drinking and extended breastfeeding

[cherrybunx0]

Hi all,

This has always confused me as I have seen such mixed views on it but did you/do you drink when you have breastfed? DD is nearly 13 months and on Christmas day we are popping to our local pub around lunch time to have a drink (a tradition!) and I would really love to have this cocktail they do for Christmas. I haven't drunk since feb 2019 and not at all whilst breastfeeding. Obviously DD now eats 3 meals a day and drinks out of her sippy cup, she only breastfeeds a few times a day and at night. NHS website says best to be on the safe side and no, not at all.

Is this the case? :( why is this?

Thanks!

I breastfed until they were 2, 2.5 and 3 respectively. I did not abstain from alcohol.

My HV is on the extreme side - she said anything I eat/drink can make it's way into my breastmilk and so it is advised not to. I think I will just maybe breastfeed her just before I go and then give it a few hours! I will only be having 1!

I've always been told if you're safe to look after your child, then you're safe to breastfeed. One cocktail won't do anything to your dd, especially as she's eating well. I think as long as you don't get hammered you're all good. Enjoy!

I breastfed my DD until she was 2, and I’m still feeding DS (2) now. I don’t abstain. I don’t drink loads, at most half a bottle of wine over an evening (and then usually wouldn’t feed till next morning), but I’ve never even given it much thought! Both kids seem fine! I’m planning to drink a nice bottle of champagne on Xmas day, and if DS wants milk he’ll just have to have it slightly fizzy

My midwife told me (last year) that if you drink a paddling pool of wine, then a thimble of alcohol would be in your breast milk.

Obviously she want recommending it - and they are also not scientific measurements. But the basic message (from her and also when I did my own research) was that one or two drinks was fine. And in fact, more is probably fine in terms of alcohol in breast milk, but that the issue then is being affected by the alcohol whilst looking after a baby/toddler.

The NHS just take the easy stance of saying non, as there isn't necessarily a set amount that they could say is ok- just like alcohol in pregnancy.

haha @nomorespaghetti love that!

Think I will do as I said and just feed beforehand and bring her a snack and her sippy cup just incase. She is pretty good on solids now. I am actually going to be trying to wean her completely soon but that's a whole other story lol.

I had the odd small glass of wine once or twice a week when BF. We made it to 21 mo

Orange juice is more alcoholic than your BM would be.

One of my HVs told me that there was no nutritional value to breastmilk after 9-12 months. Another told me I was spoiling ds1 by picking him up when he cried. Some HVs are absolutely bloody wonderful, but that does not mean any pronouncement by any HV should be regarded as gospel and adhered to as such.

Breastfeeding midwife here....I have a couple of glasses of wine across a week. The amount that goes into breastmilk is minuscule. I wouldn't get drunk but a cocktail at Christmas will do absolutely no harm whatsoever!

Not being able to drink whilst breastfeeding is an absolute myth. Don’t get twatted - but you won’t, since you are looking after a smal child. Don’t stress it and enjoy in moderation.

If it worries you, can you pump and dump?

My midwife told me if you can find the baby you can feed the baby 😂

Obviously being careful and following safe sleeping guidelines etc.

I’m bf a 16 month old and I drink. I tend to have an occasional glass of wine at dinner time, in our house that is 5 o’clock. If you drink enough to kill yourself (I’m guessing far from your plan) then your breast milk will contain a similar amount of alcohol a orange juice. Breast milk is made from your blood supply rather than your stomach content so the amount of alcohol will be minuscule. DD1 had to take medication daily as baby which contained a lot more alcohol than would be found in breast milk.The only worry is are you able to look after the baby, make sure you are sober before bed sharing and make sure your drink enough non alcoholic drinks so you don’t get dehydrated.

Breastfeeding never stopped me drinking as normally. I don't make a habit of getting falling down drunk (obviously have not done that since having dc), but I have never limited drinking due to breastfeeding. I did limit it due to co-sleeping when dc were small, only that I drank at lunch/afternoon and not in evenings before bed. But I would happily have 3-4 drinks over the course of a day and bf.

I’ve had a few drinks, up to 2 large glasses of wine at once but not very often. We’re still feeding at 15 months. I probably have a bottle of wine over a weekend every 4-6 weeks as don’t enjoy it as much these days. But now and then I do fancy a glass.

This Christmas I’ll happily have a few over the day. I think I had 4 small glasses fizz last year over about 12hrs (and plenty of water in between).
One drink is absolutely fine.

I’ve been drinking as usual while breastfeeding mine (a drink or two when I feel like it). My understanding is that the amount passing into the breastmilk is minuscule. The real risk is drinking too much and being unable to care for your child, not necessarily the amount of alcohol in the milk.

@YoureNotOnTheList

If it worries you, can you pump and dump?

This is from Kellymom - there’s no real need to pump and dump.

“There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than for mom’s comfort — pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of alcohol from the milk.”

Ah I feel a lot more reassured now! thanks - I have not pumped at all since I have been breastfeeding so I probably won't try now lol! but thanks for the suggestion anyway!

looking forward to my Christmas cocktail - they are amaaazing

I did, but I was only BFing twice a day from nine months and once a day from 18mo, and that was in the morning so any evening drinks were well out of my system. I never drank enough to not be able to care for Dd though.

I did have one instance when DD was about five months and DH's turn to do bedtime so I'd downed a big G and T - DD was sleeping thru about 11 hours at that point so thought it would be next morning before next feed. She wouldn't settle so I went back upstairs and latched her on without thinking about it. She did sleep very well that night!

I was told by a health professional that breast milk is made from your blood, not your stomach contents.
For your blood alcohol limit to be high enough to impact your milk (ie get the baby drunk) then you would be dead as it would have to be something ridiculous like 4% blood to alcohol.
The analogy of the thimble in a swimming pool is pretty spot on.
Enjoy your cocktail (or two or three. It's Christmas!)

I BF DD until 23m and drank alcohol when I wanted it.

Our midwife and the HV who took our postnatal classes were clear that such a tiny proportion of alcohol makes it through that as long as you were in a fit state to look after the baby (or someone else was babysitting) then we could drink.