Did you drink while breastfeeding?

[Jalapeñomel]

There is so much conflicting information out on the web, and I'm not sure what to believe.

I have heard that if you can drive, then you can feed. Or that one glass a day is ok.

So what did you do?

[Deleted]

Yes. I didn't avoid nursing unless I felt tipsy.

Actually, a dark beer after the baby went down for the evening helped my supply.

[eddy]

Yes

I did the if you can drive you nurse thing.

I was probably more liberal with it than most. I know other people are pretty strict about not drinking and nursing. I kept it in control but I never hesitated to have a drink (or two with a meal) and then nurse either boy.

[Deleted]

I would have a glass. It messed with my supply though.

[Muddled]

If I had a great bottle of wine sitting on my table, I'd have to.

[poppyseed]

Yes. I would always stop before I felt tipsy, but if I did get tipsy or drunk, I just wouldn't nurse (I had a freezer stash), just pump and dump.

[cookie510]

Yes, I would have a glass of wine and nurse. Sometimes at night I would have a glass while nursing (FLAMEFUL?)

If I ever felt actually buzzed I would give a bottle.

[tigress]

Yes. As long as I wasn't drunk I nursed. I didn't drink often though.

[hopecounts]

I followed my LCs guideline of if you have 2 hrs before the next feed and have 1 drink you're fine as the alcohol should be out of your system and BM in that time as it processes out similarly to the way it exits the blood.

[margotmacomber]

Yes.  I just pumped and dumped if I felt tipsy, as others have mentioned.  

[Deleted]

Nov 8, 2013 9:14:59 GMT -5 eddy said:

Yes

I did the if you can drive you nurse thing.

I was probably more liberal with it than most. I know other people are pretty strict about not drinking and nursing. I kept it in control but I never hesitated to have a drink (or two with a meal) and then nurse either boy.

Same. And I didn't pump and dump. If I was too buzzed to nurse I would just wait it out. Alcohol metabolizes out of milk the same way as blood and I didn't have engorgement issues ever so I just did a bottle instead and waited. 

The first 6 months of having an infant are hard enough. I can't imagine how hard it would have been without drinking, lol.

[EmilieMadison]

Yes. 
Alcohol in breastmilk is like alcohol in your blood- it enters at the same rate and it leaves at the same rate. 
Keep in mind that you'd have to have consumed QUITE a bit (like...you'd be legally drunk plus some) for there to be enough in your milk to actually make any sort of difference in terms of affecting the baby anyway. 

But for peace of mind, it's fine. If you're not buzzed, then neither is your breast milk. 

[Deleted]

Yes.

I also tried to drink WHILE breast feeding (like, in the act) because then I was giving the max time between the alcohol hitting my system and get nursing again.

I'm that serious about my drinking.

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 8, 2013 9:16:23 GMT -5 Muddled said:

If I had a great bottle of wine sitting on my table, I'd have to.

You know this is why I am asking!

[livinitup]

Yes, it was lovely to have some wine after so many months pregnant.

[nsuhomer]

Yes. I have an experiment that I scientist mom did for her blog somewhere. I can search for it if there is interest. She asically sent her milk into the lab after one shot an hour, two shots in an hour,three shots in an hour, etc. The alcohol was so diluted in the milk that the three shots was the equivalent of something like a shot of rum in 100 liters of coke.

That being said, I didn't drink ard liquor with my first two, nor do I plan on it this time around. I'm totally cool with a glass of wine though.

[eddy]

Nov 8, 2013 9:24:52 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

Nov 8, 2013 9:14:59 GMT -5 eddy said:

Yes

I did the if you can drive you nurse thing.

I was probably more liberal with it than most. I know other people are pretty strict about not drinking and nursing. I kept it in control but I never hesitated to have a drink (or two with a meal) and then nurse either boy.

Same. And I didn't pump and dump. If I was too buzzed to nurse I would just wait it out. Alcohol metabolizes out of milk the same way as blood and I didn't have engorgement issues ever so I just did a bottle instead and waited. 

The first 6 months of having an infant are hard enough. I can't imagine how hard it would have been without drinking, lol.

Right?!?

And I already had to abstain, sort of,  for 9 months. A woman has needs!

[saucyc]

I never drank often but when I did I followed the 2 hour rule, it takes 2 hours for a 5 ounce glass of wine or a beer to be completely out of your system.

