Is it alright to drink alcohol while breastfeeding?

Rose - posted on 04/01/2012

it depends on what you are drinking. You can actually get a type of dip stick and test your milk for alcohol levels and also pump before you have a drink so you have back up supply. If you drink a beer that is actually good for the breast milk if kept to one or two so is a glass of red over white wine..

Glenese - posted on 10/31/2009

i wouldn't recomend it your baby may get tipsy while your just fine and thats not good for anyone. if alcohol can demage your kidneys just imagine your baby small kidney taken in all of wat your drinking..

Simone - posted on 10/31/2009

THANK YOU LADY'S. I HAVE HEARD THAT BEER CAN BUST YOUR MILK, IT'S JUST A SHAME I DON'T DRINK IT. LOL. BUT I THINK I'LL BE FINE.

Jess - posted on 10/31/2009

i have never heard of pumping n dumping. i think feed ur baby n then have a drink so u will have a few hours b4 the next feed.

iv been told its the same amount rule as keeping 2 the limit when driving

Nicole - posted on 10/30/2009

There are test strips? that tell you if you have alchohol in your breast milk, you can find them at babies'r'us.

Jo - posted on 10/30/2009

I used the chart on this page when I was breastfeeding and found it very helpful:



http://www.cfpc.ca/cfp/2002/jan/vol48-ja...

Katie - posted on 10/30/2009

I am a bartender and a mother. I am certified in many liquor licensing programs. it takes an hour for every drink to get out of your bloodstream. after i had my daughter i would pump extra before hand and put it in the fridge or freezer. after 8 weeks i went out for a night and got slightly tipsy- which is easy when you havent had a drink in a year- when my daughter was brought home i made a bottle. i waited until the afternoon to breastfeed and she is now a happy almost 4 year old. it is ok to drink just have a back up plan. no need to pump and dump unless you are uncomfortable.

Stephanie - posted on 10/30/2009

NO! a glass of wine is it. maybe 1 beer instead but nothing else.

Kristen - posted on 10/30/2009

As long as you feed the baby right before you want to drink and wait a couple hours before feeding again, you should be fine. A trace amount of alcohol is not going to be a big deal, but if you're not comfortable with it, you can always pump and dump after you drink.

Kristen - posted on 10/30/2009

We had our wedding anniversary when our baby was 6 weeks old and I wanted a drink but was worried so i called a RN/ mommy friend and asked... She said one drink is fine just don't over do it. I was also eating w/ my beverage so I don't know if that makes a difference. In the end I had just one drink and that was all I was comfortable doing and it didn't seem to affect my baby nor did i pump and dump that next feeding, i just nursed him. BUT DO WHAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE DOING!!

Theresa - posted on 10/30/2009

The doctors show also said that pumping and dumping doesn't take the alcohol out of breast milk. Scary!! I would ask a nurse or WIC nurse. They would know for sure

Jamie - posted on 10/30/2009

I am the same way and I wondered the same thing because I recently got married and I wanted to have some wine and the DEALIO is -say you get tipsy or whatever...IF you breast feed within TWO HOURS of drinking it will be in your breast milk but two hours after you have finished consuming the alcohol it will not affect your breast milk. fact.

Pilar - posted on 10/30/2009

I would ask your dr, but mine told me that a little is okay as long as you pump and discard your milk afterwards

HELEN - posted on 10/30/2009

Well you could pump twenty four hours after you drink for the baby wont get any of the alchole. you would have to suppliment the babys feeding with either breast milk you froze or formula

Amy - posted on 10/30/2009

when you have a c section you take pain meds, and it is still ok to breastfeed. its all about how much you're taking. like one beer isnt enough to harm anything in your milk

Amy - posted on 10/30/2009

you can drink, sure... you have two options... you can either pump your breastmilk and throw it away ( which is sad for everyone, i know) or you can just wait (if you can) until the alcohol is out of your system. it leaves your milk the same way it leaves your system. all you have to do is wait one hour per drink. so, if you have three drinks from 8-10. wait three hours after ten oclock, and your breastmilk is good to go! :)

Kayla - posted on 10/30/2009

Pump first so you have clean milk for your baby. Remember it takes beer 3 to 4 hours to get out of your system and 6 to8 hours to get hard liquor out.

Tiffany - posted on 10/30/2009

i had a beer once or twice during the week while i was nursing my son and the doctor said there isnt enough alcohol in that single beer to harm the baby. as long as you keep it to one or two beers you wont have any problems. liquor on the other hand has a alcohol per volume ratio.......i would recommend no liquor until later in your life when your no longer nursing.

Jennifer - posted on 10/30/2009

It is ok, pump some to make sure to have at least 2 feedings worth. Then feed before you have a drink then after ( when you "refill" pump and throw away).

