You can drink alcohol while breastfeeding. Alcohol while breastfeeding: debunking dangerous myths

A nursing mother, caring for the health of her baby, always carefully monitors what she eats, drinks, and what medications she takes. Sometimes she does this intuitively, and sometimes she relies on the recommendations of doctors. However, there are situations in which even an experienced mother does not know what to do.

One of these issues is alcohol during breastfeeding. The lack of clear information, coupled with common misconceptions, leads to nursing mothers making mistakes. We’ll talk about the effect of alcoholic beverages on breast milk and baby’s health in this article.

From this article you will learn:

No matter how harsh it may sound, but a woman and alcohol - incompatible concepts. Numerous scientific research held in various countries world, have shown that ethyl alcohol, which is part of any strong drink, is a powerful neurotropic poison. In other words, it is a substance that kills nerve cells.

Ethanol is especially dangerous for pregnant women; it easily penetrates the fetus through the placenta, causing defects that are incompatible with life or leading to severe disability. Children born to mothers who abused alcohol while pregnant have a lower level of mental and intellectual development.

These facts should be enough for a woman, no matter what her situation, to definitely say “no” to alcohol.

Breastfeeding and strong drinks

Until now, unfortunately, there have been no large domestic studies on the penetration of alcohol into breast milk and its effect on the baby. The works of foreign scientists are not always freely available and most often are not presented in translation.

Therefore, nursing mothers who strive to find reliable information very often find themselves in difficulty. Adding to the intensity of passions is the widespread method of increasing lactation among the older generation - with the help of “live” beer and the opinion that the baby becomes calm if he is fed with the breast milk of a mother who has allowed herself a couple of glasses of wine.

What effect does alcohol actually have while breastfeeding? Below we will present reliable facts, and each mother will decide for herself what to do.

Alcohol in breast milk: circulation features

It has been scientifically proven that alcohol passes into breast milk, and its concentration in it corresponds to the approximate concentration of ethyl alcohol in the blood. Its maximum content in milk is detected 0.5-1 hour after consumption on an empty stomach and 1-1.5 hours if the strong drink was taken after a meal.

Complete cleansing breast milk comes from traces of alcohol simultaneously with the purification of blood from it, and its speed depends on the woman’s body weight. How more weight If mommy, the faster the alcohol will be eliminated from her blood and breast milk.

For the convenience of calculations, the international scientific community has adopted a system of “drinks”. One drink = 15 ml of pure ethyl alcohol.

The table shows the ratios between the most common alcoholic drinks and 1 drink.

That is, 1 “drink” is equal to 1 shot of vodka, 1 glass of table wine or 1 mug of beer.

Depending on how many servings a woman drinks (number of drinks in 1 hour) and her body weight, you can calculate how long it will take for the blood and breast milk to be completely cleared of the presence of alcohol. The calculation results are presented in the table.

For example, if a woman weighing 59 kg drinks one glass of beer, then her milk will become completely safe for the baby after 2 hours 24 minutes. But if mommy has 83.9 kg, her body will process the same amount of ethyl alcohol in 1 hour and 59 minutes.

Expressing does not affect the rate at which breast milk is cleared of alcohol. The milk that replaces the expressed milk will have the same concentration of ethanol until its level drops in the blood itself.

The effect of alcohol in mother's milk on the baby

As we already said, ethyl alcohol is a strong poison, and its effect is manifested even at low concentrations. If a nursing mother drinks strong drinks every day, for example, drinks a bottle of beer in the evenings, and, without waiting for the “cleansing period,” breastfeeds the baby, then the level of ethanol may be enough to cause a delay in motor development and poor weight gain.

If the mother is very drunk and breastfeeds the baby in this state, this will cause the baby to fall into deep sleep, lethargy, lethargy, decreased reflexes, and constipation.

Alcohol during breastfeeding inhibits milk production, which further leads to underweight and developmental delays. Thus, the statement that beer stimulates lactation not true.

