The harmful effects of alcohol are well known during pregnancy. Too much alcohol can be harmful in all the way and in breastfeeding also. Everything you eat while breastfeeding will eventually find his way to breast milk including alcohol.
Completely avoiding alcohol during breastfeeding is the safest option for both mother and baby. A drink a day is unlikely to harm your baby especially if you wait at least 2 hours after having a drink before feeding.
Currently research suggest that occasional use of 1 or 2 drink will not cause any harm to baby and many of the expert suggest not to drink more then 1-2 drinks per week.
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Facts about alcohol while breastfeeding
Here are some of the facts about alcohol while breastfeeding.
- A research show that the amount of alcohol enters in baby’s bloodstream via breast milk is only about 5 to 6% of the amount of alcohol in the mother’s bloodstream.
- Alcohol passes quickly from mother’s bloodstream into breast milk. So at any given time, the concentration of alcohol in breast milk is similar to the concentration of alcohol in mother’s bloodstream.
- The alcohol level peeks in body around 30 to 60 minutes after having a drink so it is generally safe to feed your baby after 2 hours of having a drink. But remember, this is just for 1 drink, the more you drink, the more time it will take to clear out from your system. For example, alcohol from 1 drink can be detected in breast milk for 2 to 3 hours, for 2 drinks it can be detected in breast milk for about 4 to 5 hours and so on.
- As the level of alcohol will clear out from your blood, it will clear out from your breast milk too
- Excessive consumption of alcohol can interfere with your milk supply also and can cause low milk supply.
- The effect of alcohol on breastfeeding baby directly depends on the amount of alcohol which the mother consumes.
Effects of alcohol on breastfeeding baby and mother
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If you are having more then 1 or 2 drink of alcohol per day, it can affect you and your baby both in negative way. Here are some of the effects on both mother and baby are:
- Alcohol can affect your milk supply and can cause low milk supply.
- Daily consumption of more than one drink can cause some development delay in newborn babies.
- Alcohol while breastfeeding can cause poor weight gain in babies.
- It can also lead to disturbed sleep pattern.
- It can cause motor skills delay.
- Alcohol can impact on cognitive score of children later on their life.
- There is no solid scientific evidence on the effects of alcohol while breastfeeding doesn’t mean that having a drink daily will not cause any harmful effects. So it is always best to avoid completely for some time.
- Babies who are exposed to alcohol via breast milk are fussier and cry more than babies who are not exposed.
- The metabolism of newborn baby is not so good and their liver is immature. So, try to avoid drinking alcohol at least till your baby is 3 month old.
FAQs on breastfeeding and alcohol
1. When can I breastfeed after drinking alcohol?
The amount of alcohol is higher after about 30 to 60 minutes of having a drink. Alcohol from one drink can be detected in breast milk for about 2 to 3 hours after consuming it. The more you drink, the more time it will take to clear out from your breast milk. The levels of alcohol in breast milk are same as the level of alcohol in blood.
Typically it is safe to feed your baby 2 hours after consuming 1 drink of alcohol. If your baby needs to be feed before two hours, try to use your previously expressed milk to feed your baby at that time.
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2. How much alcohol actually gets in breast milk?
Everything you eat or drink will make their way to breast milk and the same is true for alcohol also. Alcohol can pass in breast milk and to your baby whether you have one drink or more. The level of alcohol is same in the breast milk as the level of alcohol in a mother’s blood. Generally, the amount of alcohol in breast milk is estimated to be 5% to 6% of weight-adjusted maternal dose. Alcohol peeks in breast milk after 30 to 60 minutes of having a drink. It is generally considered safe to breastfeed after 2 to 3 hours of drinking alcohol.
3. Does alcohol in breast milk make baby sleepy?
The alcohol is like a depressant for nervous system which has a sedative effects that helps you to feel relax and makes you sleepy but the sleep is of a much lower quality than the sleep you get without drinking alcohol. The same applies for infant or newborn babies also. Studies show that when a mother breast feed baby after having alcohol makes baby drowsy and fall asleep more quickly but they also sleep for a shorter amount of time. And babies also slept for 25% less time after exposure to a small amount of alcohol via breast milk.
4. Do you have to pump and dump after drinking?
If you are a mother who thinks pumping and dumping milk will decrease alcohol levels in breast milk and it will help then you are wrong. The level of alcohol in breast milk is same as the level of alcohol in blood. If the level of alcohol is high in blood, eventually it will go in breast milk.
As long as the alcohol is there in blood, it will go in breast milk also. Alcohol levels go up and down in your breast milk according to how much alcohol is present in blood. As alcohol levels will go down in blood, it will go down in milk also.
The only reason to pump and dump is for your mental peace and to empty your breast if you are feeling full as you can’t breastfeed your baby right now.
5. How is a standard drink defined?
In the UK, the NHS suggests using this unit calculator: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/interactive-tools/unit-calculator.
According to NHS one “standard” drink (or one alcoholic drink equivalent) contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in:
- 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol
- 5 ounces of wine, which is typically about 12% alcohol
- 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which is about 40% alcohol
