There is a lot of confusion around whether you can drink alcohol while breastfeeding, or while pumping. To dispel any confusion, the Limerick team have put together this guide to help moms asking "can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?", which is based on recommendations from the CDC and Mayo clinic. While the safest option is to remain teetotal while breastfeeding or pumping, an occasional celebratory drink when following the guidelines below will minimize the amount of alcohol passed through to the baby.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
So, can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?
Although not drinking alcohol is the safest option, moderate alcohol consumption (up to 1 standard drink per day) by a breastfeeding mom is generally considered to be safe, provided the woman waits at least 2 hours after an alcoholic drink before nursing or pumping.
So, the literal answer to "can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?" is "yes", but it"s not recommended. Drinking more than one beverage a day is not recommended by the CDC - exposure to alcohol above moderate levels may be harmful to a baby's development, growth and sleep patterns.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Does alcohol get into breast milk?
Yes, alcohol does enter breast milk via the bloodstream, and usually remains there for around 2-3 hours after the beverage is consumed. However, the more alcohol a mother drinks, the longer it can be detected in breast milk. For example, two alcoholic drinks can be detected in breast milk for around 4-5 hours, and three drinks for 6-8 hours after consumption. However, the amount of alcohol that can be detected in breast milk depends on other factors, such as how much is consumed, how fast it is consumed, the mother's body weight, and how quickly the mother's body breaks down alcohol. Once alcohol enters your bloodstream, your body metabolizes a certain amount of alcohol each hour - the quantity it metabolizes depends on individual characteristics, including liver size, weight, and overall genetic predisposition.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Effects of alcohol on an infant
Consuming up to 1 standard unit of alcohol per day is not known to cause health risks to the infant, particularly if the mother waits two hours before nursing or expressing milk. However, consuming larger amounts of alcohol than this can affect milk let down. Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can cause decreased milk production, leading to shortened breastfeeding duration. Consuming large quantities of alcohol while nursing can also disrupt a baby's early development and sleep patterns.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Will pumping breast milk after drinking alcohol reduce the level of alcohol in my milk?
No, because the alcohol level in breast milk is the same as the level in the bloodstream. The amount of alcohol in breast milk will decrease at essentially the same rate as the blood alcohol level reduces over time. However, if you do choose to express or pump milk within two hours after drinking alcohol, you might want to discard this, to reduce your infant's exposure to alcohol.
"Pumping and dumping" - expressing milk after drinking alcohol, in the hope of discarding the alcohol - will not speed up the process of eliminating alcohol present in your bloodstream (and therefore your breast milk). However, expressing and discarding breast milk after drinking alcohol will maintain your milk supply and avoid engorgement, which can be painful.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Can alcohol be found in my breast milk?
Yes - alcohol can be found in breast milk as long as alcohol remains in the mother's bloodstream. The level of alcohol in breast milk is essentially the same as the level in the bloodstream. Since alcohol is a water-soluble molecule, it passes freely into breast milk. If an infant drinks breast milk which contains alcohol, they also ingest the alcohol. Infants metabolize (i.e., process and eliminate) alcohol at about half the rate of adults.
So, if you do consume a moderate quantity of alcohol, it's wise to avoid breastfeeding or expressing milk until after alcohol has been completely eliminated from your breast milk. The amount of time it takes for the alcohol to clear depends on how much you drank. Typically, it takes 2 hours for 1 unit of alcohol to be eliminated, 4 hours for 2 units, and so on.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
What is a moderate amount of alcohol?
One US standard unit of alcohol is equivalent to 12 ounces of 5% beer, 5 ounces of 11% wine, or 1.5 ounces of 40% liquor. Bear in mind that elimination from the bloodstream will vary depending on the mother's body weight; women at a lower weight may process alcohol more slowly. Whatever your body size, it's a good idea to plan your breastfeeding time or pumping sessions around when you plan to consume alcohol. For example, feed or express milk before you drink alcohol or wait until the alcohol has been completely eliminated from your body.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Is there any research on the effects of alcohol on infants?
Yes. Research suggests that babies who are exposed to one drink per day may have impaired motor development and may experience disruption in their sleep patterns. Studies have also shown that alcohol consumption reduces milk production and that the presence of alcohol in breast milk causes babies to drink around 20% less milk, which is likely due to decreased milk production.
Alcohol has been shown to disrupt the release of oxytocin, the hormone which controls the milk ejection reflex (often called "letdown"). Alcohol in doses of around 8oz (equivalent to a glass of wine or two beers for a 60kg individual) has been shown to reduce oxytocin response to nursing by 18%.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Will alcohol increase milk supply?
No - the inverse is actually true. Although it is sometimes said that alcohol increases milk production, the research shows that the reverse is true. In fact, alcohol inhibits the release of oxytocin, the hormone which drives milk letdown - which in turn reduces milk production. Infants who consume milk containing alcohol have been shown to consume 20% less milk in the immediate hours afterwards, which is likely because of reduced milk production. It isn't related to the infant spending less time suckling or rejecting the flavor of the milk.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
How can alcohol affect a baby's sleeping patterns?
Even small amounts of alcohol in breast milk have been found to disrupt and reduce infant sleep duration. For example, a study showed that infants who consumed milk containing alcohol had more fragmented sleep, and less overall sleep, during the following 3 to 4 hours. However, when observed over 24 hours, babies appeared to compensate by spending more time asleep after that initial period.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Can a baby get drunk from breast milk?
Overall, this is very unlikely. However, because alcohol passes into the breast milk, consuming large amounts of alcohol while breastfeeding can cause drowsiness, deep sleep, and abnormal weight gain in infants.
If you are drunk, you should not breastfeed until you are completely sober. Drinking until you are drunk, or binge drinking, has been shown to affect the way babies sleep. The negative impact on sleep occurs when the baby is exposed to alcohol one hour after a mother consumes a significant amount of alcohol.
Although one drink a day has not been shown to cause harm to babies, it's not advised to drink alcohol excessively while breastfeeding. Depending on how much alcohol you consume before nursing or pumping, your baby may experience a number of effects due to the alcohol in your milk. These effects can include:
- increased crying
- increased startling
- increased REM sleep ("shallow" sleep, when babies wake more easily) in the 24 hours following exposure to alcohol
- decreased milk intake
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
What are the effects of excessive alcohol consumption while breastfeeding?
According to research, your baby may suffer other more severe effects depending on how much you drink. In the longer term, these could include:
- growth retardation
- impaired immune function
- delays in motor development
- impaired cognitive development
- reduced ability for abstract reasoning at school age
This is why it's strongly advised to stay within the CDC recommendations (no more than one drink per day) while breastfeeding.
Questions Moms Ask: "Can you drink alcohol while breastfeeding?"
Can I breastfeed/pump and still drink moderately?
Although one drink per day is not known to affect infants, there are some safety considerations to bear in mind when considering whether to drink alcohol while breastfeeding.
- Newborns cannot metabolize alcohol well; it's a good idea to avoid drinking alcohol until your infant is at least eight weeks old.
- Until around three months of age, infants metabolize alcohol at around half the adult rate.
- Remember that the more you drink, the longer it takes for the alcohol to completely leave your body.
- Eating food while drinking slows the rate at which it enters your bloodstream.
- "Pump and dump" won't get rid of the alcohol in your breast milk - be aware that alcohol will remain in your breast milk as long as there is alcohol in your bloodstream.
- You should not sleep with your baby if you have been drinking alcohol, as your reflexes have been impaired.
