Alcohol and breastfeeding

[GipsyDanger]

Hello. Just wanted to know what is safe. I'm on holiday at the moment and would like the odd cocktail with my tea every now and then. I'm not a huge drinker any ways, ds is 2 months old and I've not drank any alcohol since before I got pregnant. Would I be OK to have 1 drink

[jenniuol]

I would (and did) but I know lots wouldn't.

[Normandy144]

I would too. There was a thread on this very recently, can't remember the exact title but something about the current NHS guidelines being 'batshit crazy' and suffice to say there was lots of evidence to suggest that the amount you would need to drink for it to seriously effect the milk was loads and loads.

[GipsyDanger]

I was thinking of timing it right after a feed so I've got 2/3 hours before he needs fed again

[Luckystar1]

I think the general consensus is that the alcohol will impair your ability to physically look after the baby before it will actually affect the baby.

[Normandy144]

Yes that's more than fine. I have a couple of glasses of wine of a Friday and Saturday night and I'm feeding too. I stay sober, I think that's the key really. Enjoy!

[KatharinaRosalie]

It's fine,enjoy. The maximum amount of alcohol you can have in your breastmilk is 0,5% and then you'll be dead. Any beverage with that amount is considered non-alcoholic

[TrainBridge]

Kellymom.com has a good page on it, but in summary if you're sober enough to look after the baby properly you're sober enough to feed:
kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol/

My personal choice was to minimise alcohol (one glass of wine) when feeding a tiny baby, but I was much more relaxed when feeding a toddler - both because they're that much bigger and because feeds are so much further apart.

[DontBuyANewMumCuntingDailyMail]

Congrats on your (almost) new baby and being on holiday; I was a snivelling mess for about 6 months and definitely wouldn't have made it on a holiday!!

However I did BF and drank a moderate amount of alcohol pretty much from birth and the second and third trimesters

I did a lot of reading into it and concluded that one or two drinks would not affect DD, particularly if, as you say, I had an hour or two before the next feed. A MW told me the best time to drink alcohol is whilst you are BFing. As a very good rule follower I did this many times.

Enjoy Hope you have a fab holiday.

[mininionsteve]

Just did a breast feeding class and was told it was fine to have a drink if we wanted one. That the best time was while breast feeding. They said it takes about hour to get into your milk. It's effectively the same as alcohol going into the blood stream. Also that guidelines were one or two drinks a week. Have a lovely holiday

[GipsyDanger]

Quite proud of myself driving nearly 4 hours through the middle of nowhere to the Scottish highlands. I deserve a pina colada lol

[Strokethefurrywall]

Totally fine OP! Enjoy it 😁

[McBassyPants]

1-2 units once or twice a week is the recommendation I believe?

[LuckySantangelo1]

Go for it! I did (and still do). My Nct breast feeding class taught us it was fine.

[GipsyDanger]

I had a Bombay sapphire and tonic. And it was marvellous

[McBassyPants]

Glad you enjoyed it