Drinking & BFing

soontobehimes

Everywhere I turn, there's different assumptions on what is acceptable. The last thing I would want to do is give my baby girl alcohol. So, I have two questions:

I'm going to try drinking a beer a day to get my supply up... I'm pretty sure I don't need to do anything with my milk, right?

And, don't flame me, but what if I want to get DRUNK? As in, more than one drink. Not that I'm some huge drinker or anything (and it would actually only take me a couple of drinks), but I feel like my time is coming where I need a night out with my friends.. the only thing stopping me is I don't know what to do with my milk!

Any advice would be great.

MissYouDietCoke

From what I've read and have been told by docs, it takes 2h for each alcoholic beverage you drink to clear out of your breastmilk. So  If you wait 3h to feed your LO, you should be fine. 

They also make alcohol test strips for breast milk.  

Maggee206

Everything I read says pump before you go out for more than just a drink...then pump and dump the first set after (I did not know there were test strips)....I am off the juice until baby weight gets under control so if you go I hope you really enjoy it.

1Mrs.Jones

MissYouDietCoke:

From what I've read and have been told by docs, it takes 2h for each alcoholic beverage you drink to clear out of your breastmilk. So  If you wait 3h to feed your LO, you should be fine. 

They also make alcohol test strips for breast milk.  

All of This! Like you said in the OP, it probably won't take very much since it's been so long since you had a drink. The test strip thing was on one of the Kardashian shows, haha.

If you do go out, have fun!!

citychicks

Just an FYI, the dumping doesn't get the booze out of your breastmilk, it is so you will feel more comfortable. The alcohol will clear out of the BM as you sober up, no need to pump and dump unless you feel too engorged.

Babies R Us sells the strips if you want to go that route, but the rule of thumb is if you are too drunk to drive you are too drunk to feed.

melissar617

citychicks:

Just an FYI, the dumping doesn't get the booze out of your breastmilk, it is so you will feel more comfortable. The alcohol will clear out of the BM as you sober up, no need to pump and dump unless you feel too engorged.

Babies R Us sells the strips if you want to go that route, but the rule of thumb is if you are too drunk to drive you are too drunk to feed.

This is what I was going to say. BM is just another body fluid, just like blood, so it behaves the same as blood in regards to alcohol.

Phil&Corinna

From Dr. Jack Newman's website: https://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Breastfeeding%20Myths.asp

5. A mother should not drink alcohol while breastfeeding. Not true!  Reasonable alcohol intake should not be discouraged at all.  As is the case with most drugs, very little alcohol comes out in the milk.  The mother can take some alcohol and continue breastfeeding as she normally does.  Prohibiting alcohol is another way we make life unnecessarily restrictive for breastfeeding mothers. 

From Kellymom:

https://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/alcohol.html

You'll find all the info you need between these two resources!!!  I'd have a drink if you want to; just have it as soon as baby had fed and you'll be fine!!  

JanaVT9183

I've been drinking a dark beer just about every night since I got home from the hospital to help with supply.  I always pump at night between 9 and 10, then I drink the beer right afterward.  Since my boy sleeps really well, it's usually at least 4-6 hours before he needs to be fed, so my milk is fine by then to nurse him.  If something were to happen and he was hungry before two hours of me finishing my beer, I would give him pumped milk.  There have been evenings that I have had three beers, and when that happens, Luke gets pumped milk from the refrigerator until the next morning. 

mimzyk

Does the dark beer help your supply?  Think I might get some tomorrow, sounds yummy!

gullterre

Thanks for all of the great replies and links ladies....I have been craving more than a beer for awhile now

amethyst1220

Oh I could really use a glass of wine!

RayRay007

I just learned that it is the barley in beer that helps supply, so non-alcoholic beer would do the same. Not saying don't drink alcohol, just sharing something I learned. I am pretty laid back about bfing and alcohol, so take this for what you want, but if I have a two or three beer within a couple hours, and am still good to drive, I think I am still good to bf. If I got drunk though, I would plan ahead and pump a bottle in case LO wanted to eat in the few hours after I was done drinking (and maybe another one so DH could feed her in the am when I'm hungover and don't want to get out of bed). The only reason to pump and dump is to help relieve engorgement (and maybe so you don't miss a feeding and help keep up supply). If you don't feel engorged, you don't need to dump bm, the alcohol will clear in a matter of time.

MandusMaximus

I drink a glass of wine or a beer a day Guinness did wonders for my supply and one a day is harmless.

My European relatives drink beer like fish even when they are bf'ing and their kids are smart, successful, healthy and have no behavioral problems. I'm still not going to drink as much as they do though :X