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Infant feeding

Breastfeeding & alcohol

6 replies

Kmxxx14 · 25/10/2016 13:14

What do you do? Completely abstain? Or do u have a limited amount under certain circumstances (I.e. When baby won't need feeding for a few hours/ when you give them expressed milk?)

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MoMandaS · 25/10/2016 13:20

It's fine to drink sensibly when breastfeeding. The amount of alcohol that reaches the milk is tiny, same as blood alcohol level. So if you drank 4 glasses of wine over two hours, you might feel tipsy but your milk would be slightly less alcoholic than orange juice. There's a good article somewhere that explains it better than that! Obviously it would be better to avoid getting tipsy while in charge of a baby, but because of the effect on your reflexes and motor skills rather than what you're feeding them. The other thing to consider is that some babies might be affected by the sulphites in wine that could pass into the milk, just as some adults are (e.g. headache).

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Strokethefurrywall · 25/10/2016 13:24

I would have a drink whilst nursing as I could relax and sit down. Of an evening, 2-3 glasses etc.

Was quite happy to do that as long as I wasn't pissed and solely in charge of the baby.

Breast milk contains so little alcohol after a drink that it's practically negligible.

Enjoy your drink!

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DoorOnTheRight · 25/10/2016 19:43

I had a large glass of wine a night, straight after the last feed.

Breastfeeding is bloody hard work. As pps have said, the amount of alcohol in your breastmilk will be negligible. Enjoy

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DoorOnTheRight · 25/10/2016 19:45

(I should add the bigger danger than a bit of booze in boob milk would be taking care of / falling asleep with a baby whilst pissed. But obviously you're not going to do that )

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LBOCS2 · 25/10/2016 19:51

My MW's advice with my first is that if you're sober enough to hold the baby, you're sober enough to feed them.

And if you're not then you really shouldn't be holding them at all

I go back to my 'normal' drinking patterns once I give birth; a couple of glasses of wine a night a couple of nights a week. I BF DD1 to 20 months and have just hit the 6mo mark with DD2.