Can I drink alcohol while breastfeeding my baby?

Question

I'm posting this not to receive answers, but rather to share info with other breastfeeding mothers. It's a lot of work to nurse your child, and although I really am not a drinker I do enjoy the occasional glass of wine with dinner. Pretty much everyone came down hard on the woman who wanted to know how long to wait to nurse after having a drink (which was asked a few hrs ago). She was being a responsable mother, trying to find out exactly how long she needed to wait, and most people said: DONT DRINK. In a negative manner to boot. This is for all those people: please see the following links. The first one works to dispell the myth that a nursing mother can not have the occasional drink or that you must 'pump and dump' after drinking, the second gives you down to the minute advice on how long to wait based on your weight. Now lets go drink a toast to motherhood!!
http://babyparenting.about.com/od/breastfeeding/f/pumpdump.htm
http://www.cfpc.ca/cfp/2002/Jan/vol48-jan-clinical-1.asp

Umm, could you just please read what I wrote for those who are against ANY alcohol for nursing mothers? And what in the world does this have to do with smoking??? My hope was that nursing mothers would be more informed, but if you dont even read what I wrote....

I'm not talking about pregnant women drinking! I'm talking about a mother breastfeeding her baby, you know, who is already born. No use trying to educate people these days, they refuse to listen.

Oh, fine fine fine, I give up!! You people dont read what I write anyways. (except for a few women - thank you). Is this why women dont want to breastfeed their babies anymore, because they aren't allowed to even have a glass of wine with dinner??? I went 9mths without a single drop of alcohol when pregnant, and waited until my daughter was 6mths old to have my first glass of wine. Maybe it's because I live in France, but YES, this was a big thing. I had every single person at the dinner table staring at me, saying, oh you poor thing you cant enjoy the nice cabernet sauvignon with this delicious meal. I didnt even drink champagne at New Years! I'm talking about RESPONSABLE drinking - waiting the required time for the alcohol to be out of your system, thus out of your milk. There is NO HARM to your baby, it is a win win situation where you can continue to nurse your baby and yet still enjoy the occasional toast. This way we can nurse our babies longer, without feeling deprived.

Oh, fine fine fine, I give up!! You people dont read what I write anyways. (except for a few women - thank you). Is this why women dont want to breastfeed their babies anymore, because they aren't allowed to even have a glass of wine with dinner??? I went 9mths without a single drop of alcohol when pregnant, and waited until my daughter was 6mths old to have my first glass of wine. Maybe it's because I live in France, but YES, this was a big thing. I had every single person at the dinner table staring at me, saying, oh you poor thing you cant enjoy the nice cabernet sauvignon with this delicious meal. I didnt even drink champagne at New Years! I'm talking about RESPONSABLE drinking - waiting the required time for the alcohol to be out of your system, thus out of your milk. There is NO HARM to your baby, it is a win win situation where you can continue to nurse your baby and yet still enjoy the occasional toast. This way we can nurse our babies longer, without feeling deprived.

Oh, fine fine fine, I give up!! You people dont read what I write anyways. (except for a few women - thank you). Is this why women dont want to breastfeed their babies anymore, because they aren't allowed to even have a glass of wine with dinner??? I went 9mths without a single drop of alcohol when pregnant, and waited until my daughter was 6mths old to have my first glass of wine. Maybe it's because I live in France, but YES, this was a big thing. I had every single person at the dinner table staring at me, saying, oh you poor thing you cant enjoy the nice cabernet sauvignon with this delicious meal. I didnt even drink champagne at New Years! I'm talking about RESPONSABLE drinking - waiting the required time for the alcohol to be out of your system, thus out of your milk. There is NO HARM to your baby, it is a win win situation where you can continue to nurse your baby and yet still enjoy the occasional toast. This way we can nurse our babies longer, without feeling deprived.

Sorry about adding the same details 3 times - computer malfunction. One more thing though, you DO NOT have to pump and dump, someone commented that I had said you must do this. As stated in the article I referenced: You should know that alcohol in your milk doesn't remain there. It works the same as it does in your blood. Once it's out of your blood, it's also out of your milk. So only pump if you are going to miss a couple of nursings and want to keep up your supply or to relieve any engorgement you might have while you are away from your baby. You can also pump before you drink if you want to have some milk on hand to feed your baby if you feel like you're still going to be intoxicated at the next feeding. Don't think you have to do it because alcohol is going to stay in your milk long after you've been drinking. You don't have to get rid of any milk. It doesn't work that way.

