Breast Feeding & Alcohol

[wirewendy]

I thought that it was o.k. to drink a glass of wine with dinner once the baby was born, but twice, people have offered me a drink, paused, and said, "oh, sorry, that's right, you are nursing and can't drink." Both times from parents with recent experience breast feeding. It freaked me out! This was something I hadn't neard before. I have been having a glass or two of wine nearly every evening!

So what is the deal? I looked it up, and in The Baby Book it says that the alcohol level in breast milk is nearly the same as in the blood. One glass of wine means that there wouldn't be much. But isn't any alcohol at all damaging? Should I quit drinking? Am I hurting my daughter by drinking wine? Geez, in Europe women drink wine all through pregnancy. Here in the US we aren't even supposed to drink during breast feeding. Any thoughts?

[iris0110]

I read somewhere that you would have to get pretty blasted and the breastfeed to even equal the amount of alcohol in a very ripe piece of fruit. ( I think it was on the bf board here). I can remember after Kearnan was born reading a breastfeeding book that suggested drinking a bit of wine before you nurse to help you relax. Now I wouldn't go that far, but I don't think an occasional glass of wine is going to hurt anything. I have had 2 glasses since Tharen was born. Once when dh took me out for our anniversary, and then last weekend when my dad bought a bottle he wanted us all to try. I try to make sure I drink as soon as I finish feeding Tharen so it will be about 1.5-2hrs before I nurse him again. But even if I nursed him immediately I don't think it would be a big deal.

[Taedareth]

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding says:

"The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother ingests. When the breastfeeding mother drinks moderately (two drinks or less per day), the amount of alcohol her baby receives has not been shown to be harmful."

[amygoforth]

Thanks for asking this question -- I've been wondering the same thing! Lately, I've been drinking a glass of red while I make dinner. I get no buzz at all, but I really enjoy sipping on it while I putter around the kitchen and the boys play outside w/ daddy. And although I'm pretty sure it's okay for Drew, I've been feeling like I'm a selfish person for even taking the chance.

So a glass of wine is probably fine, no? As with every vice, moderation is key...

[Trishy]

Periwinkle made a great post a few months ago on breastfeeding and drinking alcohol. You can read it here:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...46&postcount=7

[hottmama]

Since the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is the same as in your blood, I drink as much as I want without a worry. Drunk=0.08% alcohol in my milk- not something that concerns me. Both my kids are healthy, happy, and bright. I've had a few drinks several times in Luka's short life. I also had 1-2 drinks a few(3-4?) times during the second and third trimesters of my pregnancy with him.
The only thing I would worry about is cosleeping. If I feel at all tipsy at bedtime, I put Luka in the Moses basket next to the bed to sleep.

[IncaMama]

chug away, mama! LOL

[judybean]

Yep...everything I've read seems to suggest that an occasional drink is nothing to get worked up about. Now, if I went on a rampage, then I'd probably pump and dump of course (ha... like I have TIME to do something like that!! um, the rampage part of course)... but I've consumed an occasional drink (um, two drinks, to be exact.... one beer, one weak, weak drink with kahlua, club soda and half-and-half) and not felt a tinge guilty about it at all!!

In fact, a while back wasn't it even recommended to drink a beer to increase supply??

[darkpear]

Yeah, no big deal in my book either. I like to have a beer or two but it's been literally years since I went past that.

kinda on topic, does my 3yo being able to get me a beer from the fridge count as a milestone?

ETA that hops are indeed a galactogogue!

[DesireeH]

I drink a glass of wine here and there too. It doesnt seem to bother her any.

[xmasbaby7]

It's about moderation.

I heard if you feel tipsy, there is enough in your milk for babes to feel it, too.

The only concern with having more than one glass of wine a day is that you are sure your milk supply is good. Alcohol is a dehydrater, and your body needs those fluids to make milk.

[IncaMama]

LMAO Simone!!!!!

[mamanurse]

Drink up!!! I was just wondering why there isn't a nice mug of beer in the smilies options. When my milk still hadn't come in after 5 days, the LC told me to drink a stout beer. I did and then it runneth over I have 1-2 drink abut 4 times a week. I also try and nurse/pump prior to having the drink just in case.

[lizajane30]

My LC says that yes, alcohol is present in breastmilk in the same amount that it is present in your bloodstream. It takes 90 minutes for your body to metabolize it (per drink (?)). She recommends drinking just after feeding, as pumping and dumping won't help; you are always on one side or the other of that 90 minute mark. If you pump 30 minutes after drinking, for instance, you still have an hour until the alcohol will be metabolized. If you pump 2 hours after, the milk is already alcohol-free, since your body has taken care of it. Just like it doesn't stay in one part of your bloodstream (i.e. you wouldn't pump and dump your blood to get rid of the alcohol!) it doesn't remain in your breasts either.

I'm no chemist so I just take what she says on faith. But it seems to make sense to me.

That said, I just drink whenever I want to...I never get trashed, just a glass (or maybe two if someone else is buying!) with food, and I don't worry about when I've nursed or am next going to. I'm getting good at ignoring any funny looks I may get while dining out.

[aisraeltax]

i went to dinner sat. night and i do believe you can have a glass of wine (some say 2, but i limit it to one...just my preference).
i ordered a glass of wine, took a sip, bf Ethan, then finished my wine. i felt really weird the whole time. its silly, i know...but i felt like everyone was looking at me saying "look at that irresponsible mother bf'ing her poor baby and drinking alchohol".
where do these voices come from?

[lizajane30]

Originally Posted by aisraeltax

i felt like everyone was looking at me saying "look at that irresponsible mother bf'ing her poor baby and drinking alchohol".

I sometimes feel the same way, but I remind myself to look at it this way: most people actually know so little about breastfeeding that it's entirely likely they have no idea that alcohol passes through the breastmilk! I think some of those funny looks are just because I'm BFing at all, wine or no. And that I can get self-righteous about with the best of them.

We're doing the hardest job in the world--we deserve a little drink once in a while!

[judybean]

i hear ya about still feeling weird doing it.

on easter, we went to a family gathering with dh's family and i had *gasp* a beer. nobody said anything about it, and really i don't think anybody cared at all (they're a super pro-bf family!!!), but it was still funny... like i had to hide my drink, or at least take like two hours to drink it ... or some nonsense like that!

[Panthira]

Jeez, you all made me want a glass of wine! I don't drink at all usually, but all this talk about wine (and beer, which I'm sorry but I hate beer) had me thinking about it, so I bought a really nice bottle of red and had a glass. It got me tipsy, darn it.

You are bad influences!

[AmandaBL]

I'm drinking a glass of wine RIGHT now, and I will nurse my son shortly - bad influences indeed! People don't seem to grasp the concept that alcohol isn't "trapped" in your milk any more than it is in your blood. It all is filtered, so even if you are over-indulging (on the extreemley rare occasion - I in no way want to sound like I'm supporting it) so long as you're not nursing while tipsy, you should be fine. The odd glass of wine to relax or with a meal is more than ok in my (and every other nursing mom I know) book.

[Panthira]

Oh hey, I know it's ok or I would not have indulged in a glass of wine. I'm not normally a drinker of alcohol, is all I'm saying. This forum brought it to mind and there you go. I don't believe for one second I did any harm to my baby.

My DH is very anti "anything that is mood altering" as he likes to put it, while I'm not really anti-alcohol and think some "mood altering" substances can be beneficial, I just don't particularly care for the taste of most wines.