Can You Drink While Breastfeeding?

By Author: Eldon Broady
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When it comes to breastfeeding and drinking alcohol, it’s safe to say that the two don’t mix very well.

The official guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conclude that abstaining from drinking alcohol while breastfeeding is the safest option. This might not be the baby advice you were hoping to find, but it’s worth holding off to protect your infant’s health and wellbeing. However, if you choose to drink alcohol, you can do so safely with minimal consumption. If you need baby advice as being a new mom, visit this website.

Generally, a mother can have up to one standard drink per day without it being harmful to the breastfeeding infant. One “standard drink” is defined as:

12 ounces of 5% beer
8 ounces of 7% malt liquor
5 ounces of 12% wine
1.5 ounces of 40% (80 proof) liquor

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Breast Milk?

A general rule of thumb is that the alcohol from one drink can be detected in a mother’s breast ...
... milk for about two to three hours after it is consumed. The more drinks you have, the longer the alcohol will stick around in your milk. So, if you need to nurse your baby in four hours and you plan on drinking before then, you won’t want to have more than two drinks tops (although one would be safer). Any more than that, and you could compromise your baby’s health.

How Does Alcohol Affect A Breastfeeding Baby?

If you have one standard drink a day while breastfeeding, research does not indicate that it will have any harmful effects on your baby. This is especially true if you carefully time your alcohol consumption and make sure you have at least two to three hours before nursing after you have a drink.

On the other hand, if you consume more alcohol than the CDC recommends while you are breastfeeding, you or your baby could experience some of the following negative side effects:

Your milk production is likely to decrease.
Your baby could have trouble sleeping.
Your baby could experience early developmental problems.
Your baby could be at risk of physical harm if you are intoxicated and unable to properly care for him or her.

Where Can I Find More Baby Advice on Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is a challenging endeavor and many first-timers have millions of questions. Fortunately, many apps, forums, and online communities for moms contain tons of great baby advice on breastfeeding and anything else baby-related. These communities are life-saving, but of course, you should always talk with your pediatrician before taking any medical advice from another mom.

Author Resource:

Eldon Broady writes about a social networking app connecting women across fertility and motherhood. You can find his thoughts at mum guide blog. If you need preschool discussion, visit this website.