I'm in Europe. The guidelines in my country have recently shifted from, essentially, 'don't drink and feed' to 'if you can hold the baby, you can feed the baby'. The idea is that milk is made from blood and the traceable amount of alcohol in breast milk rarely surpasses that in... Orange juice.
So. In my country, you can have a glass, or even two. However, I would make sure there is someone in the room with the baby that is sober enough to make decisions and put baby to bed safely. I had a glass of glühwein a week after birth and felt as if I had had 4. Ymmv.
And don't bedshare with baby when you've been drinking. :
Enjoy!
EDIT: Never in my life would I have thought that a comment on alcohol and breastfeeding would gain so many upvotes. So happy to see that these guidelines find broad approval.
Agreed. I don't know where all these very specific guidelines are coming from when the science is that basically no alcohol finds it's way into breast milk. The risk is accidentally smothering your child when inebriated.
I live in Scandinavia and we’re slowly changing to these guidelines but it’s honestly still pretty behind. Funny enough since there’s enough people who will have a small glass of wine pregnant but then get militant about about wine breastfeeding
Your milk has the same alcohol concentration as your blood so if you're at the US's legal limit for driving of 0.08% then your milk will also be less than a tenth of a percent. You'd have to be totally wasted for milk to approach the same alcohol content as a fruit juice or a super ripe banana (0.5%).
For me personally, if I feel okay to drive then I just go ahead and feed.
Your milk also lowers concentration as you sober up without needing to remove milk so if you're uncomfortable with how tipsy you are you can delay feeding until you feel more sober.
Tacking in here to the US comment - CDC says 1 drink a day is totally fine and no need to alter how you feed baby, and you know they are conservative with that stuff! They say more than one and you need to wait to feed, depending on mom’s weight and all that.
I was just looking this up a few days ago because I had a couple drinks for the first time in almost a year (I’m 8 weeks post partum) and felt a little tipsy after as my tolerance is down from not drinking for so long. From everything I looked up online (which is in agreement with most of the comments), we gave baby a bottle until I didn’t feel tipsy anymore. Once I felt like I would get in a car and drive, I breastfed again!
I’ve posted about this before. Breast milk is equivalent to blood level. That then is ingested so doesn’t directly enter babies blood stream.
2.5 standard drinks (1measure/150mls wine/1 pint) in a 70kg woman = 0.036g/l
You’d have to drink litres of breastmilk/blood to notice any effects. Wine is about 100g/L at 12.5%
(Wine is 2777x the alcohol content of blood)
You totally deserve a drink after delivery (all in moderation).
This.
Originally, I kept thinking about it like the baby's BAC was the same as mom. But no, I realized the baby is *drinking* milk that has an alcohol content the same as mom's BAC, not the wine she is drinking. So by the time baby metabolizes the alcohol, it would be very minimal.
I just took a certified breastfeeding class, and the teacher basically said the same thing. She said that if you can feel it, the baby can feel it. So once you're sober, then you should be OK. She did advise that if we planned to drink (say at an event), then to pump once before the event so you have a backup supply.
Was this backed up by scientific evidence? Even if you are 10x over the UK legal limit, the breast milk would be 0.36g/l which is essentially apple juice.
The class was through the non-profit Breastfeeding Center DC. It's probably just a rule of thumb they give people, but I wouldn't be surprised if they can quote the science behind it. Their instructors are required to pass annual academic courses with the latest studies.
I think it’s within my professional duty to challenge misinformation surrounding health related tops. I think it’s your duty to challenge information that you’re being taught, saying final word is with a doctor is a cop out. It’s so outdated and American because that’s not the case internationally. Many experts in birth and lactation are midwives/nurses.
I’m in the US, my doctor told me “if you can drive a car, you can feed your baby” I would not worry about a singular glass of wine. Hell, some countries, women regularly drink a single glass of wine with dinner all the time while actively pregnant and their babies seem to turn out okay
I see everywhere that people are misunderstanding the difference in drinking pregnant vs drinking while breastfeeding. While pregnant, baby is effectively getting as much alcohol into their system as you are getting, which impacts them a lot more than it does you. While breastfeeding, baby drinks a liquid that is equivalent to your BAC, which for a single drink would be <0.1% alcohol. That’s less than fruit juice, an NA drink, etc.
