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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

First time expressed, have I left it too late to express enough milk to enable me to have a drink tomorrow nght???

17 replies

salvadory · 12/02/2010 09:16

Hi all, my baby is 37 days old and has been bf nicely since birth, tomorrow is our first night out since she was born and my mum has offered to babysit whilst we go out for dinner.
We won't be out long but I would like a drink, would I be able to express enough today to ensure a couple of feeds for her until the alcohol is out of my milk?? I won't drink much probably a few glasses of champagne. Would it be v bad if I fed her directly from the breastthe next morning??
I've no clue re amounts to be expressingnor how much she'll need, my mother is itching to give her formula as she's a 1970's mum who never bf and thinks it's a bit weird that I am doing so

OP posts:

minxofmancunia · 12/02/2010 09:27

No expert on this but bf both of mine after a couple of drinks although not when "drunk" as such.

Went out a few times and had 3 or 4 drinks then fed at 8ish the next day after stopping drinking at about 11, hope this was ok?!

Re amounts depends how often she usually wakes to feed in the night, at this age with both of mine it was once or twice.

However this was my judgment call re booze, I don't know the exact physiology of it or what current guideliens are as all health professionals give different advice so hope someone comes on who knows what they're talking about

Original poster

salvadory · 12/02/2010 09:34

So did you feed in the night too minx??
My baby will need to be fed once I get home possibly but definitely during the night, beginning to think an M&S meal deal wouldve been a lot less hassle!!!

OP posts:

minxofmancunia · 12/02/2010 09:36

if only a couple of drinks then fed in the night but if more then dh would give a bottle until the morning.

BertieBotts · 12/02/2010 09:46

Is that 5 weeks? I would probably feed after a couple of drinks. How many times does she feed in the night usually?

Don't forget to express when you get home even if you discard the milk, because otherwise you will get very engorged and it might even send the signal to your breasts to slow milk production.

Original poster

salvadory · 12/02/2010 09:52

Yes she was 5 weeks on Wednesday, I'm a bit pfb about it all sorry! Is the consensus that after a couple it won't do any harm to feed straight from the breast? This would be good as the pump looks v complicated now I've disassembled it for sterilisation.
Is there a definitive answer re days needed to express say 3 feeds??

OP posts:

shonaspurtle · 12/02/2010 09:52

Alcohol leaves your milk at the same rate as your bloodstream. If you're safe to drive you're definitely safe to feed.

Personally, I bf ds after one or two drink from an early age (had a glass of champagne after coming home from hospital and must have fed him within an hour of that).

If you're just having a couple of standard glasses of champagne while you're out I would say you're fine to feed him when you get home. That's just my personal opinion though.

You would certainly be fine to feed him after a few hours, so through the night and without question the next morning.

shonaspurtle · 12/02/2010 09:56

Re: amount of time needed to express a few feeds, I'm afraid it's different for everyone so there's no real answer.

I expressed a lot when ds was tiny due to problems I had with bf. I got that I found it pretty easy but that could have just been down to my individual makeup rather than practice as such. What I did find was that if I overdid it I got very engorged as my milk supply was very sensitive to supply and demand iyswim. So watch out for that.

Maybe best to see how you go and get in the habit of trying to express an ounce or two every day, if you can manage (and don't worry if you can't) and let it build up in the freezer.

nellyup · 12/02/2010 09:57

Same here shona, I've fed all three of mine after a drink or two and its fine, you just can't go overboard.

However, if your baby is sensitive to grapes, as mine all have been (i.e. if I eat loads of them they get bad wind) you might find baby is more windy than usual after wine.

minxofmancunia · 12/02/2010 09:58

imo won't do any harm, but not fact!

All my friends who've bf have fed after a couple of glasses of wine/beer. I have a friend who is still bf her 18 month old and I know she's partial to a drink or 3 and neither of her children seem to have suffered any adverse effects.

minxofmancunia · 12/02/2010 09:59

I used to express 3-4 oz a day at this stage just to have on hand if I needed to go out.

ChristianaTheTwelfth · 12/02/2010 10:04

Message withdrawn

summerof76 · 12/02/2010 10:14

If you do express, you also need to consider whether your baby will actually take a bottle when you go out.

If you have been exclusively breastfeeding for 5 weeks, it is possible that your baby may not take to a bottle without some practice first (regardless of whether it contains EBM or formula).

l39 · 12/02/2010 10:15

I hardly ever drink. On rare occasions I have breastfed after alcohol (got married when DD1 was 3 months old, for example) without any ill effects.

Um, I don't want to offend you, but were you just joking about your mum's desire to ff the baby? Sadly there are grandparents out there who'd gladly sabotage breastfeeding, and the baby isn't even six weeks old yet. I'd make sure there's no formula in the house, if I had any doubt at all.

onthehill · 12/02/2010 10:18

eeeuuuw drinkning blood though!
I agree with everyone, I would have a glass or two, my 3 are all generally alright..
Also, back in the middle ages when i had dd1 (1995) my midwives used to advise a glass of wine in the evening before last feed to get baby to sleep longer. sigh....those were the days.....
I expresswed from day two with ds1 and ds2 cos my nipples fell off, dp would give them the late feed so i couls sleep, then top up with formula as well, bf both to 6 months then stopped cos i wanted to. I was so worried with the first one about getting it right that I had a horrendous, painful and stressful experience. So imo just go with what makes life easy for you and babba, this is time for you to enjoy, not a competition xxxxxx

Original poster

salvadory · 12/02/2010 10:22

No formula in house but no I wasn't joking, my mother is finding it v hard to get used to me bf. She keeps attributing baby's crying to being hungry and questioning how I know my baby has had enough. She doesn't like the fact the b milk isn't in a specific measurement.
She says she's supportive of my decision but I know she'd be happier if I introduced a night time ff.
She's v opinionated but luckily most of it goes over my head, does grate if I've not had much sleep the night before though.

OP posts:

Original poster

salvadory · 12/02/2010 10:28

Yes I would like to express so dp can do the odd feed however I love breast feeding so am in no hurry unless there's a valid reason. Selfish emoticon.

OP posts:

GhoulsAreLoud · 12/02/2010 10:32

I used to feed about 4/5 hours after a glass or two of wine.

If I got sloshed (which was about twice IIRC) I would take a bottle of EBM up to bed with me (guidelines on Kellymom say how long it can be out of the fridge for and think it was quite a while).

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