Breast milk & alcohol?

[CrystalFlower]

Hello,

im currently express breast milk in bottle feeding. I don’t drink every day. I always wait 24 hours from when I had my last alcholol drink before I start pumping breast milk is this acceptable or do I need longer?

I never drink days in a row I always drink one day and have the next day alcohol free and then I express the day after that and once I’ve expressed as much as I can I then have my three glasses of wine. (9 months without my wine I’m enjoying having my guilty pleasure back) is this safe? Or do you have to be alcohol free throughout breastfeeding until they stop needing milk?

new to this and midwife just keeps saying go online and look at nhs lol prefer experiences please thank you 😊

I don’t really drink other than a few sips until my baby was about 1yr but that was more because we needed to cosleep and sleep was pretty limited so I didn’t fancy a drink. Since then sleep has improved a bit and I have the odd drink and don’t worry about feeding.

I never have more than 2 units in a sitting but that is more because after nearly 2 years with nothing, I’m a bit of a lightweight these days.

I’m currently having a baileys (I know, out of season 🙈) and little one will probably want feeding around 12/1am. The amount of alcohol that will pass on to your milk is negligible.

Thank you ladies 💐

You don't have to wait 24 hours. Honestly, just drink when you feel like it. It will not effect your milk.

The thing I found after a few glasses of wine was that my letdown/milk volume wasn't v good after I'd been drinking - but you can feed throughout and definitely don't need to wait 24 hours. Where did you get that advice from?

i have been trying to express into a pump after 24 hours to be extra cautious but as I’ve just started the past week with expressing I’m not pumping hardly any milk to be honest as I allowed them to dry up as my baby is 2 weeks old so for the first week I never pumped or anything even during engorgement I left them as I have always done formula but I wanted to try expressing milk to bottles to save money as formula is so expensive anyone got any tips to get more milk out?

The best way to increase milk supply is to feed baby directly from the breast. The more you feed the more milk you'll make.

At first baby will cluster feed (lots of small feeds close together) to help your body know what they need.

If you want to breastfeed I suggest ringing the NCT infant feeding line to get some qualified evidenced based information to help you get going.

You don't need to wait at all let alone 24 hours.

@CrystalFlower congratulations on your two week old!

OK, it sounds like it might be worthwhile seeing if there are local breastfeeding support services - google baby bistro + your area or speak to your health visitor so you've got proper advice and support.

That’s great advice… thank you ladies and thank you @tinselandjoy 🤗

Oh gosh don’t say that you will get mum shamed for not being on the ball with your children 😂

thank you I appreciate it x

You should not be drinking alcohol whe breastfeeding. But check it out with a quallfied health care professional. The amount of excuses for alcohol consumption on MN is breathtaking.

@Viviennemary please could you share where the NHS advice states that breastfeeding women should not drink at all?

I asked a breastfeeding consultant about this not long after having DS1.

Direct quote - “if you can find your baby, you can feed your baby”.

Your body has a pretty sophisticated filtration system- for your breast milk to have the same alcohol volume as grape juice you would have to be paralytically drunk. It’s like a shot glass in a swimming pool.

@Viviennemary , no one is making excuses for drinking just saying that it’s okay to do so while breast feeding. Also, it’s for some people an enjoyable activity in moderation and women certainly don’t need to make excuses for this.

The NHS advises keeping drinking to below 14 units a week while breast feeding. A bottle of fairly strong rose wine is about 10 units. So @CrystalFlower hope you enjoy your rose!

NHs website. Whilst it is safer not to drink, 1 or two units a week is unlikely to harm your baby. So a far cry from a few glasses of wine a day.

@Viviennemary not sure what youre reading but to be helpful here is a link to the NHS guidance.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-and-lifestyle/alcohol/

As you’ll see no more than 14 units a week and split over three days. Which would of course be a couple of glasses of wine.

Well the nhs advice I read was one or two units once or twice a week. I cant do links. Its under NHS better life. It also says there is a link between alcholol consumption and sids.

What a load of bollocks. You can drink and breastfeed.

One or two units once or twice a week is when pregnant, not breastfeeding.