Breastfeeding and Alcohol
Breastfeeding and Alcohol can mix! So go ahead and enjoy that romantic date or a night out with the girls even when you are still breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs considers alcohol completely compatible with breastfeeding. In addition, Le Leche League Health Advisory Council member Dr. Jack Newman has this to say in his breastfeeding handout More Breastfeeding Myths: "Reasonable alcohol intake should not be discouraged at all. As is the case with most drugs, very little alcohol comes out in the milk. The mother can take some alcohol and continue breastfeeding as she normally does. Prohibiting alcohol is another way we make life unnecessarily restrictive for nursing mothers.” How Alcohol Affects Breastfeeding Moms
As a general rule of thumb for breastfeeding and alcohol-- if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Normal adult metabolism of alcohol is approximately 1 ounce in 3 hours, so a mommy who drinks a moderate amount of alcohol can generally return to breastfeeding as soon as she feel like "normal" again. The fact remains that less than 2% of the alcohol drank by the mommy reaches her blood and her breast milk. The mom’s highest concentration of alcohol in her breast milk actually occurs approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking. The milk alcohol levels work like blood alcohol levels...so when your blood alcohol levels go down, so do your milk alcohol levels. Words of Caution** Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week. Daily consumption of alcohol has been shown in the research to increase the risk for slow weight gain in infants. It has also been associated with a decrease in gross motor development for some children.** Remember to consider your baby's age and medical stability when deciding to mix breastfeeding and alcohol. A newborn has immature organs, so even small amounts of alcohol can be more of a burden on the baby’s system than it would be on an older child. ** It is recommended that breastfeeding moms of young or premature infants avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking. Your baby’s system may not metabolize the alcohol easily. ** Also, if alcohol is consumed in large amounts, the side effects to your baby may include: drowsiness, deep sleep, weakness, and abnormal weight gain. There is also the possibility of decreased letdown reflex in the mother.
But...as long as mommy is smart and uses moderation…alcohol is not a problem.
Want to be Sure?If you really want to be safe, there is a new product Milkscreen that analyzes breast milk for the presence of alcohol and can tell you if there is still alcohol in your system.We are so glad that someone created a product to give moms peace of mind that your milk is safe for your little one!
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