Bed Sharing and Alcohol

[GPatz]

Hello, would anyone mind giving me some advice and experience so I can make an informed decision?

I have a six week old DD, my second child. I EBF and, unlike with my first born, I bed share (not as nervous this time around).

I am attending a wedding today. I have not had an alcohol drink for around 3 years (I extended BF my first, then pregnancy and am currently BF). I am far more relaxed with DD and am debating on a couple of well spaced drinks at the wedding. I will be BF that day.

However, what I am unsure about is bed sharing. This is fairly new to me and I have carried out research, which suggests that you shouldn't bed share after ingesting alcohol. I am happy not to drink, but remember also being advised at the time that I should be teetotal if I breastfeed.

What I am asking therefore is can I still bed share after a couple of drinks if I feel perfectly fine (although I am aware that I have not had a drink for a while now and that my previous tolerance will have been severely affected) or is bed sharing after any amount of alcohol just a big no?

Thanks for any advice!

You can drink as much as you like while breastfeeding, but you must never bedshare after alcohol or drugs. It massively increases the risk of you rolling on your baby.

Drinking and breastfeeding is fine.

Drinking and bed sharing is definitely not fine.

It’s depends what you’re planning though- it reads to me as a couple of spaced out day time drinks. That’s not going to affect bed sharing that night. You don’t have to be tee total, you just have to space out the drinks and ensure you leave time for them to wear off before bed.

Yep, as above.

Sorry I meant that I wouldn’t drink and bedshare.

I would count your units of alcohol and allow one hour per unit and make sure you drink lots of non alcoholic drinks.

Breastfeeding & drinking alcohol throws up lots of advice & can be hard to figure out what is okay. I did 2 glasses of wine/gin maximum when I BF. I did two weddings & drank more than that over the space of a full day but we gave formula at some feeds. I never got or felt drunk at any point.

Bedsharing is totally different & advice is never to do it with any alcohol. Personally I agree as alcohol can make you sleep heavier & it's a risk I wouldn't want to take

Thank you everyone, I appreciate all points of view and have decided to stick to the soft drinks today.

I’ve bed shared with both of mine and I never refrained from drinking during the day. If it’s a day time wedding, enjoy some prosecco or a glass of wine or two. I just didn’t drink in the evenings.

So if I wanted a few glasses of wine, I’d have them with lunch. I didn’t drink at a time that it would have affected me near bedtime and then we didn’t bedshare until I went to bed around 10pm anyway. When they were older (toddlers), I was a bit more relaxed, but obviously never drunk! If ever I wasn’t comfortable, I’d just put them to bed in the cot instead. At only 6 weeks though, I probably would have been too exhausted for even one drink.

mindutopia

Putting DD in a cot was an option, but we have only bed shared so far and she sleeps beautifully. I wasn't sure that two drinks would be worth the potentially sleepless night if she didn't get on with a cot and could end up spoiling an otherwise nice day.

Had I planned this better, I would have tried her overnight in a cot. TBH, I wasn't going to drink today, but the sun came out and visions of me, dressed up for once and enjoying a glass of bubbles in the sunshine was very enticing. However, the idea is rapidly losing it's charm!

Can your partner not drink today and they can cosleep tonight?