How long after drinking alcohol can i resume breastfeeding?

Question

I already have a stockpile of it in the freezer....just wondering how long after i consume alcohol can i resume breatfeeding

Answer 1

Mothers Receive Conflicting Advice About Safe Practices
Mothers who breastfeed are receiving conflicting advice, on and off the Internet, about whether it's okay for them to consume alcohol without affecting their babies.
When About Pregnancy and Birth Guide Robin Weiss asked me to research this subject for her World Breastfeeding Week Special, I thought, no problem. I will just jump on the Internet and find the latest "facts" regarding drinking and breastfeeding.

It wasn't that simple.

What I found was a wide range of opinions, ranging from not drinking at all until the baby is weaned, to waiting three hours after drinking before breastfeeding and almost everything in between.


Conflicting Advice
"There are a lot of breast milk and alcohol theories out there," writes Stephanie Ryan, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC at the Childbirth.org web site. "Some health care providers feel it is best to avoid all alcohol while nursing. Some feel that occasional moderate drinking is okay and some feel that if any alcohol is consumed, you should pump and dump for 24 hours."
"Alcohol clears the breast milk in about the same amount of time it takes to clear the blood stream. If you are planning to drink heavily (more than 2 drinks), you may want to give it 6-8 hours to clear your system," Ryan says.

But Denise G Hewson, RN, IBCLC at the Breastfeeding.com web site has a different view. "By the time you are no longer feeling "tipsy" it is okay to feed your baby. Alcohol does not go into your milk and stay there. It goes in and comes out. If you feel ok, then most of the alcohol is out of your milk. If you have any doubt, pump and dump one time and that should be fine."

But the American Academy of Pediatricians has a still different view: While you are nursing, avoid drinking alcohol because it can pass through your milk to your baby. If you choose to drink alcohol, drink it just after you nurse rather than just before.


Moderation is Key
Although these experts disagree about the length of time between drinking and breastfeeding, one thing they all agree about is that mothers who drink while breastfeeding should only do so moderately and "moderate" means no more than two drinks per day.
Heavy drinkers or alcoholics who breastfeed should "abstain from drinking alcohol until their babies are weaned" the Recovery Emporium suggests. Alcohol readily enters breast milk and heavy alcohol consumption has been shown to reduce lactation.

The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother consumes, according to LaLeche League. A significant difference was detected, in a study by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in motor development at one year of age in those babies subjected regularly to alcohol.

"Moderation is the key," says Pat Dwiggins, a nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in Pensacola, Fla. "Drinking large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can inhibit let-down and even deplete milk supply, not to mention affect baby's development."

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/preg/a/aa000801a.htm

Answer 2

Breastfeeding and Alcohol
By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC

Guidelines
Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2 drinks) is not harmful to the nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a “Maternal Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding.”
Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week.
It is recommended that nursing moms avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking (Hale 2002).
There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than for mom's comfort -- pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of alcohol from the milk.
Alcohol does not increase milk production, and has been shown to inhibit let-down and decrease milk production (see below).
If you're away from your baby, try to pump as often as baby usually nurses (this is to maintain milk supply, not because of the alcohol). At the very least, pump or hand express whenever you feel uncomfortably full - this will help you to avoid plugged ducts and mastitis.
In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom's blood and milk approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same time period, mom's body weight and percentage of body fat, etc.). Alcohol does not accumulate in breastmilk, but leaves the milk as it leaves the blood; so when your blood alcohol levels are back down, so are your milk alcohol levels.

Always keep in mind the baby's age when considering the effect of alcohol. A newborn has a very immature liver, so minute amounts of alcohol would be more of a burden. Up until around 3 months of age, infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly.

Answer 3

Ugh, don't listen to the person who seems to think that you can't have a drink or two and breastfeed. As long as you're responsible about it, which you obviously are, there's no reason why you can't enjoy a few drinks, especially since you aren't a regular drinker anyway. My lactation consultant said that basically, as long as you don't get drunk, one drink won't hurt you or your baby, and you don't have to wait any time between feedings. If you're going to have upwards of three drinks though, you should consider waiting a bit to breastfeed, I'd say about 4-5 hours, TOPS from your last sip. 24 hours...unless you plan on going into near liver-failure from so much alcohol, there's no reason to wait 24 hours. So in summation, if you have 2 drinks,in a short period of time, I wouldn't worry about it affecting your breastmilk. If you have 3 or more drinks in a short time period, I'd do one or two feedings from stored milk. If you need to do that, don't forget to pump to keep your supply up and prevent engorgement.

Answer 4

The alcohol will be metabolized out of your breast milk at the same rate as it is metabolized out of your blood. So, if you feel a buzz at feeding time there is alcohol in your breast milk and you should pump and dump. If you drank right after your last nursing and have had about 1 hour per alcoholic drink (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1oz hard liquor) and you no longer feel any affects than you are fine to breast feed. If you become a regular drinker or heavy drinker (3 or more drinks per day is the definition) then you should not breast feed.

see this link for more answers: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApvjxgCvWXQsA0CPyaPf65Hsy6IX?qid=20070120205751AA8J6Mg&show=7#profile-info-4HY8jU4Saa

Answer 5

i think that after you have stop drinking the alcohol stays in the system for a while, depending on how much you are drinking if you feel drunk dont breastfeed, but after you have stop drinking drink plenty of water as this will help your breast flow, i usually start breast feeding about 2-3 hours after i sober up. but yes that is a good question.

Answer 6

So many people have different opinions as to what is ok and what isn't even different doctors have different opinions. As far as determining if something is safe when it has to do with alcohol or medications, i would ask your child's doctor. You trust them enough to put your baby in their hands as far as medical care, so you should be willing to listen to their advise on subjects like this. It also depends on how much you drink, so if you're planning on having more than one drink and the doctor is only offering guidelines for one drink, don't be afraid to ask about more.

Answer 7

you have a stockpile of what in the freezer? booze, or breastmilk?

no alcohol when you are beastfeeding. if you pump it, then throw it out, you are wasting nutrients that could have gone to the baby.

you can hold off the alcohol until the baby is done breastfeeding. it's the best way to protect the baby.

Answer 8

You should wait 2-3 hours after ONE drink. If you have more than one or can't control your drinking you should stop breastfeeding.

Answer 9

everyone will have their own opinion on this

My opinion is 1 drink per hour. So if you had 5 beers, i would wait 5 hours...pump...and dump it. Then you should be good.

Answer 10

Pump and throw it out for 24 hours. Then you can go back to your regular feeding schedule. You have to get the "tainted" stuff out so you have to pump.

(this is on a night of drinking.. not just one drink.)