You would have to drink A LOT for there to be any significant alcohol in your breastmilk which would then still have far less alcohol than a standard drink. As an example, a glass of wine at 5% alcohol is 50x greater than your breastmilk after having that glass of wine and increasing your blood alcohol content to 0.1%.
One legitimate thing to consider is how alcohol may impact your milk supply. If I had more than a single drink I would see a noticeable decrease in output. I was a “just enough” producer so this was enough to taper my intake.
In germany they advised you to nurse your baby before you drink, so at least technically you have 1-2 hours before the next feeding to cool off(?) Or to lower the alcohol in your blood
In the simplest of terms;
Your breastmilk will be the same alcohol content as your blood.
So even if you have 2 glasses and hit the legal limit… your blood and milk is still only .08.
That’s like a piece of fruit.
It’s fine.
I only have one drink at a time these days. And I drink right after feeding. If she wants to feed again before the 2 hours are up I feed her as one glass is negligible in the grand scheme of things
Breastmilk is made from blood. If you drink my blood and can’t be hurt by the alcohol content then I don’t see the issue.
I just make sure I’m not the primary carer and someone supervises any feeds.
I feel like I need to add that I have 2 drinks max usually and not very frequently but the result of that is I’m a lightweight 😂😂😂
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Every doctor, nurse, and lactation consultant I’ve talked to has said if you drink in moderation it’s fine to nurse. The danger is if you get drunk and drop the baby or roll over on it. Your breast milk will have the same alcohol content of your blood, so if your blood alcohol content is 0.08% (the legal limit for driving in the US) then your milk is also 0.08%. Think about this compared to like a normal beer at 5% or wine at 10%. It’s a fraction of a fraction of a fraction, orange juice has more alcohol than your milk would.
Just stay hydrated because it can affect supply, don’t overdo it, and have another trusted adult around in case you accidentally do overdo it so someone can be around to help with the baby if you need it.
One glass will be fine! If I don’t feel the effects, I let myself nurse after the one glass (at least an hour after finishing). If I feel the effects, or have more than one glass, I wait at least 2 hours after finishing and hydrate like crazy (which helps me feel better, nothing scientific lol). If I’m back to normal after that time, good to go!
I usually start drink when I’m feeding baby because I always heard it’s highest in your blood at an hour, I usually wait two hours between drinks. (I drink vodka sodas) I try to not go over two drinks usually my baby gets fussy throughout the night if I do!
I go by the rule if you can drive you can breast feed. I’ve tested my milk many times and when I could drive there was no alcohol in it, on the times I needed to Uber there was lol 1-2 won’t do anything to your supply
My LC told me if you can drive, you can BF. I have a glass of one from time to time. Could probably have more and be fine but my comfort level right now is one drink. Also if it makes you feel better I’ve heard of moms who drink while/right after they nurse or pump because it gives the body time to process the alcohol before the next session.
The alcohol level in your breastmilk mirrors the alcohol level in your blood. So even at your drunkest, you’re not likely to have breastmilk that is over 0.08% alcohol. You also metabolize it fairly quickly if you only have 1-2 drinks, so if you feed ~~an hour~~ a couple hours after a glass of wine, your breastmilk is not likely to have any alcohol in it.
If you are really worried, you can buy test strips for your breastmilk that will tell you if there’s any alcohol in it.
Basically, go ahead. It’s fine.
Not disagreeing that it’s probably fine, but alcohol in breast milk peaks 1-1.5 hrs after drinking. So if you do want to avoid it altogether, feeding an hour after is probably not the time to do it.
I go by "if you can drive, you can nurse". I've been having one glass in the evenings, but they are usually pretty small and I never drink enough to actually feel any effect from the alcohol. Always with food (dinner) and only have a second glass on rare occasions.
have that glass of wine your baby will be fine! sometimes i have a glass of beer at the end of the week or when we got out and i come home, pump and use the milk! ive never acutally breast fed after, cause it's late and baby is down for the night but i've always used the milk i pumped. there have been no issues!
Dang all these people waiting 2+ hours and I’m over here drinking a glass of wine literally while my baby nurses lol i don’t think he’s getting any of the alcohol. He certainly doesn’t seem intoxicated in any way
The bigger risk with breastfeeding and drinking really just boils down to being coordinated enough to hold baby and be around baby. From my understanding (and just reiterating the numerous posts here about it), the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is not enough to cause any sort of issue. The danger comes from dropping baby or something.
