My question is breast feeding and alcohol

[Deleted]

Usually I wait for Veronika to ask but she's taking too long to get to this one

if you breast fed what was your comfort level with drinking? Im thinking a beer or two or glass of wine. Did you pump and dump after one drink or drink right after a feeding or something else?

Baby is 7 weeks and I forgot to ask my doctor. But it getting hot so I'm starting to think a drink would be nice again. 

[bex1973]

One drink isn't a big deal IMO. They do sell test strips if you are super worried.

[ijack]

my rule was that if I even slightly felt the effects of the alcohol I would dumb. With a new baby, that was about one drink every couple of hours.

[underwaterrhymes]

An adult beverage followed by breastfeeding is fine. General rule of thumb is if you're okay to drive you can breastfeed. Or if there are two hours between your drink and breastfeeding if that makes you feel more comfortable.

Usually I'll pump a bottle ahead of time if I'm going to have more than one and feed that to him when it's time to eat.

ETA - I took an 8-week new mothers class where this was specifically brought up. (Up, maybe by me?) The instructor said pumping and dumping (unless you had enough to feel buzzed / intoxicated) wasn't necessary and that new moms should do what they can to feel normal. If a glass of wine or two on the weekend is normal for them, they should do it.

[mala]

Those test strips are notoriously inaccurate.

Ok to drive =ok to nurse.

[Deleted]

I limited to one drink every so often (not even every week). It's what I was comfortable with.

[eddy]

Two drinks with food was my comfort level.

I only drank beer or wine.

[lolly]

I usually have a glass of wine maybe twice a week, after babies have gone to bed so I generally have at least 4 hours before I might nurse again.

I didn't start drinking again until they were about 5 months old, mainly because I was so tired even a sip would have knocked me right out.

[copperboom]

DO NOT PUMP AND DUMP!!! Alcohol will leave your breast milk at the same rate it leaves your bloodstream. If you have a drink right after nursing, you should be fine for the next nursing session. If you feel drunk/buzzed, wait to nurse, but don't pump and dump. Wait for the alcohol to leave your system, and then you can either nurse or pump and stash.

[KKD]

I limit myself to a glass of wine between nursing sessions, preferably right after nursing, and probably no more than two glasses of wine in a single evening. I rarely drink at home, especially not while nursing, so that is really only for special occasions like birthday or holiday parties or weddings.

[new2this]

Jul 1, 2013 15:32:18 GMT -5 copperboom said:

DO NOT PUMP AND DUMP!!! Alcohol will leave your breast milk at the same rate it leaves your bloodstream. If you have a drink right after nursing, you should be fine for the next nursing session. If you feel drunk/buzzed, wait to nurse, but don't pump and dump. Wait for the alcohol to leave your system, and then you can either nurse or pump and stash.

This is what I've always heard as well. I was also told this by my LC and OB. I don't normally have more than one (or even finish my one... lol) but I'd go with your own comfort level. If I felt intoxicated I would wait to feed.

[lilybug]

I was comfortable with one drink, maybe two if I knew it would be a while before I nursed again. I never pumped and dumped.

[Deleted]

Jul 1, 2013 15:30:52 GMT -5 @theycalledherkate said:

You'd have been waiting a long time because I don't drink

and yes, I am totally the resident BF over-asker, LOL!

Good thing I gave up on you!

(actually my reaction is always 'ooh, good question!" So keep over asking!)


i think my bender days are over. A bender and up and down with a baby does not sound like a good time. Glad the answers are lining up with my hopes

[daisybuchannan]

I'll have 2 and nurse. Now that he STTN consistently, I know I can drink after the last feeding (7pm) and not have to worry about feeding him for at least 10 hrs, so I can happily drink again

[Deleted]

I never pumped and dumped. Unless you are outright drunk (in which case you shouldn't be holding your baby anyway) you are fine to breastfeed. The "rules" that people come up with for themselves (only one drink, blah blah) aren't based on fact in most cases.