Does alcohol go into a mother's milk?

Question

After being abstinent for 9 months is it okay to drink a little or does it go into the milk and harm the baby?

Answer 1

Alcohol can pass through the milk to the baby. BUT.....if you are smart about when/how/how much you drink, it is FINE for a breastfeeding mom to have an occasional drink. (I just wouldn't recommend going out to get snockered!)

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

Thomas Hale, author of "Medications & Mothers' Milk" suggests waiting 2 hours after each drink to nurse again. Therefore, it's a good idea to nurse or pump immediately before you indulge. If your baby is young and likely to need to nurse again before the 2 hours is up, you may want to have some pumped milk on hand.

Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol leaves your milk supply in the same way it leaves your blood supply. There is no need to "pump and dump" to get the alcohol out of your system. (The only reason to pump and dump would be if you got uncomfortably engorged before the 2 hours was up.) A good general rule of thumb is "if your head is clear, your milk is too" or "if you're sober enough to drive, you're sober enough to nurse."

Answer 2

Alcohol does appear in breastmilk but only at 2% of the amount found in your blood. So even if you have a blood alcohol level of 0.08% (legal limit to drive in many places) your breastmilk has 0.0016% alcohol.

So you can drink in moderation.

Another myth is that you need to pump and dump. The alcohol leaves your milk as fast as it leaves your blood. So the only reason to pump is if you are away from baby long enough that your breasts become engorged.

http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/alcohol.html
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.

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/12more_bf_myths.html

5. A mother should not drink alcohol while breastfeeding.

Not true! Reasonable alcohol intake should not be discouraged at all. As is the case with most drugs, very little alcohol comes out in the milk. The mother can take some alcohol and continue breastfeeding as she normally does. Prohibiting alcohol is another way we make life unnecessarily restrictive for nursing mothers.

Answer 3

3 months is even as little ones frequently hit a boom spurt. it truly is common as we communicate for him to be hungrier than universal, it may very last everywhere from 2 days to each week. Pumping in between feedings could definately help. Letting him stay on the breast longer will also help ( even if he isn't any longer getting something) because it stimulates the breast and alerts your body to make extra milk contained in the destiny. round 3 months is likewise even as many women folk human beings locate that they no longer change into engorged because their bodies are finally adjusting ti the quantity of milk the toddler surely desires, so that they are no longer making extra and getting over finished between feedings. If after per week or so of pumping and extra nursing time it nonetheless sounds like there is not any longer sufficient milk for him to br satisfied, there is an herb observed as fenugreek you are able to get in a pill form or in a teas with different herbs that help breastfeeding. it truly is amazingly sensible at increasing milk grant, regardless of the reality that some mom's locate it provides them extra gas. keep on with what you're doing now, and be confident to enable the toddler suckle as a lot as he needs. which could develop your grant sufficient to attend on your growing to be toddler, (if you're qble to pump 3 oz.. After he eats i imagine you'd be high quality ). yet when no longer, try the fenugreek. solid success!

Answer 4

yes it does wait 1- 1/2 hours per drink before you feed baby- nursing babies shouldnt be given even a bottle of breastmilk until at least week 4. i know its hard sometimes but thats motherhood. i havent had a night out yet and my son is almost 8 months- it's worth it though. pump and dump is just for engorgement- your blood alcohol ratio is the same as your milk alcohol- yu dont have to pump and dump when the milk leaves your system it leaves your milks system

Answer 5

Its absolutly fine to drink a little.

I drink a glass of wine now and then but make sure its a couple of hours before a feed, to be honest it gets filterd that much i wouldn't worry if you had to feed the little one after drinking a glass, just dont go silly.

here is a good link on Alcohol and breastfeeding, take care x

http://breastbuddies.nice-forum.com/breastfeeding-and-nutrition-f24/alcohol-caffeine-and-mother-s-milk-t475.htm

Answer 6

Alcohol is not STORED in breastmilk. If you feel the effects then yes, your baby will get it. If, however, you know longer feel it yourself then your baby will not get it either. I can't find my links but I DID do the research as I have been breastfeeding for 19 months now and have a brand new one as well, so I MADE SURE before I took this info to heart for myself.

Read Gussie's link-THATS the one I lost!! LOL

Answer 7

i had this same question after my daughter was born and my doctor told me that if i wanted to have a drink either pump first or wait for about 2 hours after the drink to nurse. i am not a big drinker maybe twice a year but at the time i was ready and so i called my doc for advice and thats what she said.

Answer 8

It does go into the milk, The big debate between doctors is how much is okay and how much isn't. Some say none others say 1 glass of wine or beer wont' hurt.

Answer 9

It does go into the milk just like anything else you ingest. Best to express if you want to have a few drinks before you start drinking, then afterwards you can pump and dump the first lot just to be sure its out of your system.

Answer 10

You dont want to nurse any time you drink. pump an extra feeding, and dump the one you'd nurse in that time.

Or you can have a little to drink, wait 4-6 hours and nurse again- if your baby isnt nursing between those hours.