Alcohol and Ebf-ing

jbdec28 · August 2011

I've had the occasional beer since DD has been born and I'm wondering if anyone knows how much alcohol can get to the baby through breast milk.

Since I EBF I don't want to have too much to drink. I always stop at 1/2 to 1 can of beer because I don't want it to hurt LO. A friend told me if you can "feel" the alcohol than your baby can get it. I've also heard conflicting info from friends about how quickly the baby gets the alcohol in your breast milk. Some have said they get it right away others say it won't get to the milk for a few hours. I'm not sure how they know this...

How long does alcohol stay in the breast milk? Since wine makes me tipsy right away is it worse to drink than beer? It seems like I can finish a bottle of beer without the tipsy affect.

I've noticed some posters on TB talking about having a few drinks, maybe they bottle feed at this time?? Some nights I really wish my LO would take a bottle so I could have a couple glasses of wine....it's been so long. I miss it.

That was a major ramble...send some advice if you have any, or join in on the pity party I'm throwing myself if you can relate

tlxh7 · August 2011

I was told that if I can "feel" that I've been drinking, there's alcohol in my blood stream and breast milk. Typically, I drink only after Lila is down for the night, so I don't have to worry about it. But I only have one (wine cooler or Bacardi malt beverage, or a glass of wine), mostly because I have a very low alcohol tolerance. I've also had part of a beer right after Lila ate (I was sure she wouldn't want to eat for a while, and didn't have enough to feel it).

desdemona39 · August 2011

If you can drive, you can BF. I always nurse and then have a drink right after, so LO won't be eating again soon. I try to wait 1-2hrs after a drink to BF. I also have a glass of wine 1-2x/week after LO goes to bed.

If you're that worried, you can get these strips that test for alcohol in your BM. The alcohol is in your BM as long as it is in your blood.

nugget0411 · August 2011

it does take a full 24 hours to clear your system of all the alcohol but a glass a day is no biggy! again if you can feel it then baby can get the effects.

**one thing to know is that the alcohol does NOT stay in your BM - once you have processed it just like you would through your own body you can BF. you don't have to pump and dump just cause you have a drink.

iamgrace · August 2011

If I have a drink (usually only beer or wine) I wait at least an hour to feed again. I generally go by the rule "if I am good to drive, I am good to feed". I *sometimes* have 2 beers, but it's rare. I have a drink several times a week.

honkytonk_kid · August 2011

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

tokenhoser · August 2011

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

Good advice.

Alcohol comes and goes from your milk as it does from your blood. So it enters as soon as you drink it, peaks after about half an hour, then decreases (unless you keep drinking). One drink is generally fine, more than one depends a lot on how fast you drink them and then how long until you feed LO.

cwhitloc · August 2011

My pedi office suggested drinking beer for lactation. 1/2 pint. i am not going to argue.

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