Breast Feeding and Alcohol

Health care providers offer a wide range of opinions concerning the consumption of alcohol by mothers who breast feed their babies. Some experts suggest that breast feeding mothers can drink moderately, while others say that mother's should wait until infants are completely weened before drinking alcohol. Experts agree that frequent alcohol use has a negative affect on the health of the breast feeding infant: alcohol can cause impaired motor development, slow weight gain, changes in sleep patterns, and the depletion of milk production. Only a fraction of the alcohol that the mother consumes is passed on to the infant, however, infants detoxify alcohol at half the rate of adults.

How Often is it Safe to Drink Alcohol?

Much of the controversy concerning breast feeding and alcohol is based on how often the mother should drink, and more specifically, how soon she can resume breast feeding after consuming alcohol. The majority of research material states that mothers can safely ingest 1-2 drinks per night in 1 week without having a negative affect on the nursing infant, granted that she takes careful precautions to avoid exposing her child to high levels of alcohol within her body.

How Soon Can a Mother Breast Feed after Consuming Alcohol?

What is more important than the amount of alcohol a mother consumes is the amount of alcohol in her blood when she breast feeds. In general, mothers can breast feed anywhere from 5-9 hours after consuming alcohol. This time frame varies greatly based on the percentage of alcohol in the drink, how fast the mother drinks, the mother's weight and the speed that she metabolizes the alcohol. Each factor effects the time at which the alcohol has completely left her blood stream. Contact a lactation consultant who can help you determine what wait-time is best for you.