Many studies have been carried out on pregnant women who consume alcohol, and it
has been conclusively shown that alcohol is very detrimental to the unborn baby.
However, the risks associated with drinking alcohol whilst breastfeeding a baby
are not so well understood or defined. So, what should a breastfeeding mother be
aware of when she drinks alcohol?
A newborn baby has an immature liver and therefore even small amounts of
ingested alcohol can be a burden on the baby's system. Up until around 3 months
of age, infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older
baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly. Therefore, during the
first 3 months of life, alcohol should be avoided if at all possible. If you do
drink alcohol during this this time, you should drink in moderation. Heavy
drinkers or alcoholics who breastfeed should "abstain from drinking alcohol
until their babies are weaned" the Recovery Emporium suggests. For those who
can't stop drinking altogether during this time, it is still recommended to
continue breastfeeding, rather than switching to infant formula, as the baby is
given so much protection by the anitbodies in its mother's breast milk -
extremely important in fighting off infections.
When your child is older than 3 months, drinking alcohol is not a problem as
long as it is done in moderation. But what exactly is moderate drinking for a
breastfeeding mother? Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2
drinks) is not harmful to the nursing baby. Basically, if you're sober enough to
drive, you're sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed
by the mother reaches her blood and milk.
Another point to remember is how long alcohol remains in your breast milk.
Alcohol doesn't stay in breast milk - it returns to the bloodstream as mother's
blood alcohol level declines. Therefore, pumping and dumping breast milk will
not remove the alcohol present, or speed up the process of removing alcohol from
breast milk. The only reason a mother should pump and dump would be for her own
comfort, when she is waiting for the alcohol in her breast milk to dissipate.
The following advice - La Leche League's THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK (pp.
597-598) - explains how long alcohol remains in the mother's system.
"Alcohol passes freely into mother's milk and has been found to peak about 30 to
60 minutes after consumption, 60 to 90 minutes when taken with food. Alcohol
also freely passes out of a mother's milk and her system. It takes a 120 pound
woman about two to three hours to eliminate from her body the alcohol in one
serving of beer or wine...the more alcohol that is consumed, the longer it takes
for it to be eliminated. It takes up to 13 hours for a 120 pound woman to
eliminate the alcohol from one high-alcohol drink. The effects of alcohol on the
breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother consumes."
But what if a mother drink's too much, or gets tipsy or drunk?
Mothers should refrain from breastfeeding until they are completely sober.
Ideally, a mother should plan ahead. If she knows she is going to drink more
than 1 to 2 units of alcohol, she is best advised to express her milk and store
it in a refrigerator, so this can be fed to the baby later, at a time when her
own breast milk still contains too much alcohol. When drinking alcohol, a
breastfeeding mother may become intoxicated more quickly than a woman of similar
weight and height. Research suggests that when a woman is amenorrheic due to
breastfeeding, her estrogen levels are low, which in turn, leads to greater
intoxication.
Excessive alcohol consumption whilst breastfeeding can be very harmful to a
baby. A baby can suffer the affects of drowsiness, deep sleep, weakness, and
abnormal weight gain, as well as retardation of mental and motor development.
It is sometimes believed that drinking encourage milk production. This is wrong.
Drinking alcohol inhibits let-down and decreases milk production.
In conclusion, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs considers
alcohol compatible with breastfeeding. What this means is that breastfeeding and
alcohol are not mutually exclusive, provided alcohol is consumed in moderate
amounts. By being aware of how much has been drunk, and how long ago, and by
thinking and preparing ahead of time, it is perfectly fine for a breastfeeding
mother to have the odd drink without harming her baby.
Robin O'Brien is founder of Breastfeeding Information.com. You can learn more
about breastfeeding and alcohol by the visiting site, as well as getting advice
on how to buy a good nursing bra.
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