We have a wedding out of town tomorrow. I can't afford to pump and dump a lot as i am going back to work this week. What are the guidelines for how much you can drink? Time to wait before pumping etc? I would like a glass or 2 of wine on my big night out : TIA I searched online and didn't get any clear answers.
Just try to time your pumping so that you pump soon before you will drink and they wait a while to pump after drinking so there is very little left in your system.
(Personally, if I feel the alcohol at all, I will pump and dump to maintain supply but if I don't feel the alcohol, I'll pump and save it. Another option if you are worried is to take the pumped milk from after drinking and mix it with milk pumped before drinking so that if there is residual alcohol it will be diluted. Obviously if you are actually drunk, it's better to just pump and dump or don't pump - again, for supply's sake, p&d is better than skipping a session.)
The general rule of thumb seems to be to stop before you feel tipsy. I have a glass of wine or a beer a couple nights a week but make my glass last a good 2 hours. I've also heard to wait 4 hours between finishing a glass and pumping. Or if your ok to drive, your ok to feed.
Basically, you breastmilk is made up of what is in your bloodstream currently. So, if your blood has alcohol in it, so does your breastmilk. If the alcohol has had a chance to be processed out of your bloodstream then your breastmilk is clear too.It takes the human liver approx. 1 hour to process 1 glass of wine, though few people may take up to 3 hours.
In your shoes, I would take an hour to finish each glass and toss whatever I pumped in that time and 2-3 hours after. So, say I had my first glass at 1pm, my second at 2pm, then I would begin storing pumped milk/BF at 4 or 5pm (depending on the alcohol % of the wine)
I drink a beer (usually a darker lager or IPA) probably 2x a week. LO is fine. If you are worried, they have alcohol test strips for your milk. They are like $14, so I don't see it as worth it, but if you really want to drink they might at least give you piece of mind.
FWIW, I'm going to a wedding Saturday. My plan is to have 1 beer at some point and a glass of wine with dinner. I'll be putting at least 2 hours between them. LO does fine and I've heard that the brewer's yeast in beer is good for production (not sure how accurate, but it sounds good to me). Honestly, I have no desire to drink more than 1 drink since being pregnant. I used to drink a lot.
I drink a beer (usually a darker lager or IPA) probably 2x a week. LO is fine. If you are worried, they have alcohol test strips for your milk. They are like $14, so I don't see it as worth it, but if you really want to drink they might at least give you piece of mind.
FWIW, I'm going to a wedding Saturday. My plan is to have 1 beer at some point and a glass of wine with dinner. I'll be putting at least 2 hours between them. LO does fine and I've heard that the brewer's yeast in beer is good for production (not sure how accurate, but it sounds good to me). Honestly, I have no desire to drink more than 1 drink since being pregnant. I used to drink a lot.
This. Since being pregnant I don't have much desire to have more than 2 drinks at an occasion...I used to be a bug social drinker, now it takes me forever to finish a beer, but boy do I enjoy it more! I try to have my drink immediately after feeding. I haven't felt buzzed at all so I haven't even considered pumping and dumping. I haven't noticed any sensitivities in DS with wine or beer so I don't stress or over think it!
Re: Drinking and pumping
Just try to time your pumping so that you pump soon before you will drink and they wait a while to pump after drinking so there is very little left in your system.
(Personally, if I feel the alcohol at all, I will pump and dump to maintain supply but if I don't feel the alcohol, I'll pump and save it. Another option if you are worried is to take the pumped milk from after drinking and mix it with milk pumped before drinking so that if there is residual alcohol it will be diluted. Obviously if you are actually drunk, it's better to just pump and dump or don't pump - again, for supply's sake, p&d is better than skipping a session.)
This is the rule I go by.
DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13
Basically, you breastmilk is made up of what is in your bloodstream currently. So, if your blood has alcohol in it, so does your breastmilk. If the alcohol has had a chance to be processed out of your bloodstream then your breastmilk is clear too.It takes the human liver approx. 1 hour to process 1 glass of wine, though few people may take up to 3 hours.
In your shoes, I would take an hour to finish each glass and toss whatever I pumped in that time and 2-3 hours after. So, say I had my first glass at 1pm, my second at 2pm, then I would begin storing pumped milk/BF at 4 or 5pm (depending on the alcohol % of the wine)
I drink a beer (usually a darker lager or IPA) probably 2x a week. LO is fine. If you are worried, they have alcohol test strips for your milk. They are like $14, so I don't see it as worth it, but if you really want to drink they might at least give you piece of mind.
FWIW, I'm going to a wedding Saturday. My plan is to have 1 beer at some point and a glass of wine with dinner. I'll be putting at least 2 hours between them. LO does fine and I've heard that the brewer's yeast in beer is good for production (not sure how accurate, but it sounds good to me). Honestly, I have no desire to drink more than 1 drink since being pregnant. I used to drink a lot.
This. Since being pregnant I don't have much desire to have more than 2 drinks at an occasion...I used to be a bug social drinker, now it takes me forever to finish a beer, but boy do I enjoy it more! I try to have my drink immediately after feeding. I haven't felt buzzed at all so I haven't even considered pumping and dumping. I haven't noticed any sensitivities in DS with wine or beer so I don't stress or over think it!
here are guidelines i find helpful...
https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol/