Guidelines for drinking alcohol when breastfeeding


Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2 drinks) is not
harmful to the nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics
Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a "Maternal
Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding."

Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week.
It is recommended that nursing moms avoid breastfeeding during and for
2-3 hours after drinking (Hale 2002).
There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than
for mom's comfort -- pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of
alcohol from the milk.

Alcohol does not increase milk production, and has been shown to inhibit
let-down and decrease milk production (see below).

In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to
breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches
her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom's blood and milk approximately
1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from
person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same
time period, mom's body weight and percentage of body fat, etc.).
Alcohol does not accumulate in breastmilk, but leaves the milk as it
leaves the blood; so when your blood alcohol levels are back down, so
are your milk alcohol levels.

Always keep in mind the baby's age when considering the effect of
alcohol. A newborn has a very immature liver, so minute amounts of
alcohol would be more of a burden. Up until around 3 months of age,
infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older
baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly.