Alcohol and BF….every night?!

[Shleepymummy]

I am EBF my 7 week old. For the first 4 weeks post partum I didn’t drink but then started having a glass of Prosecco or 2 a night over the weekend period. I’ve noticed in the last 2 weeks I’ve had a glass of something nearly every night. It’s only one glass or 2 small glasses, but nearly every night?! Is this going to be bad for baby? I know I should stop but it relaxes me and calms my anxiety in newborn life and just gives me something to enjoy of an evening.
TIA

Well according to the NHS you should leave a gap of 2 hours between drinking and breastfeeding, and and an occasional drink is OK but it shouldn’t be regular.

So I think a couple at the weekend - fine, every night - not great.

Also 2 small glasses of wine is probably taking you over your 14 units a week which when you are BFing really isn’t good.

Can you switch to sparkling water with some chocolate you like during the week?

Also I thinking you should speak to your GP or HV about anxiety as you might have PND and they can help with that.

You can get some great non alcoholic Proseccos so maybe treat yourself to half a dozen bottles and try them all!

You'd have to be quite drunk for any alcohol at all to get into your milk, please don't worry.

I wouldn’t worry about the effect on the baby as it really isn’t much alcohol in one sitting, a couple of units would soon be out of your system. I guess it’s up to you whether or not you feel comfortable exceeding the recommended 14 weekly units and/ or whether you are likely to let it become a long term habit.

I’ve definitely been drinking more frequently while on mat leave in the summer because I feel like I’m on holiday and I’m really conscious that before I only ever drank at weekends and want to get back to that before it becomes a habit I can’t break.

Also I’m sure you know but even though it’s only a glass or two, never ever Co-sleep with baby after a drink.

You'll be fine, the amount of alcohol you need to drink to pass a harmful amount through your milk is far far more than a couple of glasses of wine. I think the warning are more to discourage drinking to excess when in charge of a baby (of either parent but harder to police dads). I very much looked forward to my evening glass of wine with my first who I EBF.