April - posted on 10/29/2009

I agree with Jessica K. just have enough milk pumped up just to be on the safe side

Natalie - posted on 10/29/2009

My moms doctor said to have a small can of beer before breastfeeding to help the milk let down so I am sure you are safe at the least with a can of beer if the doctors would suggest it. Ask your doctor if it makes you feel better then you will know for youself. My doctor said a drink at the christmas party was fine for me and my baby was just fine, dont worry.

Nachole - posted on 10/29/2009

As long as you have pumped . give her/him a bottle the night u drink .Pump the milk that night and dump that milk.then u can return to normal feedings the next day.just be careful cz alchohol dehydrates you so it can deplete your milk.I am no expert but that is what I was told when i breastfed my son.hope this helps

Katie - posted on 10/29/2009

i have heard that it does affect the child by drinking while breastfeeding. They say that it usually takes about 3 hours for your body to break down the alcohol. You can either pump before you drink so you have milk for when your child needs it or they have these cool little strips to tell if you still have alcohol in your milk.you can get those at babies rus

Jacinda - posted on 10/29/2009

i asked my lactation consultant and doctors and they said as long as you aren't getting drunk its not going to hurt the baby and if you do get drunk just pump and toss till you are sober, that is what i have been told by doctors and lactation consultants

Misty - posted on 10/29/2009

They have some alcohol detectors you can buy at wal-greens. You put a little breast milk on a strip and it will tell you if there are any traces of alcohol in your milk.

Heather - posted on 10/29/2009

it takes 4 hours to cycle out of your milk per drink, so your best bet is after baby's sleeping but I personally wouldn't risk it unless you have spare milk in the freezer. I'd wait till baby sleeps through the night and keep your drinking to a drink or two.

Karen - posted on 10/29/2009

I just watched an episode of "The Doctors" and they were talking about this. Of course not drinking at all is best but.... They say that if you want to have one drink and then wait for 2 hours, you should be fine. They said you need to wait 2 hours for every drink. So if you have 2, then you need to wait 4 hours!!

Miranda - posted on 10/28/2009

I also don't drink, but on a very rare occasion I will indulge myself (usually with a god microbrew). I have not had any issues with breastfeeding, if you are concerned at all I know that you can get test strips to test that alcohol level in your breast milk at certain drug stores like Walgreens, etc...I am very lucky, I can eat spicy foods, chocolate, pretty much anything that I want and it doesn't affect my child when I nurse him. Good luck! :)

Jade - posted on 10/28/2009

i was told you can have one standard drink but don't feed baby until 1-2 hours after you have had the drink...i had half a glass of wine right after i fed bubba...she feed's every 4 hours so then i was waiting 4 hours for the to pass through and she was fine... but i want have more then half a glass...and i have only done it once.

Caren - posted on 10/28/2009

I have seen test strips to test the milk to see if the alcohol is out of your system yet,and if the milk is safe for baby

Nicole - posted on 10/28/2009

The doctor's say no amount is safe, but it is okay to drink a small glass of wine. You should know when your baby is going to eat again because it takes a couple of hours to be through your system. That is what I did if I had a small glass of wine, which rarely happened. I did it when I knew she wasn't going to be hungry for awhile. For example after my daughter had her last meal before going to bed, I knew I had at least four hours before she would wake up and I would be alright to drink that glass. Hope this helps.

Jennifer - posted on 10/28/2009

According to LaLeche one drink is ok, actually some lactation consultants will tell you to drink 1 beer a day to up your milk supply. You can buy a milk screening kit at most pharmacies to tell you when you've had too much.

Caroline - posted on 10/28/2009

If you choose to drink, feed your baby first, and then drink. Plan to do it when your baby won't be nursing for a while, like after your baby has gone to bed to sleep a stretch of several hours, if possible.

Christina - posted on 10/28/2009

whatever you drink baby gets a taste of. I had a migraine while I was breastfeeding and had to get a shot for it. I had to breastfeed before the shot and after supplement with formula until morning. He told me to pump when my breast got too full and even if they didn't to pump anyways the next morning before feeding.

Lisa - posted on 10/28/2009

It's reccomended that you feed baby before you have a drink, and pump enough for 2 or 3 bottles for your baby beforehand, so that baby is getting regular milk. Be sure to pump and discard the milk 2 or 3 times before letting baby latch on. Hope all goes well! have fun!

Rebecca - posted on 10/28/2009

okay so i read your question and here is what the doctors say, you can have a drink, which is one cup or 8 oz of beer or wine or one shot in like a mixied drink as long as you do not breastfeed for 2 hours afterward, you do not have to pump thats a myth and doed nothing for the breastmilk. the alcohol is in the bloodstream ao it only gets out with time. I hope this helps, as we all like a drink now and then!!!!

