Breast feeding and alcohol

I’ve been exclusively pumping for 6 months and have not consumed alcohol. I highly do not recommend drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. If you do, I’ve heard to at least dump the milk over the next 24 hours. It does depend on how much you drink. You could always drink sparkling water or something besides alcohol 😊

Uk NHS advice is it’s fine as long as your not wasted. US advice seems to be absolutely not 😂 although I think the official advice is that it’s fine.

Some advice is 2-3 hours per drink, as breastmilk and blood alcohol level are the same. I pump and dump when drinking

Drank multiple times since having my son.. My HV also told me in order for my milk to have any actual effect on my son, I’d essentially have to drink myself dead 😂 TLDR: enjoy a few, don’t get paralytic x

I did the one drink per 2-3 hours which starts after you’ve finished your drink tbh it’s so not worth it I rather just have the clean milk for LO. The dehydration it gives and I couldn’t even really relax cause I just kept thinking about my milk 😂 but everyone is different. Maybe get some alcohol test strips so you don’t have to dump

Whatever you choose (I personally chose to feed as long as I didn’t feel properly drunk), please don’t pump and dump your milk for 24h that’s a huge waste for no purpose at all x

I think that ultimately, whatever you're comfortable with is fine, as long as you're not schwasted. Do remember that whatever tolerance you may have had previously is probably extremely diminished after many months with little to no alcohol, so take it slow or you might find that you're feeling a lot looser than you intended! The first time I had a couple of drinks, I did discard the first round of milk I pumped afterward. But my pediatrician and home visit nurse both subsequently assured me that it's totally fine to feed my LO even if I've had a couple of drinks - they said that the amount of alcohol that makes it to the baby is extremely minimal, and that any alcohol in your milk (while in your body) decreases as your blood alcohol decreases, so if your BAC is back to 0, then so is your milk. With that in mind, I probably won't be dumping milk in the future unless I was in legit party mode. But there's no reason not to be cautious if that's what feels right to you!

I will have two now and again and still feed. My HV said it's more about not being so drunk that it's unsafe for you to hold and parent baby. Also if co-sleeping then not to do this at all xx

It’s absolutely fine, provided you’re not wasted and in no fit state to look after baby that is of course. This was a good watch - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DC7Deo_RAyC/?igsh=MWEzeGhiNXZtdDZmNg==

I just wait 2 hours if I consumed one glass and 4 hours if I consumed 2 glasses and so on. Generally I’m not drinking more than 2

I had this question too. Google told me pumping and dumping is not proven to be effective. My understanding of it is that your blood alcohol level is the same in your blood as in the milk.. so once you sober up, it should be ok. Google said not to feed within two hours of drinking. Of course I still pumped and dumped and haven't drank since that one time lol. Please note that I'm not an expert and only used Google

just get the breastmilk test strips then u don’t have to guess or pump and dump if the milk is good still

I drink but I'll have one or two and that's it. I'm going out next month for the first time and will probably drive so I'm not tempted! I go by if I'm not feeling any effects. Although I'm quite happy never to get drunk again anyway 😂