The baby has arrived, you are home and beginning to think
you may have settled a little in to this new parent thing. You may even dare to think you are developing
a bit of a routine. Your body is healing
and your baby is thriving. Adult
beverages have begun to sound appealing again.
But how does drinking affect nursing? Does it show up in breast
milk? What does it do to baby? What does
it do to your supply? What problems might arise from drinking and nursing?
Does alcohol transfer
into the breast milk?
Yes. If there is
alcohol in mom’s blood stream, then there is alcohol in the breast milk. If baby drinks breast milk with alcohol in
it, his liver has to process it, and his body will be affected by it. Babies’ livers are immature, therefore their
ability to process alcohol and other toxins is diminished. (Their brains, nervous systems, and kidneys
are all immature; therefore they are generally more susceptible to all toxins.)
Does alcohol affect baby?
Baby will have the same issues we do, but with a much lower
amount of alcohol. So even a small
amount of alcohol in breast milk can cause problems such as poor sleeping and
poor eating (babies have been shown to get less milk from a feeding occurring
within 4 hours of mom having a drink)[1].
Alcohol in breast milk may also lead
to motor delay, although the research on this is conflicting. Prolonged or heavy use of alcohol in a
breastfeeding mother would lead to much more severe health issues in a nursing
baby.
If you can’t resist
the urge to drink, or feel you may be drinking too much, please consult your
health care provider. You may need help,
and you may need to provide formula or donor milk instead of breastfeeding.
Does alcohol affect breast
milk supply?
Contrary to popular belief, beer does not increase breast
milk production (not even dark beer). In
fact, alcohol ingestion may decrease
supply. And as mentioned above, a baby
nursing within 4 hours of mom having a drink may get less milk. (If you need help increasing your supply, see
your health care provider. Supply can
often be increased with the help of a lactation educator or consultant, and by
taking certain herbs, foods, or pharmaceuticals.)
Photo by Kimery Davis; downloaded from Flickr without amendments
So what’s the bottom
line?
Most experts agree that it is okay to have an occasional
drink while nursing. But what is occasional?
Is it okay to drink every day? Is
it okay to drink more than one drink at a time?
The details of this are not known with certainty.
It’s difficult to study.
Some say limit drinking to special occasions, and some say no
more than 1 or 2 times per week. Some
say one small drink, and some say up to 2 glasses of wine or beer or one
shot. Some say to wait until baby is 3
months of age. To further complicate the
issue, there are additional variables: the age and metabolism of your baby,
your own metabolism and ability to process alcohol and how much you have eaten
with your beverage.
So what’s the bottom line?
It’s probably okay to have one or two drinks on special occasions, or
less than 2 times a week.
Ensure that you avoid breastfeeding your baby until you are
sure you no longer feel affected by the alcohol. This may mean you have to provide formula or
breastmilk you pumped before drinking. If
you want more specifics, be sure to contact your health care provider.
Photo by Eivind Barstad Waaler; downloaded from Flicker without amendments
Co-sleepers: Remember that you should never co-sleep after drinking alcohol.
Co-sleepers: Remember that you should never co-sleep after drinking alcohol.
A note on SIDS: People often sleep more soundly after alcohol
ingestion, so you may not wake as quickly or as easily to baby’s noises.
I’m having a drink –
how should I do it?
Have your drink just after you nurse or pump, then nurse or
pump again once the alcohol is out of your blood stream. For one drink, it
generally takes about 2 to 4 hours for alcohol to dissipate from your milk, BUT
everyone is different. If you feel the
effects of the alcohol, it is too early to feed (this is an argument for limiting
yourself to 2 drinks at the most.) If
baby is hungry before you feel ready to feed, give previously pumped milk or
formula. Also, remember that alcohol and
breastfeeding are dehydrating, so be sure you drink extra water to compensate.
Should I pump and
dump?
Do NOT pump and dump. There is no need. Once alcohol is out of your blood, it is out
of your milk. Pumping and dumping does
not speed that process up. If you need to pump to relieve engorgement until the
next feed, do dispose of that milk. But
do not pump to try to get rid of alcohol.
Some words from the nostalgic mom
Remember that you will not breastfeed forever. You will also not be the parent of a baby
forever. Before you know it you will
have the time and freedom to drink and go out as you please. So try to savor the here and now, even when it
means you are covered in spit up and drinking lactation tea. It will be gone before you know it.
More resources:
- For a comprehensive review of the available science, see this article from the NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
- http://www.babycenter.com/0_alcohol-and-nursing-moms_3547.bc
- http://www.lalecheleague.org/faq/alcohol.html
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