Ethyl alcohol in breast milk leads to the development of a “dependency” effect in the baby; he is more often attached to the breast, but sucks sluggishly and little.

The speed at which alcohol is eliminated from a child’s body directly depends on his age: the younger the baby, the longer it takes. In addition, newborn children do not have a sufficiently developed ethanol detoxification system in the liver, and therefore are at greater risk than babies older than 3 months.

How to reduce the risk?

If, despite everything, a nursing mother still decides to drink an alcoholic drink, then there are several techniques that will help avoid adverse consequences for the baby:

Always calculate in advance the approximate dose you plan to drink, and under no circumstances exceed it;
Using the table above, determine how long it will take to “cleanse” breast milk of ethanol, and do not put your baby to the breast until it has expired;
If you are planning a long party, then express 2-3 servings of “pure” breast milk so that you can feed the baby while the level of ethanol in the blood is still quite high, or select formula in advance.

Alcohol metabolism

There is ample evidence that drinking alcohol during pregnancy affects the development of the child. Alcohol, being a teratogen, causes congenital anomalies. Unlike the risk of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, the risk of drinking alcohol while breastfeeding has not been well studied.
However, mothers increasingly want to have a glass of wine or drink “literally a little beer” soon after giving birth.

Alcohol passes into breast milk quite quickly. On average, the maximum concentration is reached 30-60 minutes after consumption and then the blood alcohol level quickly decreases if the next dose is not taken. Alcohol does not accumulate in breast milk: its level fluctuates depending on the mother's blood alcohol level.

The child receives only a fraction of the dose of alcohol that the mother consumed. It is believed that the dose of alcohol received by a child does not exceed 16% of the volume of alcohol drunk by the mother. It all depends on the amount of alcohol you drink. 16% of a glass of wine is not the same as 16% of half a liter of tequila. Alcohol is metabolized very quickly in the human body. The average adult's blood alcohol level drops 15 to 20 mg every hour.

Breastfeeding mothers may drink occasionally alcoholic drinks, but they should know that they need to wait a certain amount of time before the next feeding. If baby If your child is still small and the intervals between feedings are less than 2 hours, it is worth expressing milk before drinking alcohol. However, pumping is not always necessary. For example, the baby is already a year old, he rarely breastfeeds during the day, the period between feedings is on average about 3-4 hours. Mom drank a glass of wine with lunch. In this case, you don’t have to pump: it will be enough to refrain from breastfeeding for 2.5-3 hours. Alcohol passes into breast milk as its concentration in the blood increases. The decrease in alcohol levels in breast milk also occurs in proportion to the decrease in blood alcohol levels.

How does alcohol affect breast milk production?

Recent studies have shown that alcohol blocks the production of oxytocin by the pituitary gland. Milk is not separated well, the child cannot get it. As a result, blockage of the milk duct may occur, ineffective sucking and lack of saturation in the baby, and restless behavior of the child under the breast. Some mothers may experience a decrease in milk production of more than 20%, and for others, alcohol completely suppresses oxytocin production.

How long after drinking alcohol can you breastfeed?

In most cases, average data on the removal of alcohol from the body are used:

To drink or not to drink?

This decision can only be made by a mother. Most nursing mothers still drink alcoholic beverages in moderate doses. The American Academy of Pediatrics even believes that alcohol is conditionally compatible with breastfeeding. However, the long-term effects of alcohol on infant unknown.

What should a nursing mother remember?

Alcohol passes freely into breast milk

One serving of alcohol means approximately 300 ml of low-alcohol beer, 150 ml of unfortified wine or no more than 50 ml of 40% alcohol liquor

For a woman weighing about 80 kg, it takes about 2 hours for one serving of alcohol to completely disintegrate.

Alcohol levels in breast milk decrease as blood alcohol levels drop

Alcohol is present in expressed milk and does not disappear anywhere. It's better to pour it out

The maximum level of alcohol in breast milk is reached one hour after consumption

Blood alcohol levels gradually drop. No additional measures such as drinking water, coffee, tea, pumping, physical exercise, do not affect this process.

