Does alcohol pass into breast milk? Can I drink alcoholic beverages while breastfeeding?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

A woman spends 9 months during her pregnancy cleansing her body and giving up hard liquor, and now that the baby is born, the question is whether alcohol and breastfeeding can be mixed. So much conflicting information! No wonder mothers are embarrassed when offered a glass of wine.

How much alcohol goes into milk?

A number of factors affect the quantity, including:

• drink strength;
• food (fatty or lean food);
• weight of nursing mother;
• how fast you drink.

Probably every breastfeeding mother asked herself the following questions: does alcohol get into breast milk, what percentage of alcohol gets into breast milk. Only 2% of alcohol passes into milk, according to other sources - 10%. It was found that after a glass of wine for half an hourthe volume in the blood is 0.59%. Experts generally recommend that breastfeeding moms drink no more than 1-2 glasses of wine (1-2 beers) per week.

Having at least one drink every day has been linked in studies to slower weight gain and slower development in breastfed babies. If you decide to breastfeed, what you eat and drink has an impact on the baby as everything is processed into breast milk. This is why so many questions often arise when it comes to drinking alcohol.

Can a breastfeeding mother drink alcohol?

Some researchers argue that alcohol has a negative effect, others argue that a small amount will have a minimal effect on the child. After weighing the pros and cons, you can make the final decision that makes you feel most comfortable.

Beer and lactation, is there a connection?

You may have heard that beer increases lactation. This is because the yeast used to make this drink is believed to stimulate prolactin, a hormone that helps produce more milk. Before you go out and buy a beer, it's important to note that there are no studies to back up the information. The only thing that has been proven to be the best way to produce more milk is to empty the breasts. Think about it. When the baby is hungry and takes all the milk, your body knows to do more. There are some tricks forincreasing its quantity. Both breasts should be offered during feedings.

Does alcohol pass into breast milk?

There is an opinion that if you express milk after drinking alcohol, the child will not be exposed to alcohol. But instead of wasting milk, some doctors advise just waiting. Alcohol passes into milk in 30-60 minutes. As soon as you stop drinking, the level will gradually decrease. How much alcohol passes into breast milk? According to studies, 10% of what enters the bloodstream.

How long does alcohol stay in breast milk?

It depends on how much the breastfeeding woman weighs and how much alcohol she has consumed. The answer to the question of whether alcohol passes into breast milk at the next feeding will be individual for each woman. For example, a girl weighing 70 kg needs about 2-3 hours to remove one beer or one glass of wine from the body.

Alcohol Precautions

If you know your baby needs to be breastfed after alcohol when you get home, then you should plan the timing. You must also consider age. Feeding a newborn with breast milk - every 2 hours. This means that if the child is hungry, there will be no such luxury as waiting for the alcohol to be eliminated from the body.

The time it takes alcohol to disappear from the body depends on the amount drunk. A glass of wine requires at least 3 hours. In newborns, alcohol is eliminated from the body in2 times longer than in adults. So, a glass of wine will be displayed for more than 6 hours.

Wine while breastfeeding: is it okay?

Will alcohol get into breast milk when drinking a grape drink? The best advice is to avoid wine with breastfeeding shortly before feeding. Mother's milk is cleared of alcohol at a rate of about one unit (8 g) every two hours. So try to avoid drinking strong drinks before breastfeeding or express if you know you will.

Wine with breastfeeding, especially in the amount of several glasses, is slowly excreted from the body. Red can be diagnosed in the bloodstream after 30 minutes, and champagne is even faster - 10 minutes. Only 10% of the alcohol that enters the blood of a nursing mother passes into breast milk.

How long does alcohol stay in the body while breastfeeding?

Usually 24 hours it will stay in the body. Sometimes up to 72 hours, depending on the amount drunk.

Interesting facts

Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding will primarily cause the milk to flow more slowly, thereby reducing the amount the baby consumes.

The quality of your baby's sleep may be affected.

