Alcohol and breastfeeding

allyb918 · May 2015

so last night I drank for the first time since having my daughter. I drank a six pack of Smirnoff ice. We started drinking around 11 last night and stopped around 2 a.m. Well I just pumped (it's about 6:30 p.m.) and tested my milk with those home milk screen test strips and it came up negative for alcohol. I'm wondering if it's okay to feed my daughter this milk because 1.) it's been less than 24 hours since I drank and everything I've read says to wait at minimum 24 hours and 2.) I tested my milk earlier today when I pumped at around noon and it came out negative for alcohol too. I threw out that milk though just because I was uncomfortable giving it to her even though the strips said it'd be fine.

bean8213 · May 2015

If it's out of your system, it's out of your milk. You can definitely use that milk that you got this evening.

I follow if it's safe to drive, it's safe to nurse.

nicolebishop91 · May 2015

A lactation consultant told me two hours after your last drink.

bijou1983 · May 2015

https://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/12/breast_feeding_and_alcohol_it_s_fine_to_drink_while_nursing.html

Thought that was an interesting article on the subject. Evidently, your blood alcohol level at any point is the same as your breast milk's %ABV. So, even if you did nurse when legally drunk (.08%) your breast milk has less alcohol in it than in most fruit juice. NOT that I'm recommending drinking to that extent while caring for a baby under any circumstances. I'm just paraphrasing the finer points of the above article.

All in all, I think you're okay after 24 hours.

soofttie · May 2015

I'd give it to her. Also I drink 1 beer or 1 glass of wine every 2 hours and feed on demand. No pump and dump! Ask your LC if your scared though!

Mommabroad · May 2015

Spent yesterday reading up about this... still pregnant and overdue and craving that vino, and my mother drops a comment yesterday about how "you know you still can't drink when you're breastfeeding" UGH I hate comments like that from people who haven't done the research. At any rate spent the next few hours reading up about because I was curious and it definitely seems safe to breastfeed after drinking, however for super safety, to not BF for the one to two hours after the drink when your BAC peaks. However, no need to pump and dump, the alcohol disappears from your milk the way it does from your blood when you aren't under the affects. I really liked the article posted above, very interesting. And I learned that drinking a beer can help milk production so win.

danibii · May 2015

@Mommabroad also overdue and looking at that vino - think a glass of it will encourage labor?

cpage2211 · May 2015

daniellesiegel said:
@Mommabroad also overdue and looking at that vino - think a glass of it will encourage labor?

I was told by someone that they did just this and had a glass and then hours later they were in labor

allyb918 · May 2015

Thank you guys that was all super helpful! I feel so much better about it now

toddabunny · May 2015

My nesting kicked in and I cleaned the bar ready, just need to do the house, oh I'm so ready to have a drink :-)

Mommabroad · May 2015

cpage2211 said:

daniellesiegel said:
@Mommabroad also overdue and looking at that vino - think a glass of it will encourage labor?
I was told by someone that they did just this and had a glass and then hours later they were in labor

Sounds more appealing than castor oil!! Hahahha....

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