Drinking and breastfeeding

[Cosytoes111]

I’m a long way off breastfeeding yet as I’m still pregnant but when I do give birth I want to breastfeed but does anyone have any tips on breastfeeding and drinking alcohol?

It’s been a while since I’ve had a drink or being drunk and my birth will be before Xmas so I want to be able to drink on Xmas day. Not excessively but my main priority is to not give my son milk that has had alcohol filter through.

Some might think easiest thing is to not drink but I want to have a drink so am I able to express the day before and will the milk keep for the next days feeds and also will I need to keep expressing to get rid of the tainted milk?

Thanks

Honestly you don't need to pump and dump. If you're sober enough to hold your baby you're sober enough to feed. The risks are mainly around providing poor care due to drinking, not to alcohol in the milk.

You can still feed as long as you’re not excessively drunk, thats the new guidelines

It’s fine. Enjoy your boozing

www.mumsnet.com as long as you can care for baby you're fine. The dangers come from lack of care for baby than alcohol through milk.

Like the others have said pump and dump is out of date advice no need to do this. There's no reason not to drink just because you are breastfeeding, for it to have any effect on your milk you would have to have drunk so much that the issue would be that you wouldn't be safe to be looking after the child nothing to do with alcohol been in your breast milk. However a lot of breastfeeding mum's co-sleep and co-sleeping while under the influence of alcohol increases the risk of SIDS.

What about drinking to get drunk I.e a night out?

How old will little one be? You might not want to go out. If you do, you'll need to leave expressed milk for baby. If you're out longer than a couple of hours you'll want to pump when you're out to relieve your boobs.

What about drinking to get drunk I.e a night out?

Don't do this, please. Unless your partner will be in charge of baby during the night and next morning and you save some expressed milk. Whilst an odd drink is ok, I doubt HV would advise a heavy sesh into bf milk!

Ps If you haven't had baby yet, you won't know how easy it'll be to express milk for you, as that doesn't come as easy as bf (which also can be hard at the beginning). Some women find it easier than others and only once you get there and try it, will tell you. I could bf for GB but took me weeks to be able to express. Nb. I wouldn't plan a big drinking night out early on with a new baby.

It doesn't look like you are planning a big sesh if you are just planning to have a couple drinks on Xmas day! (That's very different to a big night out getting drunk)
Do be aware that you'll sleep heavier after a drink or 3, so there are other risks around falling asleep in bed /on sofa with baby when you've drunk a bit.

No I’m not planning a heavy sesh but just though I’d ask whilst I was here!

Obviously I wouldn’t come home from a night out and be caring for my child I would have a sitter or my partner would be caring for him until I would be able to

What about drinking to get drunk I.e a night out?

What about not?

What about not?

A big night out is fine OP. You'll need to leave bottles of expressed milk or formula for the baby, enough to cover until whatever time you'll be well enough to feed safely (as others have said, that's the same time at which you're capable of safely caring for the baby).

You'd need to bring a pump to pump for your own comfort. If you have plenty of milk, probably easier to pump and dump while out rather than having to worry about safe storage.

My DD refused bottles so I couldn't leave her anyway, and was a shit sleeper so I had no desire to drink more than one or have a big night out. But no need to feel guilty if it works for you.

Good luck!