Another question about alcohol

[LillianB]

I've been reading everything I can about alcohol and breastfeeding trying to find some hard and fast rules about what's ok and what's not. So far I've only succeeded in confusing myself.

One of the things that I've read is that nursing mothers should only have a drink or two per week. My husband and I love good food and good wine and enjoy having a glass or two of wine every night. My daughter is 3 months old, gaining and growing well and hitting her developmental milestones. I don't drink until after she's gone to bed and I know that she won't be nursing or I won't be pumping for several hours. My milk supply is good and I haven't had any problems with let down. So if everything is a-ok and I'm very conscientious about when I drink, is there any reason why I can't have wine every day? (I'm not being flip, I really am concerned that maybe I'm missing something.)

[PatioGardener]

I don't have references handy, but alcohol enters breastmilk the same way it enters (and leaves) the blood. So your breastmilk alcohol content will be the same as your blood alcohol. That means a extremely small amount passes into breastmilk.

The more important question, IMO, is being able to parent after drinking. If a Mama drinks enough to worry about parenting, then that is the bigger issue for me. I also would worry about co-sleeping after drinking alcohol, as I know how it affects me.

Personally, I would be more comfortable drinking wine with baby attached and nursing than waiting until later in the evening/night, as we co-sleep.