My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Breastfeeding mums - will you be drinking alcohol this Christmas?

22 replies

Jellybabie3 · 19/12/2017 07:57

Curious as I know the advice as relaxed a little of previous years. I will have an 11 week old this Christmas. I havent had a drink in a year now. Most people are telling me its OK although others glare at me even mentioning it.

What will you do this Christmas?

OP posts:
Report
tailspin · 19/12/2017 08:07

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/pdfs/BfN_how_safe_is_leaflet_2009.pdf

I'm still expecting so I won't be drinking but all the advice I've been given says a drink is fine, just wait until just after the baby's been fed, and don't overdo it!

Report
Zampa · 19/12/2017 08:08

I can only manage one drink nowadays but will have a glass of fizz or wine over Christmas. I'll have it immediately after a feed so it's out of my system by the time baby is hungry again.

Report
LePetitPont · 19/12/2017 08:11

DS1 was 12 weeks at his first Christmas; I had a drink at the start of feeds (he was fairly spaced out, every 3 hours or so by then) as in my head it was the biggest distance from alcohol going into milk he would drink!

I’ve since done more reading and with DS2 (9 month old milk monster) I’ve not beaten myself up about a few glasses of wine once or twice a week. I won’t be getting sloshed by any stretch as I have two non-sleepy children and need to care for them but will definitely enjoy a Buck’s Fizz for breakfast, mulled wine, baileys etc in her course of the day.

Report
Caterina99 · 19/12/2017 08:11

Yes I will be. DD is 10 weeks (DS is 2.5 which is why I need the drink!) Not going crazy or anything, but I’ve been told several times that there is no effect on baby from moderate drinking so I have been having the odd glass.

Report
Marcine · 19/12/2017 13:29

Of course. I'd never been told not to, even when my oldest was born 7 years ago. You can eat and drink as normal when breastfeeding.

The risk is drinking and cosleeping. But other than that, so long as you are sober enough to look after a baby then go ahead.

Report
userabcname · 19/12/2017 13:46

Yep! Have bought myself some bucks fizz for Christmas eve! Can't wait!

Report
ChocolatePodge · 19/12/2017 13:47

No I won't be, DS will be 13 weeks. I've never felt the need to drink while pregnant or EBF, but then I've never been a big drinker. However I'm sure I'll over do the Quality Street and the puddings Xmas Shock

Report
Oly5 · 19/12/2017 13:48

Yes! Why wouldn’t I? There’s no real evidence of it passing well through milk. I’ve always had a drink and breastfed

Report
actino · 19/12/2017 21:43

Yes, but only a glass or maybe two as my tolerance is very low and caring for a baby with even a tiny hangover sounds miserable.

Report
Hatstand · 20/12/2017 10:31

Yes, definitely.

Report
Jellybabie3 · 20/12/2017 10:55

Great! I guess I was worried as I dont know how I will react after a year! I feed my son laid down in bed in the night and have been known to fall asleep in cosleeping position so I am of course worried about being less responsive if I have had a drink.

OP posts:
Report
Marcine · 20/12/2017 14:30

You mustn't feed him in bed at night if you've been drinking.

Report
PinkHeart5914 · 20/12/2017 14:33

Yes! I won’t be doing Christmas without some fizz & baileys.

I wouldn’t however feed in bed if I have been drinking

Report
mindutopia · 20/12/2017 14:35

I'm not bf at the moment (due in January), but definitely with my first, I had a glass or two of wine so long as it wasn't before bed as we were co-sleeping. Definitely enjoy it if you want it, but don't get sloshed obviously if you're co-sleeping or can't offer a bottle. Otherwise, yes, definitely. It's well-earned!

Report
toomuchhappyland · 20/12/2017 14:41

Not currently bf but I fed both my dcs until they were two. No way was I going to abstain from alcohol for four years on top of 18 months of pregnancySmile Having said that, I did research it first. Dr Newman (bf guru) did a study which found that after drinking a couple of glasses of wine, breast milk has barely detectable alcohol levels - about the same as orange juice. The conclusion was that you would have to drink yourself into a stupor before your milk would contain alcohol levels that might be hazardous for the baby. A couple of drinks does no harm at all so that was my policy whilst feeding. The risk, as others have said, is that it switches off your spidey-sense of where your baby is in bed which bf mums have when they co-sleep, which could be very dangerous. By all means enjoy your drink and don’t worry about the effect on your milk, but you must put your baby to sleep in a cot or Moses basket and not in your bed.

Report
Jellybabie3 · 20/12/2017 15:45

Yes i always put ds in his own bed. Its just the risk that i would fall asleep feeding him in bed. I usually feed him til hes asleep then lift him into a next to me cot. So i guess i would need to feed him sat up in a chair in another room to reduce the risk.

OP posts:
Report
Foggymist · 22/12/2017 21:11

I have a 5 week old and will be having one or two glasses early Christmas Day, early purely because we collect so I can't drink later on as it needs to be out of my system by then. Definitely don't feed in bed if you've had alcohol, but other than that a few drinks are fine.

Report
Firenight · 22/12/2017 21:15

Absolutely but my nursling is 3 1/2 years!

I did when both mine were tiny though, just not much as I could t tolerate it. Generally speaking, if you’re sober enough to look after a baby then it’s fine (a minuscule amount will be in your milk). And don’t co-sleep when under the influence of alcohol.

Report
BertieBotts · 24/12/2017 19:59

The research shows that a miniscule amount goes into breastmilk and it's not an issue, especially as a one off. It can harm your baby if you're regularly drinking a lot.

As others have said just make sure you under no circumstances fall asleep with the baby as it's very very dangerous even in a "safe" co-sleeping set up (but especially so in another scenario, like a chair or sofa.)

Report
QuilliamCakespeare · 24/12/2017 20:05

Yes, yes, yes! I'm a year in so he doesn't feed during the day usually but even last year with a newborn I had some Buck's Fizz and prosecco. Only a minuscule amount goes into your milk, google Dr Jack Newman.

Report
Rarotonga · 24/12/2017 20:07

I have a 9 month old. I do have 1 drink from time to time, but we cosleep so I ensure I have sufficient time for the effects to wear off before I go to sleep.

Report
Rarotonga · 24/12/2017 20:07

I have a 9 month old. I do have 1 drink from time to time, but we cosleep so I ensure I have sufficient time for the effects to wear off before I go to sleep.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.