To avoid harming your baby, wait 2 hours or more before feeding to limit the amount of alcohol in your milk and minimize any adverse effects. Thus, ifyou must drink alcohol, limit your intake as much as possible before breastfeeding your newborn.

Alcohol reduces the amount of milk. As a result, the amount of milk consumed by the baby is reduced by 20%.

The flavor of milk can be changed by alcohol.

The amount of alcohol at which the consequences will be the least noticeable - 1 bottle of beer, 125 ml of wine or 30 ml of liquor.

Drinking alcohol also shortens the baby's sleep cycle. Children fall asleep faster after feedings and wake up earlier than those who did not consume milk containing alcohol.

Non-alcoholic beer and breastfeeding

Can a nursing mother drink non-alcoholic beer? It cannot be argued that this is a completely harmless product, but if there is a choice between regular beer and non-alcoholic, it is better to choose the second option. From one bottle, drunk once a week immediately after feeding, no harm will be done to anyone. On the other hand, when asking if a nursing mother can drink non-alcoholic beer, it is worth remembering that yeast, which is also included in its composition, causes increased gas formation, bloating and colic.

The negative impact of alcohol on a fragile children's body

If a mother consumes alcohol while breastfeeding, the baby may experience weakness, drowsiness, lethargy and abnormal weight gain. The he alth and well-being of the child should also be considered when deciding whether to drink.

Can I breastfeed after drinking alcohol? Most pediatricians recommendthat mothers avoid breastfeeding their babies 2-3 hours after drinking strong drinks. There is no single decision on the extent to which children are exposed to alcohol. Some studies show a negative effect on the child's nervous system, brain development, and indicate a delay in the development of motor activity.

But as long as Mom remembers moderation, alcohol is not a problem.

The most common myths

Does alcohol pass into breast milk? The statement that alcohol does not pass into milk is incorrect. There is no magic filter in the breasts to block alcohol.

The claim that moderate drinking is safe is mostly wrong. Drinking in moderation is definitely safer than drinking heavily on a regular basis. But there is no amount that is guaranteed not to have short-term or long-term effects on a child's he alth. There is no safe way to combine breastfeeding and alcohol. All of this suggests that one or two shakes per week are safer than one or two per day. The Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfeeding mothers avoid alcohol. Drugs and alcohol while breastfeeding “…may affect the composition of breast milk and be harmful to the baby….”

That alcohol increases milk production is basically wrong. It is believed that some alcoholic beverages, beer, wine in particular, can improve milk production. In fact, this has not been officially confirmed by any research.physiological processes in the body, there is no one that works best when the level of alcohol in the blood increases. This belief can be explained either by the fact that the total fluid intake is increased, which always contributes to the production of milk. Or the fact that a woman can relax better under the influence of alcohol, and this is always good for milk production. However, there are safer ways to increase lactation, both traditional and non-traditional. The only thing supported by research is that alcohol slows down milk production. This leads to baby fussiness at the breast, malnutrition, dehydration and weight loss, since breast milk is the only food and drink for babies. These babies want to stay longer on the breast, which can also cause sore and cracked nipples.

The claim that alcohol in breast milk improves baby's sleep is mostly wrong. Some babies will sleep better under the influence of alcohol in their mother's milk, just like adults. Some become restless and cannot sleep for long periods. This is especially true if the mother's milk production stops and the baby often wakes up hungry. If you feel like drinking, do so immediately after a feed to give enough time for the alcohol to leave your body and clear your milk before your next feed. This, of course, depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, but usually it should be an interval of 2-3 hours between feedings. If your child gets hungry during this time, add pre-expressedmilk. If your breasts become very full and start to hurt, express your milk. This is the best way to minimize your child's exposure to alcohol.

Important: Be aware that some medicines contain alcohol. Tell your doctor that you are breastfeeding and ask for medications that are compatible with breastfeeding.

There are many ways to show your love and devotion to children and win their trust. Breastfeeding is the most natural. When it comes to drinking hard liquor, the choice is ultimately yours. If concerns about the baby outweigh the urge to drink, then it might be best to wait until you've finished breastfeeding.