Breast feeding and alcohol... Your experiences?

[Bellyrub1980]

I recently posted a question about caffiene and realised I'd probably been restricting myself unnecessarily.

So now I'm thinking alcohol....! Again, I've not touched a drop.

The NHS website says 1-2 units 1-2 times a week.

Have you drank alcohol while breast feeding? Have you noticed any adverse effects?


If you do enjoy the odd drink, what system do you use? Dump your milk? Or do you just leave a bit of time between drinking and feeding? Or do you carry on as normal?

[LetticeKnollys]

I went back to drinking as I had pre-pregnancy without worrying. After a few weeks though I found that I didn't really want to drink because it made me more tired than I needed to be.

[Number3cometome]

Ladies - This is quite funny but absolutely not to be done by anyone!

When my DS was 8 months old I went out for the first time since he was born. I went to a wedding, and ended up drinking lots. It was one of those all day / late night ones. I had been drinking Hennessey and obviously after not drinking for 17 months I was pretty pissed.

Being the sensible lady that I am, I came home and expressed the milk off both breasts.

Except I was pissed remember, and instead of throwing the milk out, put it in the fridge

OH took the milk out the next day, warmed it and commenced feeding to DS.
Within about 5 seconds he said he could smell Hennessey and asked me if I had accidentally put the wrong milk in the fridge.

He had to prise the milk of DS and heat a bottle of back up breast milk from the freezer.

Shame on me. I learned my lesson!

Any alcohol can pass through, so just be careful.

[Number3cometome]

P.s. - I didn't drink again whilst b/feeding!

[squizita]

How did the smell get into the milk - identifI able as Hennessey? Just because I thought your blood flow "makes" milk (or carries the stuff to the boobs) and having cut half my ear off when very drunk on Sambuca as a younger my copious blood didn't smell and that stuff bloody reeks?
Could it have got into the bottle from your hands or clothing for example?

[squizita]

My DH re attached my ear using sports field first aid and there's just a minor scar now. Never touched the disgusting aniseed booze again! Or indeed any shots!!

[Cockadoodledooo]

The effect on me was that it massively slowed the letdown reflex, which led to grumpy babies and severe nipple chompage. Ouch!

[girliefriend]

I drank a few times when bfing and always just fed dd as normal - doesn't appear to have done her any damage!!

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

Yes, I drink as 'normal'. Well, when I say as normal, as I drink now I am a mum to small children, not as normal as a student. So DH and I might share a bottle of wine over an evening, for example.

I have been bfing, or pregnant, or both for 6 years. I'm not going to deprive myself for that long unless properly necessarily (I do, of course, very seriously restrict when pregnant. The odd 100ml glass, about 1-1.5 units no more than once a fortnight).

[Number3cometome]

squizita

I have no idea, I had stopped drinking before I got home, and I guess the only explanation is that the alcohol gets in to the milk so I guess the smell does too? a bit like how asparagus makes your wee smell I guess?

I did read somewhere once that you can keep the milk as long as you cannot smell alcohol in it (I wouldn't rely on that) so it must be possible.

It defo smelt like it, my partner was the one who pointed it out!

[squizita]

Wow! Secretly wants to see if this works on Sambuca but cannot bear to waste milk and now can't touch Sambuca without gagging.

[Number3cometome]

squizita

I think I would die if I had a sambuca right now, the all day sickness is still getting me at 9+4!

[JollyCrumbs]

I drink as normal while BF. Looking forward to getting dd off to bed so I can have a Christmas eve gin (or three).

I don't bf while actually drunk, but do the morning after or after a couple.