Hellllpppp alcahol breast feeding question!

Aldertontaylor · June 2014

So it was my first night break and grandma took the baby and wanted to relax and have some drinks and it was a last minute thing so I didn't pump any breast milk in advance but I've been supplementing with formula so I decided that wouldn't be a huge change. Now I wanna know how long should you wait after drinking alcohol the night before I stopped drinking at about 18 hours ago I had a mixed drink and about four or five beers, I have pumped twice both breast and I'm still nervous and I wanna start breast feeding again? Anyone have any clues as to when I could probably be safe? Or when the alcohol would be out ? It would really help me out!

Aldertontaylor · June 2014

I just feel like it will hurt her and I'm scared to again now, should have thought about that.

aimee223 said:
I'm sure 18 hours is plenty.

Nikkipal82 · June 2014

https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol/

The above link is helpful. It really put my mind at ease. You can also buy test strips for future use, which will let you know when you can BF.

KBowen715 · June 2014

According to mayo clinic-
5 hours per drink (measured appropriately, not by pour).

And pumping and dumping is dumb- you can't rid alcohol from your body through bodily fluids, you metabolize it out. So it will metabolize out in the necessary time frame.

ho11yday · June 2014

2-3 hours was what I read from LLL and Kellymom. Basically once you feel fine, it should be okay but remember it takes a newborn twice as long as you to metabolize alcohol. But on that note, it does not accumulate in breast milk so no need to pump and dump.

THD7580 · June 2014

Two hours is good enough!

lfleming84 · June 2014

I bought some of the test strips out of curiosity more than anything else. I did a test a few weeks ago with a glass of wine with dinner. One hour later my milk was clear. I just had 2 large glasses of wine tonight and now 2 hours later the strip shows I am clear. I should hope 18 hours for you is more than enough time.

apinkpelican · June 2014

@lfleming84‌ interesting. I think I'll try these out. I only have had one glass at a time but am so paranoid I don't enjoy it as much as I should. I really really want that second glass (or at least a healthy pour on the first one) and it'd be good to have an idea when I'm clear

lfleming84 · June 2014

@KellyQ116‌ absolutely. We all need to be able to enjoy a drink when we want one (or two). I am planning to do a few test runs under different scenarios to get an idea of when I might need to wait some extra time. I also want to do a test when I know it would be too soon to see what the positive result looks like.

KBowen715 · June 2014

Also, my pedi and OB said n

KBowen715 · June 2014

Sorry, cut off-
Pedi and OB (unaffiliated), said one glass a week at most.

I hate them.

dogsombrero · June 2014

My first thought was holy crap how did you stay upright because right now 1 drink gets me tipped. I second buying the test strips I have a box that I got from Target.

Aldertontaylor · June 2014

ljbreck said:
My first thought was holy crap how did you stay upright because right now 1 drink gets me tipped. I second buying the test strips I have a box that I got from Target.

I checked target couldn't find them! See I didn't feel that tipsy either so I must not have drank that much.

leahdipert · June 2014

Walgreens has them too.

Xath · June 2014

Everyone metabolizes alcohol differently; the 2 hour rule is a generalization. I bought the test strips with my first and found that if I have one drink with food, it never even makes it to my breastmilk. Buy a box of strips and learn your tolerances.