Alcohol and breastfeeding

When you welcome a new baby into the world, it's an exciting time and your body goes through a lot of changes. You may wonder if some fun activities can be resumed, like having a glass of wine.

While we know that drinking alcohol during pregnancy is dangerous for your baby, it is known that drinking in moderation while breastfeeding will not harm your baby.

Ultimately, whether or not to start drinking while breastfeeding is a personal decision, usually made between you and your doctor. If you choose to drink while breastfeeding, be aware that there are some risks to your baby and what you can do to minimize those risks.

Things to consider about alcohol and breastfeeding

When you drink alcohol, that alcohol is found in your breast milk. Alcohol levels usually reach their highest levels 30 to 60 minutes after you drink a drink and can remain in your breast milk for about 2 to 3 hours after your last drink, and sometimes longer.

The level of alcohol in the blood and how long alcohol can be present in breast milk depends on how much alcohol is drunk, how quickly it is drunk, whether it is consumed with food, and on the weight of the mother.

Here are some more important considerations about alcohol and breastfeeding:

Your child's age. The newborn has an immature liver, which is more susceptible to the influence of alcohol. Babies typically process alcohol about twice as fast as adults. Older children can process alcohol faster than younger children.

Your weight. A person's height affects their ability to process alcohol. Fat people tend to metabolize alcohol faster.

The amount of alcohol. The amount of alcohol passed on to your child is directly related to the amount of alcohol you drink. The more alcohol you drink, the longer it takes your body to process it.

Serious Consequences of Drinking Alcohol While Breastfeeding

Depending on how much you drink, it can impair your ability to produce breast milk and impair your milk ejection reflex.

If your baby drinks breast milk that contains alcohol, it can have negative effects on your baby, including:

Increased crying
Increased arousal
Reduced milk intake
Reduced weight gain
Increased REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep when their brain is more active)
Sleep disorders

In severe cases, your child may experience:

Growth retardation
Impaired immune function
Delayed motor development
Cognitive Development Disorders
Decreased ability for abstract thinking at school age.

Can breastfeeding mothers sometimes drink?

Newborn babies have difficulty digesting alcohol. If possible, avoid drinking alcohol while breastfeeding until your baby is at least 8 weeks old. If you drink, remember the following safety precautions:

Before drinking, breastfeed your baby first

If possible, express milk and store it before drinking.
Limit your alcohol intake to one drink.
Wait at least 2 hours before breastfeeding after you finish drinking.
Drink juice or eat food while drinking

Remember that if there is alcohol in your blood, it will also be in your breast milk.

Alcohol and Milk Production

Many women are told that they should drink alcohol, most commonly beer, to increase their milk supply. However, alcohol reduces milk production in breastfeeding women.

This is because alcohol is an inhibitor of oxytocin. Oxytocin with alcohol stimulates milk flow, which can also reduce the amount of milk available to a nursing baby. The higher the alcohol consumption, the stronger the effect.

Breast Pumping After Drinking

Pumping and pumping milk after drinking (also known as pumping and dumping) do not work. The amount of alcohol present in breast milk will only decrease when the mother's blood alcohol content decreases.

The mother may choose to express milk to relieve physical symptoms or to keep a pumping schedule. If you decide to express within 2 hours of consumption, you can refuse the expressed milk.

If you are under the influence of alcohol, you should avoid breastfeeding until you are sober.

Alternatives

In the end, it is up to you to decide whether or not to drink alcohol while breastfeeding. The choice to breastfeed or not is also a personal choice and you should be empowered to make the best decisions for your family. What works for you as a mother may not work for someone else, and that's okay.

It can be helpful to connect with people who can help take care of your child so you can take a break and do what you love. After all, even new parents still need "me time" and deserve to have some fun and get out of the house.

You can minimize your alcohol intake or refrain from drinking alcohol while fully breastfeeding. Some women prefer to enjoy "mocktails" or non-alcoholic fruit drinks that still taste delicious.

Breastfeeding and caring for a newborn can be some of the best moments of your life, but this time comes with its own challenges. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.