We were on the beach yesterday and I had to limit myself to 2 drinks because I knew I had a 20 minute walk back to the house while baby wearing. If I had more to drink and then tried to walk back while wearing baby, I wouldn’t have been coordinated enough to feel safe with him.
Don’t dump it!! I had a (very) strong marg with dinner last night for my bfs birthday and about 2 hours later had to pump bc I started to leak. I got these alcohol test strips from Frida Mom and tested my milk and no alcohol detected! I think a lot less gets transferred than we think. Plus the mom guilt can kill you! Don’t let it!
Think about it this way- a glass of wine is what, 12% abv? You drink it and your BAC is .01. Your baby metabolizes that .01 to a .001. You’re not drinking a 12% glass of wine and having an immediate 12% BAC. Really, a glass of wine isn’t going to hurt anything
I’m in Canada and my paediatrician said that drinking in moderation is totally fine. Basically if you can drive, you can breastfeed. Have that glass of wine! I definitely had the occasional drink when I was breastfeeding, I pumped and dumped once when my partner and I attended a party where I got a bit sloshed 😂
My grandmother told me “if you can find your baby, you can feed your baby.” lol it’s a drop in the pond from what I understand. You don’t want to be getting plastered with a baby anyways. The next day sucks whether you give a bottle the night before or not.
you can decide if a little is acceptable or not. here in Australia the guideline seems to be drink just after a feed and then next feed should be 2hrs+ after
I'd wait until she had a bit more predictable interval, that way you're sure she'll give you the two hours between feeds. Or keep some pumped milk on hand to feed her if she asks for some milk in the period after drinking.
No need to pump and dump, in any case : the alcohol breastmilk levels mirror the blood levels.
Not sure why you’re being downvoted. The guidelines I’ve read that suggest waiting 2 hours after a drink for optimal safety also suggest delaying drinking for the first 8-12 weeks of baby’s life for this reason. I couldn’t have predicted anything when she was cluster feeding in those early weeks but others may have a different experience
The guidelines of some countries are overly conservative and illogical. Others here have explained how much of the alcohol will actually be in the breastmilk (minimal amount)
The only thing that was told to me was 1) if you drink don't get blackout drunk 2) stay under the blood alcohol for driving (if you can drive you can breastfeed) 3) as much as possible try and drink AFTER you've fed the baby so if possible nurse baby before bed put down for the night/nap THEN have a glass of wine. OR if you have a glass of wine with supper try and wait as long as possible to breastfeed or at least an hour. Those were the recommendations I was given. But all in all if you are drinking in moderation and it's one glass of wine you're fine no need to pump and dump baby will be okay!
So my country (europe) suggests that you should avoid feeding for 2-3 after every drink. So if you have a drink at 11, 12, 1pm, then you should take it from 1pm.
I've always been under the impression to pump and dump. I have my first social get together the end of this month and plan a drink or two for the first time (baby will be roughly 12 weeks). I planned to pump and dump but reading my national health website it seems I might not need to! Very interesting.
I used to think this too! Now I would only consider pumping and dumping for my own comfort, if I was feeling engorged and couldn’t wait it out. Otherwise, it seems like waiting to nurse/pump is the best option, if possible, for you and baby. If you pumped and dumped too soon, the alcohol would still be in your bloodstream and it would’ve just been a waste of milk.
I read somewhere that if breast milk is left out uncovered the alcohol will dissipate. Per CDC guidelines breast milk can be left out at room temp for up to 8 hours but idk how long it needs to be left out for alcohol content to reduce
I'm almost 5 months PP and I have 1 drink whenever I want. Generally 2 max in a day as my tolerance is not what it used to be (and was very low early PP, so you really may not want more than a glass for a while). I'm not getting drunk, I can safely care for my baby, and I don't cosleep. If you start that drink while you're nursing you actually have the longest window before you nurse again, but admittedly that can be easier later depending on your nursing setup/predictability. I say have your glass, take it slow, feed as normal.
The most conservative route is to follow CDC guidelines. One drink a day is fine and wait two hours between your drink and breastfeeding.
https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/vaccine-medication-drugs/alcohol.html
It usually takes 30 minutes to an hour to take effect. One drink doesn’t really affect anything though. If I’m having one drink I’ll do it after I feed my baby in the evening. If I’m having multiple I’ll have one during the last feed and then drink after I put him down. I always pump before bed and I’ll just use that pump for a milk bath. That is what has worked for me!