Ok, that's it, I promise. I hope I helped to inform at least a few people out there.

Answer 1

That was great information. Thanks! I didn't know that alcohol left the breastmilk like it does from the bloodstream. interesting information!!!!

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can I drink alcohol while breastfeeding my baby?
I'm posting this not to receive answers, but rather to share info with other breastfeeding mothers. It's a lot of work to nurse your child, and although I really am not a drinker I do enjoy the occasional glass of wine with dinner. Pretty much everyone came down hard on the woman who wanted...

Answer 3

You're 100% right. Totally with you! I am tired of the people who come on here and post breastfeeding advice that they pull out of mid-air instead of from credible sources. I've personally been criticized before for posting links to back up what I say. Sorry.....I'd personally like to know where the info comes from if *I* was the one who asked the question. It's a lot more credible to go read what the professionals say than what someone's Aunt Mary told them or how it was back when Grandma was raising her kids.
Here's THE TRUTH about alcohol and breastfeeding:

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a “Maternal Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding.”

THE TRUTH is that it *IS* OK for mothers to drink in moderation. They DO need to time their drinks between nursings. They DO NOT need to pump and dump because alcohol is eliminated from the breastmilk in the same way that it is eliminated from the bloodstream. A good rule is "if your brain is clear....your milk is too" or, "if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to nurse."

Another good link on alcohol and breastfeeding is below. I'll also include one on smoking and breastfeeding, since it was mentioned by other answerers.

Answer 4

Those articles are great and dispel the myth of pumping and dumping which I never did and always thought was dumb. I only drank a couple of times while breastfeeding and usually my daughter was with my mom and spent the night with her so she didn't need to be breastfed until morning and by then any alcohol was out of my system since I only drank 1 or 2 drinks at the most. I didn't try any drinks at all until my daughter was over 12 months old. Thanks for the info. By the way, I do think it is important to not even drink during the first few months of your baby's life because you wouldn't want to take the chance of hurting them since their livers aren't developed yet.

Answer 5

Personally, I don't condone drinking while a woman is carrying. But if it is say one drink over a long period of time mixed with food then that's acceptable. She would have to be healthy and the pregnancy going well.

I can understand why many answered negatively but that doesn't excuse it in her case where she was being responsible but got handled like an abuser. It's her responsibility and she will have to deal with the consequences. It is impossible to say whether one drink as I suggested would be harmful or not because every person and every pregnancy is different.

Answer 6

I agree with you 100%

I breastfed my daughter for a year. Her pediatrician told me that one alcohol drink per day (= 1 glass of wine or 1 bottle/can of beer) is okay when breastfeeding. Most mothers that care enough to breastfeed their babies are not going to go out and get drunk. A glass of wine with lunch or dinner or in the evening to unwind is perfectly okay.

Answer 7

Thanks for sharing the info. I too had to do some research on drinking while breastfeeding. I think your sites are the same ones that I saw that tell you how long to wait bf you feed according to the oz you consume and your weight. AND YOU DONT HAVE TO PUMP AND DUMP. You don't dump your blood when you drink but somehow alcohol leaves your bloodstream and its the same with milk. Pumping and dumping is for comfort only.

Answer 8

It takes your body one hour to process one ounce of alcohol. That is equivalent to a shot of whiskey, a 12 oz. beer, or a 12 oz. glass of wine. So, if you drink a glass of wine with dinner at six, by eight p.m., your body will have processed it, and you can breastfeed your baby.

Answer 9

Wouldnt the best thing be to just not drink? I mean I like an occasional glass of wine and everything but when i was breatfeeding my son I didnt drink at all until after he was weened. Alcohol wasnt that important to me. I'd rather be safe then sorry.... but like you said at least she was trying to find out and probably didnt deserve the verbal bashing she recv'd.. most of them were probably mothers themselves. We can be so hard on each other :(

I think you giving this info is good. The thing is, this article wont encourage breatfeeding mothers to drink it will better inform the ones that do (even if its just one every now and then)

Answer 10

*Makes a toast*
I drank the occasional glass of wine or beer (or 2) when I was nursing (for 13 months). It helped me relax and it did not harm my now 18 month old in any way. She is very smart and healthy.

Answer 11

when i was breastfeeding i was told that one or 2 beers here and there was fine so i went out and had one beer and woke up in the middle of the night with milk everywhere...i had to get up and pump that stuff out.