Melissa - posted on 10/28/2009

Its not a real risk. Just dont go overboard, dont do it all the time and drink lots of water afterwards. You can also pump a couple bottles that way the alcohol leaves your system before u actually feed again. Dont worry too much tho

Suset - posted on 10/28/2009

I breastfed my 6 year old daughter for a year, and so far am breastfeeding my 2 month old, I've had alcohol occasionally with both right after feeding them, never having more than one drink. It has not caused any negative affects to either one of my daughters. I say ask your doctor or a lactation consultant if your really not sure.

Mary - posted on 10/28/2009

if you are breast feeding you can drink just that you have to pump before you breastfeed again because the alcohol can go to the baby from the milk.....i have read up on because i wanted to breastfeed but i really didn't because i didn't produce enough milk

Summer - posted on 10/28/2009

I drank a beer once when I went out while i was breastfeeding. Before I did i called the breast feeding hotline to ask some questions about it. The lady told me that ONE Beer was OK. For me to feed my son before i went out and when i came back to pump till i emptied both breast and dumped the milk, then feed my son. I did just that and he didnt get sick or anything. The lady did stress that everything you put into your body goes to your milk and goes to your baby(food,drinks, meds, etc). I felt like you do now then. I wanted to have a drink cuz i was out with friends. I'm not a big drinker myself. Good luck.

Hannah - posted on 10/28/2009

Its just fine to have a beer or two or a glass of wine while breastfeeding.

Jaylin - posted on 10/28/2009

its def ok...beer has yeast which is good for your milk. It takes about 90 minutes for the beer to cycle thru, so if your baby sleeps thru the night have a beer after ur last feeding. I have been exclusively breast-feeding my 8 month old an have drinks, now i drink like once a month if that but i have had drinks an everything is fine..we all need to relax its actually good for our milk if we are relaxed. hope this helped

Nichole - posted on 10/28/2009

Pump and dump can cause more milk production...avoid it. If you are talking about a glass of wine with dinner, nothing needs to change..feed baby as you normally would. I suggest red wine. I have had two girls nights where I had a few mixed drinks. Once the effects of the alcohol are gone, it is safe to feed the baby from the breast. Just be sure to have some milk on hand before you go. I spent three hours away, feed baby before I left, and had one bottle supplied. Depends on your child's feeding needs as to how much you need on hand...I suggest a bit more, just in case you get carried away with your girlfriends. THERE IS NO NEED TO PUMP AND DUMP!!!! If you are not drunk, there is no trace in your milk.

Erika - posted on 10/28/2009

after you drink just pump and dump the the milk because it will have traces in it. and before you drink pump alot so the baby has food when you can breastfeed. a small drink is fine as long as you plan ahead. dont worry and just check your Dr to see how long after you will pump and dump- it kinda varies.

Elyse - posted on 10/28/2009

I feel the same way...I am breastfeeding but won't drink. I am told by my ped. that you can feed the baby, then drink, then pump whats in there and throw it away. Also wait at least 3-4 hours before feeding baby again. It made me too nervous, but I'm told it is ok.

Simone - posted on 10/28/2009

thank u all for all the comments, i've decided to wait til my pudding just a little bti older and shes on bottles a little more. i love breastfeeding and to think missing some feeds just because 1 drink, i think i'll just wait, so i can enjoy it more without thinking twice, but thank u all again.

Saphire-jade - posted on 10/27/2009

if you wanted to have 1 drink it wouldnt really matter to much, especially at night when there a few hours before the next feed. its not like you are giving her a direct drink, if you express a little bit before you go to bed/next feed it should be fine as there would be mimimal alchohol content in the milk. but to be absolutly safe where you know baby will have no chance of having any then just wait. either way its your baby and just do whatever you feel is right.

Gina - posted on 10/27/2009

no honey that's not okay. not even a little drink! why? because WHATEVER you drink/eat, so does your baby. imagine how small your baby is right now... how much would it take til he or she gets DRUNK? I would think it would only take a sip. Please, for you beautiful baby's sake, not even 1 drink.

Diana - posted on 10/27/2009

Quoting Lyndsay:

Pump and dump! Pump out enough breastmilk to last for the next 24hrs after your drinks. Then, while your baby is eating the pre-pumped milk, you pump and dump all the contaminated milk.

Pumping and dumping is ONLY useful to keep up supply. You can't purge your milk of the alcohol by pumping more often than normal-it will stay in the milk as long as it's in your blood system.

Not saying you didn't know or mean that-I just wanted to add it for clarity's sake since it's not quite clear. =)

Diana - posted on 10/27/2009

I was told by the neonatologist that 1 drink 2 or 3 hours before pumping/feeding wouldn't effect the milk. If you're going to drink more than that then I'd suggest having some pumped and ready for the night and pump and dump that night just to keep up supply then start regular feedings the next morning. When the alcohol is gone from your blood system, it will be gone from the milk.



Edited to add: It also depends on what that 1 drink is-the alcohol content in, say, a Long Island Iced Tea is going to effect you and your milk for longer than, say, just a beer. =)