Poll: Do you pump and dump?

[Comtessa]

So, DH and I went to a wedding last weekend, and I had more wine than usual.  Not to the point of intoxication, mind you, but more than I would usually drink -- 3 or 4 glasses over the course of 5 hours, with dinner and lots of water.  I didn't pump and dump after I got home before nursing my toddler or newborn, but was wondering later if I should have.  How do you manage alcohol and breastfeeding?

[Anna Phor]

I don't pump and dump. I drink, but not to excess; no more than I would drink if I were driving. When my boy was a newborn I was more tentative (maybe a half glass of wine with dinner) but now he is older I feel comfortable having a couple of glasses. 

[Heba]

Pumping and dumping doesn't speed the removal of the alcohol from your milk - it's just suggested if mum skips a feeding session/s after drinking and either gets uncomfortable or wants to avoid the risk of plugged ducts/supply decrease.

I said "No, I don't worry about it regardless of how much I drink," but that's not strictly true.  I still wouldn't bother pumping and dumping, but then again I wouldn't drink so much as to make me drunk as that may affect my nursling and would probably also impact my ability to look after said nursling. 

3-4 glasses over the course of 5 hours is certainly an amount that I would be comfortable with nursing when I got home.  Other people's mileage may vary, but I'd be fine with it and if I were you I wouldn't worry about it.

xx

[KristyDi]

I voted no, no matter how much I drink.  But I almost never have more than 1 or 2 drinks, even if I'm not breastfeeding.

Like Heba said, pumping doesn't speed the removal of the alcohol from your milk, just reduces your discomfort if you skip a feeding.

I generally don't worry about it much as a don't drink much.  If I had 3 or 4 drinks over 5 or so hours I might wait a bit before nursing a newborn to let my body process the alcohol, but everyone's body is different.

[chel]

Like others, I don't drink a lot when I do drink. By 3 drinks I would be asleep ( haven't slept much in over a year!)
I never pump and dump. Only have a small manual pump that I don't get much with at that.

[Erin77]

I think it's Kellymom that says "if you're OK to drive, you're OK to nurse." Only a small amount of the alcohol would get into the breastmilk anyway, and if it will be several hours til you'd nurse anyway, I don't worry about it. I have a beer or two with dinner and my son usually sleeps from 6 pm- 11 pm so I never give it a second thought.

[Marissamom]

I don't drink while breastfeeding because I don't drink. but if you don't feel intoxicated you're fine to breastfeed. the only reason to pump and dump is if you're missing a feeding while you're too drunk to breastfeed. 

[tibeca]

Breastmilk is like blood, so as your body reduces the amount of alcohol in your system, the amount of alcohol in your milk is also reduced, so no need to pump and dump. If you feel sober enough to nurse, you're good to go.

[anjsmama]

Like a PP, I also voted that I never pump & dump regardless of how much I drink. Also like them, I rarely to never exceed 2 glasses of wine so I just don't feel a need. I feel sober enough to drive and parent, and so sober enough to breastfeed. I was slightly more cautious when DD was a little younger - from approximately weeks 2 to 12 I would occassionally have a glass of wine and would wait longer before nursing her then, because she was so little. She's 4.5 months now and STTN - I don't really even think about it much. :)

[Adaline'sMama]

I did when DD was really young and I was having supply issues. Id feed her a bottle and then pump so that the missed feeding didnt affect my supply. But now I just get wasted all the time and nurse her.












Just kidding.