Drinking while breastfeeding?

Question

How long do you have to wait to breastfeed your baby after drinking before the alcohol is safely out of your breastmilk? Please only post if you have had experience with this or really know the answer.

Answer 1

what my friend does is makes sure she has a pumped bottle ready for one feeding and then she pumps the feeding she would have breastfed and dumps it, so the baby still has a bottle and by the next feeding you should be ok, just don't get trashed

Answer 2

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/health/lifestyle...

Enjoy! Just know your limit and don't feel guilty!

Answer 3

I believe you should wait at least 2 hrs after each drink before breast feeding again.  If you plan on having a big night out wait at least 24hrs before feeding again.  There is usually no need to pump and dump any milk before feeding again.  

Answer 4

The general rule of thumb is if you are sober enough to drive you can safely nurse. There is no need to pump or dump as the alcohol doesn't stay in your milk.  

Answer 5

The alcohol leaves your breast milk the same time it leaves your blood. Once you are sober there is no alcohol in your milk. No need to pump and dump. one or two drinks wont hurt anything.  

Answer 6

You should wait an hour and a half after each drink. Only 2% of the alcohol goes to your milk so it isn't too bad if you have a glass of wine while breastfeeding. Anymore and you wait - if you are going to drink a lot just give yourself the night to clean out. If you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough th breastfeed.

Answer 7

this was just asked 3 questions ago.

"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. "

i'm a nursing mom and i have one or two drinks once a week or so.

Answer 8

Alcohol passes freely into mother's milk and has been found to peak about 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, 60 to 90 minutes when taken with food. Alcohol also freely passes out of a mother's milk and her system. It takes a 120 pound woman about two to three hours to eliminate from her body the alcohol in one serving of beer or wine...the more alcohol that is consumed, the longer it takes for it to be eliminated. It takes up to 13 hours for a 120 pound woman to eliminate the alcohol from one high-alcohol drink. The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother consumes.