If your baby eats at random times I would suggest pumping and giving her a bottle at the same time if you are concerned.
I have heard that the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is very little and doesn’t matter at all. The saying is that if you can find your baby then you can feed your baby. That being said I think the biggest concern is that if you are very drunk you can accidentally suffocate your baby. Do what you feel comfortable with! I totally get wanting to have a few drinks!!
You can pump and dump to still keep up your supply, but you do not have to. Once you are sober up, your milk will also sober up. Very minuscule amounts even get into your milk anyways. The Old go to phrase is “if you can find the baby you can feed the baby”. But that really just pertains to the fact that if you’re coherent enough to find your baby you’re probably all right. It’s worth mentioning that most juices in the stores as well as very ripe bananas and other fruits, etc. do contain small traces of alcohol, basically about the equivalent and children and such get that stuff often.
All these answers are so interesting! I didn’t realize how “relaxed” international rules are on this topic since here in the States I’ve been told to wait at least 2 hours after two glasses of wine.
Anyways. At first (about 7+ weeks PP) I would drink a couple glasses right after his last feeding as he went to sleep for the night—so I had about two hours before sleep-feeding. Now, I only might do a small glass and wait an hour and a half to two hours. I’ve been very afraid of the alcohol affecting him even slightly.
So thank you to all the info on this post ☺️
I’m a hard no on drinking at all while breastfeeding! With that being said, I know plenty of people who drink like once a week or so while breastfeeding and it doesn’t seem to mess their baby up! I’d say talk to your doctor and go with your gut!
Talked to our doctor here in USA, said a glass at dinner is fine but wait 2hours to feed. I bought test strips at 1hr with white wine I no longer have a positive result (also I drink a lot of water so I don’t know if that helps?)
Does your daughter take a bottle? Pump and have the bottle ready for if she suddenly is hungry. Alcohol takes about an hour and a half from when you start drinking to be out of your system ( per standard drink) the feedsafe app is helpful for tracking and follows the new zealand and Australian breastfeeding guidelines
She hasn’t had a bottle yet, I want to make sure I don’t confuse her with nipples bc she did just turn a month old but normally around 6am she goes to bed and sleeps for 2-4 hours so I’m thinking I could probably have a glass during that time! During the day she feeds at such weird times lol
I'd assume they account for that when designing the app? I just found it useful as a guide as it follows the health guidelines in NZ, maybe we're a bit behind if the rest of the world says it's fine but the the nz guidelines are to not drink and feed.
i agree on the BAC comparison. for me though, I noticed a significant drop in supply after i had some champagne one morning - anyone else seen supply drop from drinking?
I'm in Europe. The guidelines in my country have recently shifted from, essentially, 'don't drink and feed' to 'if you can hold the baby, you can feed the baby'. The idea is that milk is made from blood and the traceable amount of alcohol in breast milk rarely surpasses that in... Orange juice. So. In my country, you can have a glass, or even two. However, I would make sure there is someone in the room with the baby that is sober enough to make decisions and put baby to bed safely. I had a glass of glühwein a week after birth and felt as if I had had 4. Ymmv. And don't bedshare with baby when you've been drinking. : Enjoy! EDIT: Never in my life would I have thought that a comment on alcohol and breastfeeding would gain so many upvotes. So happy to see that these guidelines find broad approval.
Where I am (also in Europe) we’re rather at the “if you can drive a car, you can nurse your baby” which feels right to me.
I’m in Canada and I’ve been told that by several nurses and lactation consultants
Yes this is the one 🙌🏻
Agreed. I don't know where all these very specific guidelines are coming from when the science is that basically no alcohol finds it's way into breast milk. The risk is accidentally smothering your child when inebriated.
Thank you!! And oh lord, I was already a lightweight! Maybe just half a glass will do me good, I really crave this certain wine.
Have the wine, it’s totally fine to drink and feed. Pumping and dumping is not necessary and a waste of milk. Enjoy!
Also, I *preach* this, as it's way more realistic for women to try to hold off drinking during pregnancy if they know that soon they can go at it.
This! Even though breastfeeding while drinking isn’t dangerous, caring for and especially sleeping with your baby after drinking may be.
