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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

alcohol in bm - need tiktok & anyone else who really knows their stuff :(

23 replies

dimwit · 27/01/2009 02:15

I have been really really stupid And I'm now really really scared.

I bf my baby (9 months old) and gave up booze (more or less totally, had 1 or 2 while pg) Sometime after birth gradually started drinking again. Thought 1 or 2 was ok.

But gradually 1 or 2 became 3 or 4, and now & then became every night. I now come to my senses and stopped drinking. I'm really worried I've hurt him by drinking so much while bf.

But I'm very very worried cos I made mistake of looking at internet sites about giving up alcohol and they are going on about major problems & possible death by quitting

I stopped on Saturday, so no booze Saturday, Sun, Mon.

Now ds has got a bit of a temp tonight. Is this a really horrible coincidenece? COuld he really get alcohol withdrawal symptoms? I'm soo scared I've rt him and am scared to go to doctor as I doubt they willl know enough about it and am really scared I've damaged him, or that he'll die or get taken away from me if I telll anyone

Can anyone advise me I can't sleep cos worried sick

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LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:19

What is the maximum units you were taking in one session/day? As far as I know it's not getting through your milk until you're actually tipsy/drunk, and even then very very little if any gets through. That may not be right though... let me have a look at kellymom for you. Please don't worry.

LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:22

breastfeeding and alcohol

LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:22

"In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk."

JodieO · 27/01/2009 02:24

As far as I've read from Tiktok before, a tiny amount of aolcohol gets into bm even if you are drunk, you'd have to drink a huge amount for it to affect your baby.

LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:26

4 units a night , every night is more than double the government recommendation for yourself anyway, but I am sure you know that You've cut back now which is great.

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 02:27

thanks lwow I was typically drinking 3 or 4 500ml bottles of beer Def not sober enough to dive.

I am so effin stupid. I love him so much I can't bear that I was so blind and stupid. Feel like I've just had my eyes open. I was totally in denial that what I was drinking was ok but it isn't

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JodieO · 27/01/2009 02:28

It's far worse to drink in pregnancy and many women do that, don't worry too much. Obviously drinking whilst breastfeeding isn't ideal but I very much doubt you will have caused any harm, it takes a hell of a lot.

LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:31

You know you can get very low alcohol beer and alcohol free. I crave beer sometimes, and it tastes the same That might be a good option. It's very easy to drink 3-4 beers, I know.

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 02:40

believe me, now my eyes have been opened, I have no desire to drink anything. I was drinking too much every night. I have stopped. I'm not craving a drink, don't want a drink, I just need to be sure my beautiful little baby is going to be fine and I'm not going to go in and fine him having seizures or dying or anything

I know this sounds ott but eg
" Alcohol withdrawal (AW) symptoms commonly occur in patients who stop drinking or markedly cut down their drinking after regular heavy use. AW can range from mild almost unnoticeable symptoms to severe and life-threatening ones."

OP posts:
LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:44

Things like that refer to withdrawl from a litre of vodka a day type quantities of alcohol, honestly please don't worry. IF you still are, see your GP? He/she may be able to put your mind at rest

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 02:49

thanks low you're helping me calm down. I was tring to be calm about it (fears of alcohol withdrawal problems) and after all, I don't feel any symptoms myself, but baby is so little, and now he's got temperature, freaked me out. Could it be because of aw ?

I'm so stupid for doing htis

Thanks for your reassurance tho, I was really expecting noanswers or to get a eall battering. I know I deserve it.

What on earth are you doing up at this time? YOu ok?

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LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 02:57

It won't be AW more likely teething temp. or a cold or something. Glad I have helped somewhat I am just a bad sleeper, especially when home alone - I am a big wuss going to bed!

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 03:18

slepp well if you ever make it to bed.

mycan't believe I've done this to my poor baby. I'm not going to sleep for worry

OP posts:
LadyOfWaffle · 27/01/2009 03:21

Please don't worry.

kickassangel · 27/01/2009 03:25

i know nothing about this, but can you sleep close to him tonight? one of us used to do this if dd had cold, stomach probs etc. dh slept pretty well with a duvet on the floor next to dd (her in cot), but would wake if her breathing changed. evne if you don't sleep, can be nice just to curl up nearby & watch them, knowing you're ther for them. you may even doze for a bit

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 03:28

going to go and check on him. thanks

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kickassangel · 27/01/2009 03:29

btw, you do realise you're giving yourself a hard time over this? unless you're massively under-stating how much you've been drinking, whilst it's not great, you haven't done anything too awful to your babe. you do need to cut down, but i assume he's also having solids at his age, so how much he gets is a tiny % of his diet. not good, but it doesn't sound terrifying. take deep breaths & tell yourself you've changed now. stop reading silly internet sites that scare you

PortAndLemon · 27/01/2009 03:31

He won't be having alcohol withdrawal because you've been drinking four bottles of beer a night. Really. He'll have been getting very little alcohol from that.

The danger in quitting cold turkey is from people who've been knocking back a bottle of spirits or more (or equivalent) a day. Stopping cold turkey from four bottles of beer a night won't be a problem. And it certainly won't be a problem for your DS.

Really, get some sleep. If he's not well you're going to have needed it tomorrow.

foxytocin · 27/01/2009 04:33

Hi Dimwit: you are so brave for baring your soul and fears on here to look for advice. It takes a strong person to do that.

As said, I doubt you have harmed your baby by the amount you were consuming.

TBH, I think that my long term worry would be how much alcohol you are using per night, every night, if you continue to consume or increase your nightly consumption.

I am hoping not to sound judgey judgey and I don't know if I am doing that.

Maybe you should speak to your gp to ask for help in evaluating your usage of alcohol in your life in general? I don't think you are an alcoholic btw, just wondering about how your body can stand up to that sort of long time consumption.

SamJamsmum · 27/01/2009 06:41

I agree the issue is more a long-term danger rather than a short-term one. His temp is not related to alcohol withdrawal.
What are his feeding patterns? i.e. how soon after your evening of drinking would you be feeding him?
The age of a baby makes quite a difference too. A 9 month old is much more able to process alcohol than a newborn.

Well done for giving it up and I hope you are getting some sleep now. I hope baby is better.

I really think you shouldn't panic.

wastingmyeducation · 27/01/2009 07:28

One unit of alcohol takes one hour to leave the blood and milk afaik, so as SamJam says it depends how soon after drinking you were feeding him as to how much he would have got.

spicemonster · 27/01/2009 07:39

foxy - she has already said she has stopped drinking entirely.

I agree though that 2 litres of beer is not ideal but if she's stopped completely I don't think she needs to see her gp

Original poster
dimwit · 27/01/2009 08:04

Thanks all of you. I feel very reassured. I was in such a panic. Me and dh had just got into such a habit - he'd get in from work and we'd have a beer, then put baby to bed and have a couple more while watching tv. God, what a boring existance anyway! Then just in the last 2 or 3 weeks dh would go for 1 more ie a 4th bottle, and I'd often jsut copy him, as I don't like to go to bed alone. But our bed time was creeping later and later. then on Friday I decided enough was enough, but then I made the mistake of looking at internet for number of units per night and dangers of alcohol and it scared the s*t out of me. I was already feeling proper guilty, So when my beautiful ds had a temp in the night I put 2 & 2 together and came up with panic.

He's still a bit warm but otherwise seems ok and gone down for morning nap now.

Thanks for keeping me sane.

foxy, btw you didn't sound at all judgemental I have given up completely. This has been a real wake up call. I just don't need that aggravation in my life.

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