Medicines containing ethanol also increase blood alcohol levels

If you plan to drink alcohol, then only expressing breast milk beforehand will protect your baby from the adverse effects.

Myths about alcohol and breastfeeding

Myth: Alcohol and medications taken after the first trimester have no effect on the fetus.
Facts: Most organ development is complete by 14 weeks of pregnancy. Brain development occurs throughout pregnancy and also after birth. That's why various substances can affect the baby's brain at any time during pregnancy.

Myth: Drinking beer increases milk production in a nursing woman.
Facts: Alcohol passes into breast milk. Studies have shown that the baby receives less milk if the mother drinks alcohol. Therefore, in reality, drinking beer leads to a decrease in milk production.

Myth: One sip of alcohol during pregnancy is enough to harm the baby.
Facts: No one knows what is a safe dose of alcohol during pregnancy. However, it is unlikely that drinking alcohol once before you find out you are pregnant will harm your baby. Avoid drinking alcohol when you know you are pregnant.

Myth: Breastfed babies sleep better after their mother drinks alcohol.
Facts: the period of falling asleep is indeed shortened, but then a deficit of deep sleep sets in, during which the whole body rests. Alcohol affects the child's sleep and wakefulness rhythms, leading to shorter sleep duration.

In the article you will find answers to the questions: is it possible to consume alcohol during lactation and in what quantity? Will this harm the child?

Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. How dangerous is alcohol for a breastfeeding baby?

Nine months of waiting for a baby and about a year of breastfeeding, a woman is surrounded various kinds deprivations and restrictions. The temptation to relax with friends with a glass of wine or enjoy a glass of beer is very strong. Many people know about the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy. Is it possible to afford an alcoholic drink after the birth of a baby during lactation?

Alcohol while breastfeeding: consequences

IMPORTANT: Systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause disturbances in the functioning of hormones responsible for lactation.

For a breastfeeding woman, drinking alcohol can cause a reduction in milk production:

Alcohol dehydrates the body, which negatively affects the amount of breast milk
According to a 1988 study conducted on lactating female rats, an inhibitory effect of alcohol on the production of prolactin was found. Oxytocin, which is responsible for the milk ejection reflex, is also affected by alcohol intake. A 1992 study showed a significant reduction in milk output in response to a few grams of ethanol.
slowing down the reaction. Caring for a child requires vigilance and maximum concentration. Alcohol can obviously deprive a woman of these qualities

The effect of alcohol on a baby while breastfeeding

If a woman abuses alcohol, the child may experience:

underweight
increased drowsiness
mental retardation
sleep disorders
delay in motor development
addiction to alcohol

In 1989, a study was conducted in the United States on the effects of alcohol on intellectual and physical development one-year-old breastfed children.

Among 400 children who took part in the experiment, whose mothers drank alcoholic beverages in small quantities and whose mothers did not drink alcohol at all, no difference was found in infant development.

IMPORTANT: The opposite situation was observed in children regularly exposed to alcohol. Significant differences were noted in the motor development of these children.

In another study on the effects of alcohol exposure on lactating rat pups, cellular immunity and central nervous system deficits were noted in the pups in the long term.

How much alcohol can you drink while breastfeeding?

The same amount of alcohol has different effects on intoxication different people and the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from their bodies. The following factors should be considered:

child's age. The baby's liver is underdeveloped in the first weeks of life. The rate of alcohol elimination from the baby’s body is two times lower than that of his mother. Therefore, it is better to give up any amount of alcohol at least until the baby reaches three months of age.
mother's weight. The lower the body weight, the longer the time interval for cleansing the body of ethanol
food. The rate at which alcohol gets into milk depends on whether the alcohol was drunk on an empty stomach or during lunch.

IMPORTANT: Food, especially high-fat foods, makes it difficult for alcohol to penetrate the body.

Is it okay to have a glass of beer while breastfeeding?