I live in Scandinavia and we’re slowly changing to these guidelines but it’s honestly still pretty behind. Funny enough since there’s enough people who will have a small glass of wine pregnant but then get militant about about wine breastfeeding
Your milk has the same alcohol concentration as your blood so if you're at the US's legal limit for driving of 0.08% then your milk will also be less than a tenth of a percent. You'd have to be totally wasted for milk to approach the same alcohol content as a fruit juice or a super ripe banana (0.5%). For me personally, if I feel okay to drive then I just go ahead and feed. Your milk also lowers concentration as you sober up without needing to remove milk so if you're uncomfortable with how tipsy you are you can delay feeding until you feel more sober.
Right! All I truly want is a glass of this certain wine, it is absolutely so sweet! It taste like fruit juice lol! I’m craving it
Tacking in here to the US comment - CDC says 1 drink a day is totally fine and no need to alter how you feed baby, and you know they are conservative with that stuff! They say more than one and you need to wait to feed, depending on mom’s weight and all that. I was just looking this up a few days ago because I had a couple drinks for the first time in almost a year (I’m 8 weeks post partum) and felt a little tipsy after as my tolerance is down from not drinking for so long. From everything I looked up online (which is in agreement with most of the comments), we gave baby a bottle until I didn’t feel tipsy anymore. Once I felt like I would get in a car and drive, I breastfed again!
I need the name of the wine! Never had wine I thought tasted good
Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot Sweet Red Fruit Wine!! I think this is the only wine I like!
I’ve posted about this before. Breast milk is equivalent to blood level. That then is ingested so doesn’t directly enter babies blood stream. 2.5 standard drinks (1measure/150mls wine/1 pint) in a 70kg woman = 0.036g/l You’d have to drink litres of breastmilk/blood to notice any effects. Wine is about 100g/L at 12.5% (Wine is 2777x the alcohol content of blood) You totally deserve a drink after delivery (all in moderation).
Thank you!! Oh my goodness yes, I told my boyfriend he’s gotta buy me wine as a push present lol!
This. Originally, I kept thinking about it like the baby's BAC was the same as mom. But no, I realized the baby is *drinking* milk that has an alcohol content the same as mom's BAC, not the wine she is drinking. So by the time baby metabolizes the alcohol, it would be very minimal.
I just took a certified breastfeeding class, and the teacher basically said the same thing. She said that if you can feel it, the baby can feel it. So once you're sober, then you should be OK. She did advise that if we planned to drink (say at an event), then to pump once before the event so you have a backup supply.
Was this backed up by scientific evidence? Even if you are 10x over the UK legal limit, the breast milk would be 0.36g/l which is essentially apple juice.
The class was through the non-profit Breastfeeding Center DC. It's probably just a rule of thumb they give people, but I wouldn't be surprised if they can quote the science behind it. Their instructors are required to pass annual academic courses with the latest studies.
You should ask for the literature that supports their teaching. Any good course should be evidence based and transparent.
Honestly, the final word is with my doctor. No need to be on a high horse.
I think it’s within my professional duty to challenge misinformation surrounding health related tops. I think it’s your duty to challenge information that you’re being taught, saying final word is with a doctor is a cop out. It’s so outdated and American because that’s not the case internationally. Many experts in birth and lactation are midwives/nurses.
I’m in the US, my doctor told me “if you can drive a car, you can feed your baby” I would not worry about a singular glass of wine. Hell, some countries, women regularly drink a single glass of wine with dinner all the time while actively pregnant and their babies seem to turn out okay
Thank you!!
I see everywhere that people are misunderstanding the difference in drinking pregnant vs drinking while breastfeeding. While pregnant, baby is effectively getting as much alcohol into their system as you are getting, which impacts them a lot more than it does you. While breastfeeding, baby drinks a liquid that is equivalent to your BAC, which for a single drink would be <0.1% alcohol. That’s less than fruit juice, an NA drink, etc. You would have to drink A LOT for there to be any significant alcohol in your breastmilk which would then still have far less alcohol than a standard drink. As an example, a glass of wine at 5% alcohol is 50x greater than your breastmilk after having that glass of wine and increasing your blood alcohol content to 0.1%. One legitimate thing to consider is how alcohol may impact your milk supply. If I had more than a single drink I would see a noticeable decrease in output. I was a “just enough” producer so this was enough to taper my intake.
Thank you!! 🙏
Also drinking (even just a glass for me!) is it’s own punishment when your baby decides to wake 45 mins after you go to be lol
In germany they advised you to nurse your baby before you drink, so at least technically you have 1-2 hours before the next feeding to cool off(?) Or to lower the alcohol in your blood
Thank you!! That’s what I’ve been seeing majority of people on here say!
