The answer is yes, you may enjoy a drink with a meal, when out with friends or on a special occasion.
It is known that not drinking alcohol is safest. However, knowing the facts about how alcohol affects breastfeeding will help you to decide how best to combine breastfeeding with drinking some alcohol.
FACTS:
- It is best to avoid alcohol in the first month after birth.
- Alcohol gets into your breastmilk from your blood, moving freely from the blood to the breastmilk, and back out again.
- Alcohol will be in your breastmilk 30-60 minutes after you start drinking.
- The amount of alcohol in your blood is the amount of alcohol in your milk.
- Only time will reduce the amount of alcohol in your breastmilk.
- A standard drink contains 10g of alcohol, ie 100mls of 13.5% wine; 1 stubby (375mls) of mid-strength beer, or 1 pre-mixed bottle (250mls - 5% alcopop) or 30mls of spirits.
- It takes generally 2 hours for an average woman to get rid of 1 standard drink and therefore 4 hours for 2 drinks, 6 hours for 3 drinks and so on.
TIPS:
- Breastfeed your baby before you drink. You can then enjoy a drink knowing you’ll be unlikely to need to feed again within the next couple of hours.
- Eat before and whilst drinking.
- One way to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink is to alternate alcoholic with non-alcoholic drinks.
As baby gets older you may have a night out. It’s a good idea to express (and freeze) or leave some freshly expressed breastmilk on hand for the babysitter (who is free of drinking alcohol) in case baby wakes or you arrive home later than expected.
If you miss a feed while you are drinking alcohol, and your breasts are feeling uncomfortable, express some milk and throw it away. This will help with your comfort and will maintain your milk supply.
Remember to not sleep with your baby if you (or anyone else in the bed) are affected by alcohol.
Yours in health and happiness
Sandy B Simmons
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The following articles and review gives more comprehensive information:
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/resources/alcohol-and-breastfeeding
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1747-0080.2006.00056.x