Does drinking a beer really help increase your breastmilk supply?

Answer 1

It's supposed to get you to calm down and relax a little, allowing the milk to flow.

Wine works too.

Answer 2

Yes it does, it's not the beer but the brewer's yeast that does it. For this reason, you have to drink the darkest beer you can find. Light beer doesn't have the yeast still in it.

Rather than choking down dark beer, might I suggest buying Brewer's Yeast supplements at your health food store. They're cheap, and they contain no alcohol, so you don't have to worry about getting baby drunk. :)

If you want to have a beer or a glass of wine while you're nursing, it won't hurt anything. Don't go on a bender, but you can have a glass without hurting the baby.

Answer 3

Yes, the malt in beer will increase your breastmilk supply, but doctors and lactation consultants will tell you that NO amount of alcohol is safe to consume when breastfeeding, since we don't know exactly how much is passed through the milk. Even a small amount to you, if passed through your milk, would be a much larger amount to your baby's much smaller, undeveloped body. Better stick with with milkshakes, they do the same thing and taste better and are safe, too! I drank lots of homemade milkshakes when I was breastfeeding and never had a problem with my supply. Here's how I made two milkshakes (one for me and one for hubby, or three small/medium ones when his daughter was around):

Fill blender with vanilla ice cream (don't push it down or anything, just scoop and drop till you reach the top)
Pour milk in until blender is about half-full of milk
Add flavoring -- I preferred either 1/3 cup Nesquick strawberry mix and one whole banana, or sometimes about 1/2 cup Ovaltine with or without a banana
Add malt (one heaping spoonful) -- although Ovaltine contains malt, too, so you don't really need it if you use Ovaltine

Also a plain glass of Ovaltine will get some malt in, too.

There are lots of other ways to increase your supply, like herbal supplements (Fenugreek, Mother's Milk tea, or Milk Thistle), and of course the best way of all: nurse on demand without any bottles or pacifiers!

Answer 4

I hate beer. I used to drink half a glass and it really made milk supply increase. It doesnt work for everyone. Don't over do it though..

Answer 5

yes it does, but it's not the actual beer that's helping. Although I suppose it can help to relax you which will increase milk supply. But what's actually helping you is the malt in the beer; which you can also get from malted milkshakes, ovaltine, or non-alchoholic beer. When I was born in Germany they gave my mom beer in the hospital to increase her milk supply. It can help and it's perfectly safe in moderation. But if you don't like beer there's no reason you have to drink it, you can get the benefits from other sources.

Answer 6

No it does not. You might feel more relaxed, but it will not increase your breastmilk supply. Breastfeeding often will increase your supply. Good luck

Answer 7

Some say drinking a Guinnis Stout is helpful. Never tried it but have heard plenty say it.