In the simplest of terms; Your breastmilk will be the same alcohol content as your blood. So even if you have 2 glasses and hit the legal limit… your blood and milk is still only .08. That’s like a piece of fruit. It’s fine.
Thank you!!🙏
I only have one drink at a time these days. And I drink right after feeding. If she wants to feed again before the 2 hours are up I feed her as one glass is negligible in the grand scheme of things
Smart, thank you!
Breastmilk is made from blood. If you drink my blood and can’t be hurt by the alcohol content then I don’t see the issue. I just make sure I’m not the primary carer and someone supervises any feeds. I feel like I need to add that I have 2 drinks max usually and not very frequently but the result of that is I’m a lightweight 😂😂😂
Right lol! Thank you, I’m a lightweight too lol🫣
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A glass of wine when breastfeeding is like throwing a shot into the ocean. Enjoy and cheers!
Lol! Thank you!!
Every doctor, nurse, and lactation consultant I’ve talked to has said if you drink in moderation it’s fine to nurse. The danger is if you get drunk and drop the baby or roll over on it. Your breast milk will have the same alcohol content of your blood, so if your blood alcohol content is 0.08% (the legal limit for driving in the US) then your milk is also 0.08%. Think about this compared to like a normal beer at 5% or wine at 10%. It’s a fraction of a fraction of a fraction, orange juice has more alcohol than your milk would. Just stay hydrated because it can affect supply, don’t overdo it, and have another trusted adult around in case you accidentally do overdo it so someone can be around to help with the baby if you need it.
Thank you!! 🙏
Yeah honestly, the bigger concern is if you cosleep, you can’t do that for the night.
One glass will be fine! If I don’t feel the effects, I let myself nurse after the one glass (at least an hour after finishing). If I feel the effects, or have more than one glass, I wait at least 2 hours after finishing and hydrate like crazy (which helps me feel better, nothing scientific lol). If I’m back to normal after that time, good to go!
Thank you!! 🙏
I usually start drink when I’m feeding baby because I always heard it’s highest in your blood at an hour, I usually wait two hours between drinks. (I drink vodka sodas) I try to not go over two drinks usually my baby gets fussy throughout the night if I do!
Ohh okay! Thank you!!
I go by the rule if you can drive you can breast feed. I’ve tested my milk many times and when I could drive there was no alcohol in it, on the times I needed to Uber there was lol 1-2 won’t do anything to your supply
Thank you!!
My LC told me if you can drive, you can BF. I have a glass of one from time to time. Could probably have more and be fine but my comfort level right now is one drink. Also if it makes you feel better I’ve heard of moms who drink while/right after they nurse or pump because it gives the body time to process the alcohol before the next session.
Thank you!!
Nah you’re good!! If you were so drunk that you couldn’t safely hold your baby, don’t feed them. Otherwise it’s fine!
Thank you!!!
The alcohol level in your breastmilk mirrors the alcohol level in your blood. So even at your drunkest, you’re not likely to have breastmilk that is over 0.08% alcohol. You also metabolize it fairly quickly if you only have 1-2 drinks, so if you feed ~~an hour~~ a couple hours after a glass of wine, your breastmilk is not likely to have any alcohol in it. If you are really worried, you can buy test strips for your breastmilk that will tell you if there’s any alcohol in it. Basically, go ahead. It’s fine.
Thank you!!
Not disagreeing that it’s probably fine, but alcohol in breast milk peaks 1-1.5 hrs after drinking. So if you do want to avoid it altogether, feeding an hour after is probably not the time to do it.
You’re right, I should have said 2 hours, I’ll edit. Thanks.
I have a drink here and there. I don’t pump and dump. Basically your breastmilk will be as alcoholic as a glass of orange juice after one drink.
Thank you!!
I go by "if you can drive, you can nurse". I've been having one glass in the evenings, but they are usually pretty small and I never drink enough to actually feel any effect from the alcohol. Always with food (dinner) and only have a second glass on rare occasions.
Thank you!!!
have that glass of wine your baby will be fine! sometimes i have a glass of beer at the end of the week or when we got out and i come home, pump and use the milk! ive never acutally breast fed after, cause it's late and baby is down for the night but i've always used the milk i pumped. there have been no issues!
Thank you!!
