Alcohol and BFing

[moobaloo]

This may have been done to death, I'm sorry!

I am 18+1 and not drinking for my pregnancy, I am however having a glass of wine on Christmas day and have had the odd thimble full of champagne (maybe twice for various celebrations) by this I mean 1/2cms in a wine glass. Not much.

HOWEVER I was planning on drinking once baby is here - i.e. a celebratory glass of champers or my much missed Red Wine once we're home from hospital and all is well, and then probably a glass of wine 2 or 3 times a week. Only one in an evening and with food. This is all I drank before pregnancy and I like it for the taste, not for getting drunk.

But I am planning on Breastfeeding my baby. My MIL was somewhat surprised when I said I would have a glass of wine whilst feeding and this has confused me. I always thought it was fine? I'll be sensible, only have one glass, won't be co-sleeping.

I understand that what I eat and drink is passed on to the baby but I really didn't think ONE GLASS would make a difference? I also thought that it is considered fine to drink one glass frequently enough during pregnancy (although I'm not) and to me it seems that drinking during pregnancy is more risky than drinking whilst bfing as baby is solely reliant on you during pregnancy but has it's own blood etc when it's a "real" baby?

Am I getting confused over nothing? Is it ok to drink (a little) whilst BFing or not?

Thanks

It's absolutely fine to have the occasional glass or two of wine when breastfeeding. A very tiny amount passes through into the breastmilk.

My rule of thumb with ANY parent breast, or bottle feeding is to make sure you're capable of caring for baby and not likely to drop it!

You may want to rethink things when baby is here, depending on how well they settle in their cot or Moses basket. Many parents resort to co-sleeping through the feeding clusters, and co sleeping with any amount of alcohol is too risky.

So yes, do it, but proceed with caution!

Chocolatemartini posted this link recently that explains alcohol levels in breast milk:
evolutionaryparenting.com/guest-post-breastfeeding-and-alcohol-consumption/
I breastfeed two daughters and regularly have a glass or two of wine with no ill effects.

My daughter is 10 months now and is still bf morning and bedtime. I didn't drink a drop through my pregnancy but I have had the occasional drink since she's been born, like you I like the odd glass of red with my dinner. I didn't drink when my daughter was tiny (born a month early) because I was a bit worried, but as time went on I got a bit more relaxed about everything. Don't get drunk and be careful with night feeds that you don't drop off to sleep holding your baby or lying next to her/him (which I found THE best way to bf at night btw, saves your back too!). I'm not sure what the official line is with bf and alcohol, and you're right that whatever you eat or drink filters down through the milk, but I think just be sensible. If you've had too much then don't bf for a couple of days (you may need to express to keep your milk going) but hangovers and babies are not a pleasant combination anyway! Maybe check with your midwife/health visitor if you want to know what they say. Good luck with everything!

The article explains that alcohol in your milk is reduced at the same rate as the rest of your body. So if you are sober, your milk is clear of alcohol. (Only very tiny amounts are present anyway, less alcohol than there is in apple juice!). Certainly no need to not feed for a couple of days as MrsShh suggests. What a waste of good milk and potentially very disruptive.
Sensible levels of drinking are fine, just enjoy a drink. No need to do anything different.

Suddenly not BFing for a couple of days is insanely over-cautious and possibly unsafe/traumatic unless you pump a lot to avoid mastitis and have a particularly tolerant baby, as fivepies says the milk alcohol level is based on your blood alcohol level (and is pretty miniscule anyway). Once there's no alcohol in your system there is absolutely no physical way there could be any in your milk - you don't mysteriously store it in your breasts. Even if you were absolutely pukey passing out drunk you'd be grand to feed as soon as you sobered up.

The main danger with BFing when drunk is dropping the baby, not giving the baby alcohol poisoning. A couple of drinks is absolutely fine.

OMG - MrsShh, you cannot mean to suggest not bf for a couple of days after drinking?!

mooballoo - don't let that worry you. The other stuff you have been told here is fine, and the link is well worth reading.

It is not true that what you eat and drink is passed to the baby. Only certain elements of certain foods/drinks get anywhere near the milk. Flavourings, for example, and some foreign proteins....but the idea that the baby gets everything in some form or another is an unhelpful myth.

I have a glass or two of wine most evenings. DS is 9 months old and perfect in every way. I didn't drink through pregnancy.

I am having a glass of red most evenings. It keeps me sane and makes me feel less of a milk machine... It has had no effect other than to relax my frazzled state. In fact I look forward to it in a way that chamomile tea simply can't achieve.

I think we can take things too far. Getting pissed is another story but enjoying a glass or two, in my book is only fair for the demanding job that breasfeeding is. Cheers!

I've read voraciously on this subject. Just don't get drunk!

A glass or two a few times a week is not an issue. Any more than a glass and I get really dehydrated in the night and tired the next day. You need to be fighting fit to keep up with the night wakings so you probably won't want to drink much anyway.

Smile and nod.

Agree that it's fine to drink. A couple of glasses of mulled wine are keeping me going in the evenings at the moment.
As others have said up thread - biggest risk is dropping the baby, and it's an absolute myth that the baby consumes what you do via breastmilk.
The only time I really restricted it was for co-sleeping on the early sleep deprived weeks.