Alcohol and breast milk?

Question

I had three drinks last night and I use a breast pump. How long do I wait or how many times must I pump and toss before my milk is safe to feed to my son?

I wish I would have asked this question before I dumped 7oz of milk.
BUMMER!

Answer 1

~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.

Answer 2

Alcohol is metabolized out of breast milk at the same rate that it is metabolized out of blood. 1 hour per alcoholic drink. So if you had 3 drinks, it would take 3 hours. 1 alcoholic drink = 1 shot of hard liquor, 5 oz of wine, or 12 oz beer. If you just have 1 drink soon after breast feeding, it is not necessary to pump and dump before the next feeding, as the alcohol is not stored in the milk, but rather metabolized out. It breaks my heart that you are dumping breast milk. That stuff is like gold! :)

Answer 3

The following is a direct quote from a website regarding breast feeding and drinking:

If you're going to enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage or have more than one drink, wait at least two hours per drink before nursing your baby to give the alcohol a chance to dissipate. One drink is considered 4 ounces of wine, one beer, or one mixed drink. Alcohol isn't stored in breast milk, so "pumping and dumping" (using a breast pump to empty your breasts and then throwing out the collected milk) serves no purpose. And be sure to down a nonalcoholic drink for every cocktail you quaff, to ward off dehydration.

Answer 4

Just had to second the notion:
don't pump and dump!
The alcohol metabolizes out at the same rate either way.
Just wait the appropriate amount of time and then deliver that liquid gold!

Answer 5

Alcohol will remain in the breastmilk from 30-120 minutes, if you drank moderately (which you did). After that, if you don't feel the effects, then it is safe.

Answer 6

It takes about 1 hour per drink for you body to digest. So I would wait three hours and then pump and toss, then you should be fine.

Answer 7

None, if you drink it will go staright to your breast milk and your son will be drinking it and become a little alco

Answer 8

i have no idea