Breastfeeding and Alcohol

In pregnancy we advise moms not to have any alcohol.  The position by the Surgeon General and the American College of Ob/Gyn physicians is that we just don’t know how much is too much, when it comes to alcohol in pregnancy.  We also don’t know how alcohol exposure at various times in pregnancy can cause severe effects in one child and no effects in another.
 
When it comes to breastfeeding, there are no clear guidelines, which can be confusing for many moms, because they will hear different advice from different people.
 
For years, many women were told to drink a glass of beer while breastfeeding to help increase their milk supply.  Many experts believe that this also helped the mom relax, triggering her let-down reflex.  Now, many lactation consultants have de-bunked that myth. 
 
There is still a lot we don’t know, but to help you make the best decision for yourself, here are some things we do know:
 
• Alcohol will pass through to breastmilk
• The baby will receive a smaller dose than the mom
• Babies bodies and their livers are smaller too
• Babies who drink breastmilk that has some alcohol in it, can be more drowsy and sleepy.  They may also be more difficult to arouse if it’s a large amount of alcohol.
 
Since there are no clear guidelines, many moms limit themselves to one serving, which is one beer, a glass of wine or 1 mixed drink and continue to breastfeed their babies. 
 
Since it takes about 2-4 hours for the alcohol a mom drinks to end up in her breastmilk, other moms will pump 2-4 hours after drinking and discard that milk, using formula or frozen milk they have on hand.
 
If you do plan on drinking, be sure you’ve planned ahead so that you can safely care for yourself and your baby if you have more than 1 serving.  And as always, don’t drive if you’ve been drinking and be certain that there is a responsible person caring for your little one, if you decide to indulge.