of the baby. A newborn is less able to metabolize the small amount of alcohol in the milk than if you're nursing a 12 month old.

As a side note, you can also take many OTC or prescription medications while breastfeeding. And spicy foods are rarely a problem. Please be careful of who you take breastfeeding advice from! Read the two links in my resource section. Good information from reliable sources.

Answer 3

Of course you can, if you want to have a baby who is going to be affected by it in some way. If it kills brain cells in adults I'd think that it could cause brain damage.

An occasional drink is probably not going to hurt. However, alchohol does go into and out of your bloodstream and into your milk at the same rate. So if you're planning to have a drink wait a couple of hours before breastfeeding again. If you get drunk - obviously - you'll need to pump the breast milk and discard it until you're sober.

Drinking alot of alcohol could affect baby's motor development and interfere with your body's let down reflex making it more challenging to breastfeed.

The worst thing I would think is that a drink could impair your ability to properly care for your baby. I mean if they say don't drink and drive - wouldn't it be even more important to protect baby from the effects of your drinking choices?

Isn't it hard enough to care for a young baby without complicating things by making yourself a bit more clumsy, a bit less apt to hear baby's cry, and just generally not able to function as well?

I personally wouldn't touch the stuff at a time like this. Alchohol and babies just don't mix either in the womb or while breastfeeding.

Answer 4

I would drink one glass of red wine every once in a while. I think that is okay. But if your going to have a margarita or something else, you need to pump good milk for the baby. Then after you drink you need to pump alot and throw that milk away. That is what i did. My kids are the best looking happiest healthiest children i know. They are almost perfect. Just use good judgment. If anything the wine will sooth them.

Answer 5

no no no!! if you do then you must allow the right amount of time to pass before breastfeeding again. pump before hand so the baby will have milk while you are unable to feed him/her. ask someone of the appropriate timing as i can not say for sure, i would say 5 hours per drink as thats what i've been told.

Answer 6

The occasional drink is not going to harm your child. A glass of wine is fine, and a glass of beer before bed will even increase your supply. However, anything more than a couple of glasses of wine will come through into your breastmilk.

Answer 7

I breastfed my 2 boys both til they were 12 mths old. I had the occasional glass of wine usually after they went to sleep for the night and it did not harm my boys.

Answer 8

Best to use a straw in case you spill some on the babies head, you don't want it smelling of booze!!

Answer 9

It is problem not a good idea because the alcohol may be passed onto the baby.

Answer 10

Anything and everything you put into your body will be in the breast milk. Don't drink, smoke, drugs (illegal or even tylenol) or even eat spicey foods. Babies can even get gas from foods that you eat. Be careful! only put good things into your body!