Is breastfeeding and drinking alcohol okay or frowned upon in your eyes?

1. 85

   Express10posted 9 years ago

   Is breastfeeding and drinking alcohol okay or frowned upon in your eyes?
   
   Keeping in mind that no amount of alcohol is safe for a baby to be exposed to, is breastfeeding while drinking not a big deal or a potential harm to the baby in your eyes?
   
   

   replyreport
2. 59

   Link10103posted 9 years ago

   If it is certain kinds of wine, I cant imagine it is TOO harmful to the baby, but heck if I know medical wise. Still wouldnt necessarily recommend it.
   
   At the very least, I would wait the required amount of time for your body to get rid of the toxins and such from the alcohol before breast feeding

   replyreport
3. 69

   Aime Fposted 9 years ago

   Depends on how much you're drinking and how old your baby is.
   
   The reality is that very, very little alcohol gets into breastmilk. I would be more concerned about someone drinking and then trying to care for an infant than I would about alcohol passing through breastmilk. A drink or two on occasion with an older baby is fine in my opinion. I wouldn't do it before ~3 months though.

   replyreport
   1. 93

      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, my doctor said it was fine, with no pump and dump, as long as I tried to have a drink right after feeding. Just a matter of moderation.

      replyreport
4. 80

   jlparkposted 9 years ago

   Having just switched our daughter to formula as low supply, gone back to work etc etc etc - this is all fairly fresh in my head.
   
   Apparently if you feed bubs, then drink directly after a feed, the alcohol is mostly gone from your system by the next feed - usually 2-4hrs later.
   
   I'm not a big drinker, so I didn't bother with having a drink whilst breastfeeding. But I did research it, just in case the opportunity arose.
   
   But it can be done safely without any risk to the baby.  Going hard out...getting trashed - NOT safe. One or two drinks in a way that reduces the amount of alcohol through into the breastmilk...not so bad.

   replyreport
5. 61

   Penny Gposted 9 years ago

   No it is not OK. Alcohol crosses into the milk, as well as medications I have raised a child with fetal alcohol effects and studied this extensively . The effects are lifelong. You had better do some research, and not listen to opinions. If you eat garlic, you milk smells like garlic see where this is going. What you eat and drink becomes your milk. Don't fool yourself. In my eyes, that a does not matter, the medical true/facts is what people need to look at. A child's future is at risk here. Exposing a child unnecessarily for the sack of entertainment is ridiculous!  All doctors will recommend you pump and dump the next milk after a drink.Is it really worth it. Would you put just a little bit of alcohol in the bottle for the baby? Of course not, same difference.

   replyreport
   1. 69

      Aime Fposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry, but this is total scaremongering. I actually just looked through some medical journals and the common consensus is that occasional drinking while BFing not medically significant. Putting alcohol in a bottle is not even remotely the same.

      replyreport
   2. 61

      Penny Gposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It's your baby suit yourself.

      replyreport
   3. 59

      Link10103posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      You tell someone to do research, they present you with said research, and you ignore it completely Penny.

      replyreport
   4. 80

      jlparkposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Fetal alcohol effects (FAE) is caused by drinking DURING preg NOT after. Yes FAE is lifelong but is not related to this question. Please don't confuse things. Also if you'd studied it extensively -  u'd no when FAS + FAE occur - nothing 2 do wth bf

      replyreport