Dang all these people waiting 2+ hours and I’m over here drinking a glass of wine literally while my baby nurses lol i don’t think he’s getting any of the alcohol. He certainly doesn’t seem intoxicated in any way
My pediatrician says “if you can find the baby, feed the baby”. I usually only have one drink on occasion so I feel comfortable drinking and feeding.
Thank you!!!
The bigger risk with breastfeeding and drinking really just boils down to being coordinated enough to hold baby and be around baby. From my understanding (and just reiterating the numerous posts here about it), the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is not enough to cause any sort of issue. The danger comes from dropping baby or something. We were on the beach yesterday and I had to limit myself to 2 drinks because I knew I had a 20 minute walk back to the house while baby wearing. If I had more to drink and then tried to walk back while wearing baby, I wouldn’t have been coordinated enough to feel safe with him.
Just had a beer and am about to nurse!
Don’t dump it!! I had a (very) strong marg with dinner last night for my bfs birthday and about 2 hours later had to pump bc I started to leak. I got these alcohol test strips from Frida Mom and tested my milk and no alcohol detected! I think a lot less gets transferred than we think. Plus the mom guilt can kill you! Don’t let it!
Think about it this way- a glass of wine is what, 12% abv? You drink it and your BAC is .01. Your baby metabolizes that .01 to a .001. You’re not drinking a 12% glass of wine and having an immediate 12% BAC. Really, a glass of wine isn’t going to hurt anything
I’m in Canada and my paediatrician said that drinking in moderation is totally fine. Basically if you can drive, you can breastfeed. Have that glass of wine! I definitely had the occasional drink when I was breastfeeding, I pumped and dumped once when my partner and I attended a party where I got a bit sloshed 😂
My grandmother told me “if you can find your baby, you can feed your baby.” lol it’s a drop in the pond from what I understand. You don’t want to be getting plastered with a baby anyways. The next day sucks whether you give a bottle the night before or not.
My doc told me the best time to have a drink is while you’re feeding/pumping!
you can decide if a little is acceptable or not. here in Australia the guideline seems to be drink just after a feed and then next feed should be 2hrs+ after
Right that’s what I’ve heard, my daughter is a month old and feeds at random times so that’s what worries me
I'd wait until she had a bit more predictable interval, that way you're sure she'll give you the two hours between feeds. Or keep some pumped milk on hand to feed her if she asks for some milk in the period after drinking. No need to pump and dump, in any case : the alcohol breastmilk levels mirror the blood levels.
Thank you! I realized that around 6am she sleeps for a whole 2-4 hours before she wakes up hungry so I might just do it then!
totally 😁 best time and reason for a morning drinky
Not sure why you’re being downvoted. The guidelines I’ve read that suggest waiting 2 hours after a drink for optimal safety also suggest delaying drinking for the first 8-12 weeks of baby’s life for this reason. I couldn’t have predicted anything when she was cluster feeding in those early weeks but others may have a different experience
The guidelines of some countries are overly conservative and illogical. Others here have explained how much of the alcohol will actually be in the breastmilk (minimal amount)
Yeah, I'm not sure either, but people are free to disagree. I'm going by the Leche ligue recommendations that I got.
This sub is very pro “get your drink on, girl!” Which is fine. But many of us prefer to be more cautious if we do drink.
The only thing that was told to me was 1) if you drink don't get blackout drunk 2) stay under the blood alcohol for driving (if you can drive you can breastfeed) 3) as much as possible try and drink AFTER you've fed the baby so if possible nurse baby before bed put down for the night/nap THEN have a glass of wine. OR if you have a glass of wine with supper try and wait as long as possible to breastfeed or at least an hour. Those were the recommendations I was given. But all in all if you are drinking in moderation and it's one glass of wine you're fine no need to pump and dump baby will be okay!
Thank you!!
So my country (europe) suggests that you should avoid feeding for 2-3 after every drink. So if you have a drink at 11, 12, 1pm, then you should take it from 1pm. I've always been under the impression to pump and dump. I have my first social get together the end of this month and plan a drink or two for the first time (baby will be roughly 12 weeks). I planned to pump and dump but reading my national health website it seems I might not need to! Very interesting.
I used to think this too! Now I would only consider pumping and dumping for my own comfort, if I was feeling engorged and couldn’t wait it out. Otherwise, it seems like waiting to nurse/pump is the best option, if possible, for you and baby. If you pumped and dumped too soon, the alcohol would still be in your bloodstream and it would’ve just been a waste of milk.
