Alcohol. Is this why women don't breastfeed?

[TheRealAmandaClarke]

Obviously its different for everyone.
But speaking to friends recently has left me wondering if their primary reason for either. It bf or stopping early is so they can drink.
Well, that's the subtext. It's not being said directly.
I miss drinking (and no "the occasional glass of wine" doesn't really cut the mustard for me) so I can understand why ppl make that choice.
Something I just read on another thread also made me wonder. Are we so looking forward to drinking after being pregnant that it affects our choice of feeding?
Tbh.i was a bit surprised about the advice to not drink when bf
I'd envisaged emerging from the birthing pool with a massive glass of tattinger

That's very interesting bertie, i never knew that!

That's really interesting Bertie. I have a DS3 with severe autism and one of the (many) things I beat myself up for when I'm feeling low is whether I might have caused his autism by having a few drinks whilst breastfeeding (I breastfed him until he was over a year old). Not, I hasten to add, ever to the point where I wasn't safe holding him, looking after him etc. It's actually fabulous reassuring to know that the amount of alcohol that does pass into breast milk is so very tiny. Thank you .

I drink as much as I want when breastfeeding and haven't been told otherwise. I'm cautious about bedsharing after drinking though .

squizita Bit of a while back in the thread (sorrry!), but I think broccoli (along with other 'windy' veg like cabbage etc) was though to give babies wind / colic. I have virtually no scientific knowledge but even I can tell that's crap! I do sometimes wonder though whether there are foods that are better avoided when bf, but they don't want to confuse people or put them off unless it's really necessary. Or maybe I've got too much time on my hands...

I drink as normal while breastfeeding, having read the links posted above. I am more cautious about bedsharing but I don't normally do that till 4am or so anyway.

I can see how the topic can sound a bit loaded. Sorry if I offended anyone.
Of my friedms who have ff, the reasons are mixed. Some had trouble with bf, some didn't like the idea of bf, and a couple had said directly tha they wanted to havea proper drink. I don't have any personal judgey view on it. I'm just generally very interested in people's motivations for doing things.

I don't drink at any time so it's not an issue for me but lots of younger mums don't bf for long as they consider it very restrictive.

Personally i find it restrictive clothes wise & now that's becoming quite a big issue for me. I never intended to bf but some how I'm EBF...nearly 15 weeks now!

Someone had a thread in aibu this week about nursing clothes jelly (for bf, not nurses uniforms )

Gosh OP, you sound a frightful bore. Just drink the fucking gin!

How rude.

I didn't breast feed dd because we had horrible latch problems, not helped by engorgement and complete lack of support.

I fed DS until he self weaned at 3.7 after getting the help.

I drank both times, more than 1 small glass of wine but not enough to have alcohol poisoning. I read the research snd relaxed.

I can see that it might make a difference to whether you're prepared to try bf, but far more fundamental is the people who want to and give up because of the lack of support from midwives and health visitors.

Sorry you had poor support spring

That's what it was like for my DSis. The midwives were very unhelpful.

Just had my first exposure to the "you have the express and dump" thing at a dinner party. From a mum who did. I said "I think you don't have to do that anymore and 1 or 2 glasses are fine" and she wouldn't believe me! Checked on her phone. Then was like "BLOODY HV LIED!!! Grr 8 months without a glass of wine or half a cider at in was harmless..!"

Oops. Accidentally opened a can of worms. Her 2nd DC has just weaned hence her rage... Had she found out at Xmas I think it would have been cheers!

Thanks for that broccoli replies. Pfft to farty baby theory. I agree sounds tenuous and surely mum needs vitamin c and iron to top up her body? Washed out mama ain't no good to her DCs and in later life she'll be glad she kept herself nutrient rich when BFing I bet!

squizita!

Great excuse if you don't like sprouts though! On the other hand my mum was positively encouraged to drink (guinness) during her pregnancy. By a medical professional.

pirate :)

YY Bedsharing is an absolute and total no no after even a small amount of alcohol. It's just too risky. Alcohol affects your sleep patterns/sleep cycles so that you sleep deeply but not very restfully and quite fragmented sleep. Hence less awareness of your surroundings, and you'll wake up briefly a lot but not necessarily be aware you're awake so you'll be moving around. It's really dangerous, obviously more so the more you've drunk.

Norah I remember one of my NCT friends saying that her mum was told to drink Guinness to improve milk supply! It's got a lot of iron and also something else in it - barley and yeast I think? I remember drinking a "Mama shake" once that I got the recipe from the internet which contained yeast, except I think I bought the wrong kind of yeast, it made it fizzy and beery and made me burp for hours

Sadly guinness's iron doesn't absorb that well (I used to work for them) which is a shame as I rather like it.

I can never co-sleep booze or no booze: I have a mild sleep disorder (essentially, I move too much when fast asleep...and have accidentally bloodied DH's nose before flapping my arms around!). Wouldn't want to risk it. Moses Basket all the way for me.

I thought only 1% went in breastmilk. My babies have had more than their fair share of jagerbombs.

Yep Jasmine that seems to be the case! :) Beer AND broccoli permitted, what more could a woman want?

I was absolutely smashed on multiple occasions and always breastfed. It doesnt do anything to babies had shots, wine, jagerbombs etc on allsorts of nights. I hadnt drank for 9 months missed the parties God your mad op if you havent really drank in 2 years.