Does anyone know what the protocol is with breastfeeding and alcohol. I'm almost two months into breastfeeding and have not had any alcohol in this period, however my best friend is getting married and it would be nice to share a glass of champers with her on her big day. Will it harm my baby if i have a drink???
Breastfeeding & Alcohol Question
- Thread starter RitaJS
- Start date
As far as I'm aware, you apply the same rules as you would drink driving - Once you feel sobre enough to drive, you can safely feed baby. Alcohol does not go into your milk and stay there. It goes in and comes out. If you feel ok, then most of the alcohol is out of your milk. If you have any doubt, pump and dump one time and that should be fine.
i read in this months parenting magazine that can pass through into your milk it is only in very small quantities and to apply the same rules as when you are pregnant. It also takes 2 hrs for 1 unit of alcohol to completely leave your system.
I have been told different information. Alcohol during pregnancy is passed to baby in a much more concentrated way, so the rules about pregnancy and alcohol and breastfeeding and alcohol are not the same.
I didn't drink during my pregnancy, but while breastfeeding I have enjoyed the odd glass of wine & soda (rock on!), but just been careful not to get drunk.
The idea about expressing and dumping is a good one, but I can't bring myself to do it - I hate wasting my milk as its such a faff to get it out in the first place! I prefer to drink once in a while and just a glass or two (not spirits) and feed DD as normal and have had no ill effects from her so far to date.
I would say you'd be absolutely fine to have a glass of champers of two and still feed your baby. Have fun!
Valentine Xxx
I didn't drink during my pregnancy, but while breastfeeding I have enjoyed the odd glass of wine & soda (rock on!), but just been careful not to get drunk.
The idea about expressing and dumping is a good one, but I can't bring myself to do it - I hate wasting my milk as its such a faff to get it out in the first place! I prefer to drink once in a while and just a glass or two (not spirits) and feed DD as normal and have had no ill effects from her so far to date.
I would say you'd be absolutely fine to have a glass of champers of two and still feed your baby. Have fun!
Valentine Xxx
I've always followed the advice my midwife gave me. No more than 3 glasses of wine over a 12 hour period and Not to drink anything if i know Thea will need feeding within 2 hours of the drink. That basically meant nothing at all when she was tiny but now she has a feed before she goes to sleep and no more until she wakes at 7.30 i can have a glass of wine with Richard while we watch a film if i want too. Mind you it only takes two and im on the floor now! When she was small and i went out with the girls she got expressed milk from a cup or the boobie bottle in the middle of the night and then i would feed her again normally in the morning but again i never had more than a couple of glasses anyway or i would never have made it home in one piece!
valentine is right as well as some others if your drunk.. pump and dump.. as soon as your sober ie the morning after and you feel completly bk to normal your fine to feed 1 glass of champers is fine to feed, i have a hen night and wedding to go to. so reserched and asked breastfeeding co-ordinator.. have a good day 
exactly what I wanted to know.
Me and hubbie want to go out for a meal for valentines tomorrow and I wanted to have one, maybe two glasses of wine with my meal.
I haven't had any alcohol since finding out I was pregnant really, so I'm not sure how it will affect me now.
Was going to feed before I go out and then have some expressed milk for Ash to have whilst I'm away (from the babysitter) and then pump off both sides when I get back and dump it.
Then when he wakes for his night feed I should be ok to breastfeed again.
Does this all sound ok to everyone? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
K.xxx
Me and hubbie want to go out for a meal for valentines tomorrow and I wanted to have one, maybe two glasses of wine with my meal.
I haven't had any alcohol since finding out I was pregnant really, so I'm not sure how it will affect me now.
Was going to feed before I go out and then have some expressed milk for Ash to have whilst I'm away (from the babysitter) and then pump off both sides when I get back and dump it.
Then when he wakes for his night feed I should be ok to breastfeed again.
Does this all sound ok to everyone? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
K.xxx
I was told that there was no need to pump and dump as once the alcohol is out of your blood it is out of your milk as well, but I needed to as I was so full if I missed a feed. I was also told it takes an hour per unit for alcohol to be eliminated (once you've stopped drinking), but I notice some people are saying it takes 2. What surprised me was how many units there were in a glass of wine - around 2.5 in 175ml serving of red. Looking back, it was such a palava I wouldn't bother in the early days next time round until the feeds are more spread out. Once Charlotte was 10 weeks, we used to do a dreamfeed of EBM when we went to bed as that would give me about 5-6 hours before her next feed, and that seemed to work well.
i'm fed up of mixed advice, so i never risk it. I was told that it takes 2 hours once you get alchol into your system to leave the milk etc, so you can feed for those two hours, then not after that as milk will contain it, then pump and dump the next and 3 hours after you had your last drink it is fine to use fresh milk from then
i dont know, sorry hun.
i dont know, sorry hun.
I've got a wedding to go to on Saturday...and my mum was telling me to have a couple of glasses of wine and enjoy myself... I reminded her that I was bfing to which she told me that she went to a wedding when she was bfing me and had TWO BOTTLES of wine... apparently I slept quite well that night 
no wonder.. but then 30 years ago the advice was vastly different... quite frankly I am enjoying the pregnancy/bfing excuse not to drink and have drink forced upon me
I had the odd drink when I was pregnant (it was our first wedding anniversary, xmas and new years) but never more than one glass at a time...and I'll probably have just one glass of something at the wedding.... I always drink vast quantities of water atm due to thirst so I am pretty sure any alcohol I ingest will be highly diluted.
I couldn't bring myself to dump my milk... Like valentine said its such a trial to pump it in the first place its seems like a crime to just throw it away
no wonder.. but then 30 years ago the advice was vastly different... quite frankly I am enjoying the pregnancy/bfing excuse not to drink and have drink forced upon me I had the odd drink when I was pregnant (it was our first wedding anniversary, xmas and new years) but never more than one glass at a time...and I'll probably have just one glass of something at the wedding.... I always drink vast quantities of water atm due to thirst so I am pretty sure any alcohol I ingest will be highly diluted.
I couldn't bring myself to dump my milk... Like valentine said its such a trial to pump it in the first place its seems like a crime to just throw it away
Thank you all for your advice. I think i'm gonna express some milk to keep me going for the day/nite, at least this way if i do have more than i anticipate to drink my LO will not go without and i wont need to dump any of the precious juice!
valentine said:
lol.. long long long tiering night lol.. it was me.. i ment to say.. if your at a wedding and you can take your pump.. and your full you obviously need to pump? then that milk cant be used to feed your baby as it will have alcohol in it.. but during the wedding if you dont feel to full and you dont need to pump then later on when you sober up you wont need to pump your milk and dump it you can just feed as the alcohol has left your system if that makes no sence then just ignore me lol..
