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Original poster

Just drank alcohol and breastfed

38 replies

Benandjerrysbonnoffeepie · 01/10/2023 18:53

I was at a family party this afternoon and was given a drink. Somehow they thought it was alcohol free but turns out there was some fruity rum in it or something and apparently quite a lot. I’m breastfeeding my 7 week old just now, have I done any damage to him? I fed him an hour after I drank it!

I think I may be overthinking but I can’t help thinking I have done something awful!

OP posts:
Fireisland · 01/10/2023 18:54

If you're coherent enough to post on MN then it's fine.

rubyslippers · 01/10/2023 18:54

Alcohol doesn’t go straight from your lips into your breast milk
unless you were absolutely paralytic , your milk and baby will be fine

Applelogo · 01/10/2023 18:54

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Breast & bottle feeding Families
TulipsTulipTulips · 01/10/2023 18:55

Totally fine! There’s a minute drip of alcohol in breast milk - a shot glass in a swimming pool or something.

Perfectly normal to have a drink when you’re feeding.

Esgaroth · 01/10/2023 18:56

Your milk alcohol level is the same as your blood alcohol level. If you had 1% blood alcohol you'd probably die.

Put it this way, your milk is well under the threshold to be legally sold as a non alcoholic beverage and is completely safe for babies.

Gemzee · 01/10/2023 18:57

As far as I'm aware you can't pass alcohol through breastfeeding, it's advised to avoid alcohol while having a baby due to safety (holding/carrying baby etc). This is what my midwife told me while pregnant, I'm no expert though as only have 1 non breastfed child.

Ohshitiveturnedintomymother · 01/10/2023 18:57

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Comments like this really don’t help.

OP please don’t pay any attention to these sort of statements, alcohol crosses into breast milk at the same level as it does your blood. So unless you are dead to alcohol poisoning there is no risk to your baby. The biggest risk is you dropping them if you are very drunk or co-sleeping with them which is of course out if you have had a drink

enjoy the odd glass and your baby!

Desecratedcoconut · 01/10/2023 18:58

Yeah, that isn't going to be a problem.

Foxesandsquirrels · 01/10/2023 18:58

You'll be fine don't worry

Bammm · 01/10/2023 18:58

As far as I'm aware the level of alcohol in breast milk, even if your extremely drunk, is on par with the natural alcohol level of orange juice.

You wouldn't expect to get pissed by drinking a pint of a drunk persons blood would you?

The main danger involved is falling asleep or dropping the baby because you're four sheets to the wind.

Thefacethatlaunchedathousandchips · 01/10/2023 18:58

It will be fine! One drink isn't enough to make a difference

TumblingTower · 01/10/2023 18:59

It’s fine - for the levels of alcohol in your milk to be dangerous to your baby you’d need to have alcohol poisoning.

The concern is being in charge of a baby under the influence as others have said.

bzarda · 01/10/2023 19:00

You're absolutely fine - someone told me drinking a small glass of wine is equivalent blood alcohol level to a glass of orange juice!
In my NCT classes the midwives spoke about breastfeeding with a glass of wine/prosecco too. The closer you do it to breastfeeding the less that passes through.

JC89 · 01/10/2023 19:01

At NCT classes they said you would be unsafe to hold your baby before you were unsafe to feed them, they'll be fine!

ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 01/10/2023 19:01

My midwife said to me as a rule of thumb, if you are sober enough to look after a baby safely then the amount in the milk won't harm them.

Esgaroth · 01/10/2023 19:02

Even if you did have alcohol poisoning your milk would still be fine. 0.3-0.4% is considered the level for alcohol poisoning. If you drank a drink that was 0.3% alcohol it would have no effect, even if you were a newborn baby.

You'd be in no fit state care for a baby, but your milk wouldn't be alcoholic.

nocoolnamesleft · 01/10/2023 19:07

I've never understood how this could happen. Alcohol tastes horrifically bitter. I've previously been given a "mocktail", taken one sip, and known there was alcohol in it because of the bitterness. I've had people try to slip me alcoholic drinks to con me that they're nice, again, instantly recognisable as alcohol. Can people really not taste it?

More helpfully, not enough alcohol will get through to your baby to cause any harm.

Applelogo · 01/10/2023 19:13

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Original poster
Benandjerrysbonnoffeepie · 01/10/2023 19:16

Okay, thank you, I’ll relax about it. I was planning to have the odd drink in the future, just more planned out.

@nocoolnamesleft it just tasted very fruity and sweet so didn’t really question alcohol. Also it wasn’t really an event where I expected alcohol to be around.

OP posts:
DappledThings · 01/10/2023 19:18

Benandjerrysbonnoffeepie · 01/10/2023 19:16

Okay, thank you, I’ll relax about it. I was planning to have the odd drink in the future, just more planned out.

@nocoolnamesleft it just tasted very fruity and sweet so didn’t really question alcohol. Also it wasn’t really an event where I expected alcohol to be around.

Totally fine. And you don't need to plan it. You can have a couple of glasses of wine and drink while feeding, just after or 5 minutes before. All fine.

The comment about the baby sleeping well tonight is nonsensical. It will have zero effect.

ShirleyPhallus · 01/10/2023 19:28

I’m loving all the sensible comments on this thread which is a contrast to the normal rubbish spouted about bf and drinking!

nobleisle · 01/10/2023 19:33

ShirleyPhallus · 01/10/2023 19:28

I’m loving all the sensible comments on this thread which is a contrast to the normal rubbish spouted about bf and drinking!

Agreed. Usually full of scaremongers!! It's fine op x

Applesaarenttheonlyfruit · 01/10/2023 19:36

ShirleyPhallus · 01/10/2023 19:28

I’m loving all the sensible comments on this thread which is a contrast to the normal rubbish spouted about bf and drinking!

I know, the sites been hacked