I read somewhere that if breast milk is left out uncovered the alcohol will dissipate. Per CDC guidelines breast milk can be left out at room temp for up to 8 hours but idk how long it needs to be left out for alcohol content to reduce
Right! That’s what I thought too. Thank you and have fun at your get together!
I'm almost 5 months PP and I have 1 drink whenever I want. Generally 2 max in a day as my tolerance is not what it used to be (and was very low early PP, so you really may not want more than a glass for a while). I'm not getting drunk, I can safely care for my baby, and I don't cosleep. If you start that drink while you're nursing you actually have the longest window before you nurse again, but admittedly that can be easier later depending on your nursing setup/predictability. I say have your glass, take it slow, feed as normal.
Thank you!!
It’s proven that babies drink less milk when you drink alcohol. Probably not worth the risk imo!
The most conservative route is to follow CDC guidelines. One drink a day is fine and wait two hours between your drink and breastfeeding. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/vaccine-medication-drugs/alcohol.html
It usually takes 30 minutes to an hour to take effect. One drink doesn’t really affect anything though. If I’m having one drink I’ll do it after I feed my baby in the evening. If I’m having multiple I’ll have one during the last feed and then drink after I put him down. I always pump before bed and I’ll just use that pump for a milk bath. That is what has worked for me! If your baby eats at random times I would suggest pumping and giving her a bottle at the same time if you are concerned. I have heard that the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is very little and doesn’t matter at all. The saying is that if you can find your baby then you can feed your baby. That being said I think the biggest concern is that if you are very drunk you can accidentally suffocate your baby. Do what you feel comfortable with! I totally get wanting to have a few drinks!!
Thank you!
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Usually means following so they can find the thread later. However they can also save the post.
Thank you! I’m new to Reddit lol
You can pump and dump to still keep up your supply, but you do not have to. Once you are sober up, your milk will also sober up. Very minuscule amounts even get into your milk anyways. The Old go to phrase is “if you can find the baby you can feed the baby”. But that really just pertains to the fact that if you’re coherent enough to find your baby you’re probably all right. It’s worth mentioning that most juices in the stores as well as very ripe bananas and other fruits, etc. do contain small traces of alcohol, basically about the equivalent and children and such get that stuff often.
Thank you!!
All these answers are so interesting! I didn’t realize how “relaxed” international rules are on this topic since here in the States I’ve been told to wait at least 2 hours after two glasses of wine. Anyways. At first (about 7+ weeks PP) I would drink a couple glasses right after his last feeding as he went to sleep for the night—so I had about two hours before sleep-feeding. Now, I only might do a small glass and wait an hour and a half to two hours. I’ve been very afraid of the alcohol affecting him even slightly. So thank you to all the info on this post ☺️
Right very educational! Thank you!
I’m a hard no on drinking at all while breastfeeding! With that being said, I know plenty of people who drink like once a week or so while breastfeeding and it doesn’t seem to mess their baby up! I’d say talk to your doctor and go with your gut!
Thank you! 🙏
Talked to our doctor here in USA, said a glass at dinner is fine but wait 2hours to feed. I bought test strips at 1hr with white wine I no longer have a positive result (also I drink a lot of water so I don’t know if that helps?)
Does your daughter take a bottle? Pump and have the bottle ready for if she suddenly is hungry. Alcohol takes about an hour and a half from when you start drinking to be out of your system ( per standard drink) the feedsafe app is helpful for tracking and follows the new zealand and Australian breastfeeding guidelines
She hasn’t had a bottle yet, I want to make sure I don’t confuse her with nipples bc she did just turn a month old but normally around 6am she goes to bed and sleeps for 2-4 hours so I’m thinking I could probably have a glass during that time! During the day she feeds at such weird times lol
What if it takes you 90 min to drink your drink?
I'd assume they account for that when designing the app? I just found it useful as a guide as it follows the health guidelines in NZ, maybe we're a bit behind if the rest of the world says it's fine but the the nz guidelines are to not drink and feed.
This is what I did recently! For the next feed I pumped again and tested the milk with a frida mom alcohol test kit
i agree on the BAC comparison. for me though, I noticed a significant drop in supply after i had some champagne one morning - anyone else seen supply drop from drinking?
If you feel like you have to dump, save the bottle for a bath instead! Also, try alcohol test strips for Breastmilk on Amazon!
Alcohol test strips are just another way for companies to make money off BF women.
Thank you!!