Alcohol and Breastfeeding: Potential Health Risks

 

 

Breastfeeding is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization as the optimal way to feed your baby. In order to provide infants and toddlers with the best nutrition available, it should be considered the first choice for feeding. However, you may be wondering if it is okay to have a few drinks while breastfeeding and if there are potential health risks in combining alcohol and nursing.

Is it harmful to have one or two drinks while breastfeeding?

Doctors and lactation consultants have different opinions on the acceptability of light drinking while breastfeeding. Since alcohol does pass through breastmilk to the baby, some argue that even a tiny amount being transferred to an infant is too much.

Remember, though, that if you drink a glass of wine, the amount of alcohol in that glass doesn't go directly to the baby. It's not like your baby is drinking a whole glass of wine because you are. In fact, experts state that less that two percent of the alcohol consumed by the woman actually goes into the breastmilk, so one drink occasionally while breastfeeding should not harm a baby.

What are the effects of heavy or regular drinking on a breastfed baby?

You should be aware that there are significant risks to heavy - or even light but regular - drinking while breastfeeding. In recent studies, babies' sleep patterns were disrupted after exposure to even small amounts of alcohol in breastmilk, and mothers who drank lightly (one or two drinks), but regularly (every day) had babies who slept less than infants not exposed to alcohol. Another study shows that babies regularly exposed to alcohol through breastmilk gain weight more slowly than babies not exposed to it. There is evidence, too, that gross motor development can be slower in babies with daily exposure to alcohol. Heavy drinking can have even more serious effects on a breastfed baby, potentially causing weakness, lethargy and depression of the nervous system.

How long after drinking alcohol is it "safe" to breastfeed?

Some experts use the rule of thumb that if you are sober enough to drive, then it's safe for you to breastfeed. Approximately one half hour to one hour after consuming an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol peaks in a woman's blood and in her milk. It's good to know that alcohol is metabolized in breastmilk similarly to how it is metabolized in the blood: It is not stored or accumulated, and when your blood alcohol level is down to normal, so is your breastmilk. So if you're worried that you drank too much to breastfeed, waiting a bit before nursing is all it takes for your milk to return to normal again.

Should alcoholics breastfeed their babies?

Most doctors and even lactation consultants would agree that a woman who is regularly consuming large quantities of alcohol should not breastfeed. Although breastmilk is the best food for a baby, the risks to the baby's health and development with regular exposure to alcohol are too high. If you are an alcoholic, you should be aware of risks other than alcohol exposure through breastmilk, however. For example, your ability to properly care for your baby may be compromised if you are under the influence of alcohol. Consult your doctor about the best way to stop drinking for your and your baby's safety.

A drink here or there while breastfeeding is considered acceptable and unlikely to harm your baby. In fact, some experts suggest that telling breastfeeding women to never consume alcohol is placing an undue and unnecessary restriction on them. However, heavy or regular drinking is considered unsafe. You no doubt want the best for your baby, so avoid putting your baby - or yourself - in danger by drinking excessively while breastfeeding.