Wine and breastfeeding

[TuppenceFaithfully]

I want to have a glass of wine tonight but I'm confused about when it's ok to feed afterwards and at what rate it passes into breastmilk. If it peaks 60-90 mins after consumption should I count that from after I've had the last sip or from when I began the glass? Can I feed during the consumption? I only want to drink a single glass as a Friday night treat but also feel assuaged by guilt :-(

Your breastmilk level will be the same as your blood level. If you’re ok to drive, you’re ok to feed. It will be metabolised roughly at the rate of a unit an hour. So I’d say, small glass and pour it as you do a feed as it’ll take a while to reach your milk. No need to pump and dump-the amount in your milk will be less than a non-alcoholic beer. Enjoy!

Have a glass of wine!! To affect your baby you'd need to be wasted. The real risk is being too drunk to look after your baby.

Sorry I didn't type that how I meant it.

One is fine but if someone is binging they'll be incapable of looking after a baby before the milk caused harm

I thought you weren't allowed to drive if you'd consumed any alcohol anymore! Must have dreamt that. Google tells me you can drive after 3 units, so about 250ml wine? That's more than I'll have so a relief. Do you reckon finishing a feed whilst starting the glass then waiting for an hour afterwards is ok? Thanks btw :-)

One glass will be fine. The alcohol in your milk will only ever be as strong as what alcohol gets into your blood. So really really low. I drank while bf, never got shitfaced but would occasionally have a few and try to time them so bubba wouldn't need feeding for a while. If only having 1, I used to start my drink while still feeding so it would peak between feeds then have gone down by the next feed. Enjoy your wine

Thanks @PeanutButterIsOneWord , that's my plan! So glad I asked, was really worrying about it

Thanks @HappyPunky - I don't want to feel enslaved by breastfeeding and SO want a glass of Friday wine (especially after a day of constant feeding!)

The amount of alcohol in your breastmilk is the same as in your blood. To affect your baby you would have to be paralytic, in which case you should not be taking care of a baby at all.

Denying alcohol is just one way society ostracises breastfeeding women! Enjoy you deserve it!

@Greatbigwhoooo totally agree!

The lady that ran my NCT course agreed that you can drink - you'd have to be 4 times over the drink driving limit for it to enter your blood (and therefore your milk). As a pp said, it's about looking after the baby when tipsy! Don't co sleep, for example

Totally fine I commented on this thread recently with a link to a great fb post about alcohol and breastfeeding www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3492350-did-you-ever-have-any-alcohol-when-breastfeeding

Great article, thanks @GinLimeandLemonade

Enjoy your well deserved wine 🍷

As pp said the only risk is co sleeping or if you are too drunk to look after your baby. And both of which would apply if you were FF.

I would not have carried on bf for three years if I couldn't have had the odd glass of wine or two!

Thanks all, I think I needed the permission as well as the information! Ah the insidious guilt...

Sorry to put a downer on the thread but I personally would try to calculate the optimum timings to minimise alcohol content in the milk (is it two hours per unit?). But each to their own.

Therhythmlessman - why, if your milk contains no alcohol? As already confirmed by many pp, having a glass or two of wine won't mean your milk has any alcohol in it so why wait 2 hours to feed for no reason?

I feed and drink now and then but actually there is evidence it's not the best for the baby. Like drinking when pregnant. Which I also did moderately knowing it has some small risks

I had some fun with Google: the alcohol content of bread can be up to 1.9% So at the point that you're far too drunk to safely hold a baby, your breast milk is about as alcoholic as a slice of bread.

Like lots of things about health it’s all about moderation. Like lots of things about breastfeeding there is not enough scientific research. Here are two good articles:

expectingscience.com/2017/07/31/drinking-while-nursing-7-things-to-know/

www.laleche.org.uk/alcohol-and-breastfeeding/

Alyosha - what evidence, can you share it?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/breastfeeding-alcohol/

pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/2/e20174266

"Exposing infants to alcohol through breastmilk may cause dose-dependent reductions in their cognitive abilities. This reduction was observed at age 6 to 7 years but was not sustained at age 10 to 11 years. Although the relationship is small, it may be clinically significant when mothers consume alcohol regularly or binge drink. Further analyses will assess relationships between alcohol consumption or tobacco smoking during lactation and academic, developmental, physical, and behavioral outcomes in children."

I had some fun with Google: the alcohol content of bread can be up to 1.9% So at the point that you're far too drunk to safely hold a baby, your breast milk is about as alcoholic as a slice of bread

Yes you'd have to be absolutely wankered for your breastmilk to be even as alcoholic as orange juice!

I honestly think they whole breastfeeding/alcohol thing is mad when you look at the actual science.

If you want a bit of anecdotal evidence I was very relaxed about it and my kids are fine.