[eddy]

Oh yeah I never dumped. If I had more than a couple drinks it was at the point that the boys were sleeping good chunks of time at night so I waited until they went to bed to get crunk.

[Deleted]

Yes. Hell, I had horrible insomnia last night and am thinking of having a drink right now.



Just kidding pearl clutchers.

[copperboom]

Yes I did. And just a note, there is absolutely no need to pump and dump unless you are feeling uncomfortable and need to pump to relieve yourself. Just wait until you are no longer tipsy, and then you can nurse or pump and stash.

[JayhawkGirl]

I didn't every night, but I would have a glass of wine without worry. The best DS would ever sleep was if I had a margarita!

[mnirishgirl]

Nov 8, 2013 9:15:03 GMT -5 @bettyhomewrecker33 said:

I would have a glass. It messed with my supply though.

I'm currently breastfeeding and have found the same thing.  I'll have a glass of wine either while I'm pumping or right after feeding/pumping.  I think I read basically it takes about an hour per drink to clear your system.  It does reduce my supply though so I try to drink only when I really want it (like a good bottle of wine or fun occasion). 

[papie]

Yes I would have never made it two years otherwise. I wouldn't get tipsy, just a drink or two. Once they started STTN I would have a bit more and send DH in if they woke up to buy myself a few extra hours.

[papie]

Nov 8, 2013 9:42:49 GMT -5 mnirishgirl said:

Nov 8, 2013 9:15:03 GMT -5 @bettyhomewrecker33 said:

I would have a glass. It messed with my supply though.

I'm currently breastfeeding and have found the same thing.  I'll have a glass of wine either while I'm pumping or right after feeding/pumping.  I think I read basically it takes about an hour per drink to clear your system.  It does reduce my supply though so I try to drink only when I really want it (like a good bottle of wine or fun occasion). 

I was given a chart that said 2 hours per drink for a 150 lbs woman.

[SKP82]

My LC said if your head isn't buzzed, neither is your milk, so I follow that rule. I've had a glass of wine or two almost every night. I missed my wine!

[mnirishgirl]

Nov 8, 2013 9:46:29 GMT -5 papie said:

Nov 8, 2013 9:42:49 GMT -5 mnirishgirl said:

I'm currently breastfeeding and have found the same thing.  I'll have a glass of wine either while I'm pumping or right after feeding/pumping.  I think I read basically it takes about an hour per drink to clear your system.  It does reduce my supply though so I try to drink only when I really want it (like a good bottle of wine or fun occasion). 

I was given a chart that said 2 hours per drink for a 150 lbs woman.

Good to know.  For me it's almost always after my last feeding/pumping for the night so it's realistically more like 6 hours for me before he eats again, but I'll keep this in mind with the holidays (and drink opportunities) coming up.  Thanks!

[papie]

Nov 8, 2013 9:50:18 GMT -5 aeg511 said:

Nov 8, 2013 9:26:16 GMT -5 @lazerus24 said:

Yes.

I also tried to drink WHILE breast feeding (like, in the act) because then I was giving the max time between the alcohol hitting my system and get nursing again.

I'm that serious about my drinking.

Yes, fortunately no one took pictures of me with a baby on my boob with a beer in my hand. Because that happened often.
I didn't ever get drunk or even buzzed enough to pump and dump.

I did that all the time too! Replace beer with glass of red wine.

[papie]

Nov 8, 2013 9:52:32 GMT -5 aeg511 said:

Nov 8, 2013 9:36:16 GMT -5 cville said:

Yes. Hell, I had horrible insomnia last night and am thinking of having a drink right now.



Just kidding pearl clutchers.

I would not judge this at all! Have a Bloody Mary, or some Baileys in your coffee
Although the coffee might ruin your baby. Sorry

Pffft the alcohol cancels the coffee. Winning combo!

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 8, 2013 9:47:25 GMT -5 nursecramer said:

Yes. After nine months sober, I was ready for a drink or five. Are you pumping? I never had any trouble pumping or getting M to take a bottle, so he got pumped milk whenever I had more than a beer with dinner.

I pumped for two weeks, and now I am just breastfeeding. Although last night we did give him just one ounce via a bottle. DH would love to be able to do one feeding a day, so I think I am going to start pumping again here soon (probably only once a day for now).