Breastfeeding and consuming alcohol is tacky?

[mamacassafrass]

A female friend made this comment to me last weekend at a bonfire party at my home when I went for a Smirnoff drink. She didnt want to hand me the bottle from the fridge because she thought it would contaminate my milk. I quoted her some Jack Newman and said its cool..last week my boyfriend and I were eating out Mexican and the waiter brought out free tequila shots so I slammed mine while nursing...what the heck...it was free. Anyway she said ok maybe your milk is ok but thats just tacky!!!! Do you think so? If not, what is a comeback for that? Incidently this same friend tried to cover up my baby with a blanket saying she was cold. HMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[kittywitty]

Ignore it. I mean maybe if you're constantly sloshed or something (in that case, carrying the baby seems at least dangerous irregardless of alcohol in breastmilk), but otherwise people will think what they will. Just ignore it.

[SubliminalDarkness]

I probably wouldn't drink a shot with a baby latched on, that just feels..... weird to me. But I would have a drink while nursing.
And no, I don't think breastfeeding and drinking in tandem is "tacky."

[TheGirls]

Well, if it is I'm tacky too. My first post-partum beverage was a margarita consumed in my favorite mexican restaurant, while nursing my 6 week-old. I didn't notice anyone looking at me funny, though one drink made me happy enough that I may not have noticed.

[KristyDi]

Of course it's not tacky.

I think your friend now knows, thanks to our info, that drinking won't hurt your milk, but there's a leftover feeling of it being forbidden, so she labeled it tacky.

[Nimbus]

I definitely get weird looks when I nurse dd while enjoying a wine or beer in public (and sometimes at large family gatherings.) Although, I get looks anyway because my dd is 26 months, and way beyond the proper nursing age in most peoples' minds. I try to ignore it because I know I'm doing what's best for my daughter and I know a drink or two isn't a big deal.

KristyDi got it right - I think your friend still wanted to express some sort of negative feeling about it, so she called it tacky. (Which trying to cover your baby while you're nursing is, as well!)

[Detcb]

I was at a festival last weekend. The babe had fallen asleep in the wrap, but it looked like she was nursing. I was drinking a beer and some guy commented sarcastically, "nice parenting." I wasn't the one who heard him or I would have retorted

[PatioGardener]

I have a friend who only kept nursing for as long as she did because she did the research and found that it was safe to have a glass of wine with dinner and breastfeed (some days at the same time!) I wish these myths would go away!

[CherryBomb]

No, it's not tacky. Only a small percentage of the alcohol (what is it, like 3%?) goes into your milk. So unless you're getting smashed on a regular basis, it's not affecting your baby, so why would it be tacky? There's nothing wrong with nursing mothers enjoying a drink or two.

[pumpkinhead]

Not tacky at all. In fact, if you're trying to minimize the amount of alcohol your baby is getting, drinking while you're nursing is the best way to do it. That way you have a chunk of time for your body to metabolize it before you have to nurse again. Your milk has the same alcohol percentage as your blood so if you're ok to drive, you're ok to nurse.

[blessedmama59]

I am just curious, is it really safe to drink while bfing?? I have gotten mixed replies and I would really like to know the truth. We love our red wine here, and anytime I have a glass I do feel a bit guilty. I even bought those strips that test your milk, and they turn after only one glass or one beer!

[annettemarie]

I think the Mommy Wars and judging other mothers is pretty tacky, but I probably wouldn't say that unless I was ready to end the friendship.

[Adaline'sMama]

Well, I guess Im tacky too.

Does this friend of yours have any children? Sounds like a Mama who may not have breastfed. Or maybe she did and shes just jealous that she didnt enjoy alcohol while she was nursing.

Now, I need to know more about this Mexican restaurant that gives away tequila. Maybe they have one here in Kentucky?

[SubliminalDarkness]

Originally Posted by blessedmama59

I am just curious, is it really safe to drink while bfing?? I have gotten mixed replies and I would really like to know the truth. We love our red wine here, and anytime I have a glass I do feel a bit guilty. I even bought those strips that test your milk, and they turn after only one glass or one beer!

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

[rhiandmoi]

Doing shots is tacky no matter what. Especially free shots. Any time you can describe your drinking as "slamming" that's tacky.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by KristyDi

Of course it's not tacky.

I think your friend now knows, thanks to our info, that drinking won't hurt your milk, but there's a leftover feeling of it being forbidden, so she labeled it tacky.

I think this is right. I had an old breastfeeding book from the 70s and it recommended having a beer before nursing because it helped the milk let down as it relaxed mom.

So I guess some time during the 70s or 80s it was looked on as dangerous and I don't think a lot of people know the current evidence.

OTOH, I kind of agree with rhiandmoi a bit, but I really don't drink too much.

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by rhiandmoi

Doing shots is tacky no matter what. Especially free shots. Any time you can describe your drinking as "slamming" that's tacky.

Hey, now. I'm about to be tacky, then. I was just thinking about having a shot of rum - which, was free, as my bro gave us two handles leftover from his wedding reception. I gave up soda, so sadly no rum 'n cokes for me.

(I'm not breastfeeding, though - but I have no problem with drinking while nursing... besides the risk of spilling it on baby kidding! I mean, before or after a nursing session).

[rhiandmoi]

There's nothing wrong with being tacky. I mean as long as you're not at a bkack tie dinner or something. It's Friday, cut loose.

[P.J.]

I've been flamed on MDC before when I made cultural comparisons, so I preface this with: I am American, I love America, I miss my native country and don't think Europe is better.

I live in Germany and I can say there are lots of cultural differences, especially in the attitudes towards alcohol in general, and also breastfeeding. Here nobody would think twice of a BFing mama enjoying a drink or two. In fact, after the birth of my son my milk did not come in at first due to blood loss during the birth. Several of the midwives and nurses at the hospital recommended drinking some champagne. So DH went out and got some and we'd sit and have a couple glasses each evening right there in our hospital room. Whether or not it worked I'm not sure (my milk did start coming in the next day though), but it relaxed me and helped me stop worrying about it.

...and it still helps me relax after a long hard baby day (we have a colicky baby so yeah, I def. need a drink sometimes ). No biggie.
Sorry your friend was being a jerk.

[lovebug]

they did a "what would you do" taping on this very topic! i was a bit shocked at what total strangers did when faced with a BF'ing mother and a beer. they were not kind to her!

i think its fine. its the lack of education and having BF'ing being out of the norm in this country (if your in the US that is)!