Alcohol and breastfeeding

[JulyDreams]

Is it ok to have a drink 2 hours before a feed? Or even during breast feeding? Everywhere states at least a couple of hours before but I'm not entirely surely. Planning my first drink since becoming pregnant.

I am not expressing I am feeding my DD exclusively. Thank you!

Yes, fine. Barely any alcohol makes it into milk. One drink will have negligible effect.

truth is I do not know. But when i had DS1 (now aged 13) I had a massive blood loss. The MW recommended i drink a glass of red wine at every meal (including breakfast) and an additional one before bed. I was (in theory) breastfeeding which she knew, although it never worked out for me very well and she never said a thing about not drinking wine while feeding.

DS2 i never bothered trying to bf.

Thank you xx

To put it into perspective; if your blood alcohol level (and therefore your breastmilk) reached 0.5% ABV you would be dead.
Look it up.

It is a complete myth that women cannot drink alcohol when breastfeeding.

It's also a myth about needing to pump and dump. I recently learned that if the alcohol has left your bloodstream (I.e. a few hours after one drink) then it's left your body entirely (it's not 'stored' in your breast milk).

I have a five month DD and have enjoyed a few drinks on a weekend with no ill effects. Just remember not to co-sleep though if you've been drinking.

My HV advised a small sherry at 6pm to 'relax us both'.

My baby was exclusively breastfed and my health visitor advised that it’s fine to have a couple of drinks and breastfeed. She said essentially when you start to feel drunk that’s when you should stop breastfeeding!

She echoed what was said above as well about no need to pump and dump as when it leaves your bloodstream the alcohol also leaves your milk!

Enjoy your first drink!

Absolutely fine, completely different to been pregnant and drinking, if you are able to still care for the baby you can drink that much. I BF dc for over 3 years, I certainly drank many times over that period.

Absolutely no problem! I had a lockdown baby and EBF - one of the only things that signified what time of day it was was settling down on the sofa with DS at 6pm ready for an evening of cluster feeding once DH knocked off work and starting cooking my dinner (which he also then cut up so I could eat one handed...)

Honestly, I sometimes have drink WHILST breastfeeding. As long you're not getting hammered, you're fine.