Some experts advise limiting your drinking to two drinks per week. You can certainly afford a glass of beer without harming the baby. But what more quantity The alcohol you drink, the longer it will take your body to recover, and the more difficult it will be for the baby to resist intoxication, which means the risk of adverse effects on the baby’s weak body is higher.

What kind of alcohol is ok while breastfeeding?

It is acceptable to allow yourself a couple of glasses of wine or champagne. As for strong drinks, you should not resume breastfeeding until you are completely sober.

There is no safe dose of alcohol to drink. Regardless of the type of alcoholic drink, it is wiser to wait until breast milk is completely cleared of alcohol.

Alcohol while breastfeeding: table

The following table will help you navigate the time it takes for breast milk to recover after alcohol. When calculated, the height of the lactating woman was 1.62 m, ethanol metabolism was 15 mg/dl.

*one dose is equivalent to 12 ounces of 5% beer (340 grams), or 5 ounces of 11% wine (141.75 grams), or 1.5 ounces of 40% drink (42.53 grams).

Breastfeeding after alcohol

If a woman weighing 54.5 kg drinks 3 doses of wine (425 g) within an hour, breastfeeding after alcohol will be possible after seven and a half hours, for a woman weighing 79 kg who consumed the same amount of alcohol - after 6 hours .

How to drink alcohol while breastfeeding?

Alcohol passes into mother's milk and circulatory system women in almost the same volumes (about 2% of the alcoholic beverage consumed). The ethanol concentration in milk reaches its maximum value after approximately ½-1 hour. The duration varies depending on the woman's weight, her metabolism, the percentage of fat in the food she eats and other factors.

IMPORTANT: Alcohol does not tend to accumulate in milk. Alcohol is removed from it at the same time it leaves the body’s circulatory system.

In other words, neither pumping milk nor drinking strong coffee or showering will speed up the process of clearing alcohol from your milk.

A few recommendations:

If you intend to relax at an upcoming party with the help of alcohol, form a “expressed milk bank” in advance.
If you had a glass of champagne or wine with dinner, wait at least two to three hours before your next breastfeeding.
You should express milk if there is a need to relieve tension in the chest. This will not help remove alcohol from mother's milk.
Alternatively, at a wedding or other festive event you can get by with non-alcoholic cocktails, the choice of which is now quite varied

Is it possible to drink beer while breastfeeding?

The point of view that beer can increase milk production has not been confirmed scientific facts. Studies show that after the mother drinks an alcoholic drink, the child demands the breast more often and eats longer.

It may seem to a woman that there is more milk, but in reality, the baby eats 20% less. Whether this is due to a deterioration in the smell of milk or to suppression of the lactation reflex is not known for certain.

IMPORTANT: When preparing beer, natural ingredients are involved: hops and barley, which are not allergens.

Moreover, beer contains valuable B vitamins. Therefore, from time to time you can’t afford large number beer is quite acceptable. However, when choosing beer, you should give preference to light varieties and bottled beer without preservatives.

How much beer can you drink while breastfeeding?

Despite some positive aspects of beer, it still contains alcohol, so you should not abuse it. But a glass of beer obviously won't do any harm to the baby.

Is it possible to drink non-alcoholic beer while breastfeeding?

Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding: tips and reviews

Dr. Jack Newman from international organization La Leche League believes that breastfeeding mothers should not be discouraged from sensibly drinking alcohol because alcohol, like some medications, passes into milk in negligible amounts.
A similar point of view about alcohol during breastfeeding is shared by pediatrician E. Komarovsky opposing categorical prohibitions
Dr. Thomas Hale, recommends that mothers who drink alcohol in moderation breastfeed as soon as they feel normal again, citing that the average woman metabolizes 30 ml of alcohol in three hours

Harm of alcohol while breastfeeding

The dangers of alcohol can be stated only in cases of regular consumption of alcohol in significant quantities. Refusal to breastfeed will greater loss for the infant than the existing risk from occasional consumption of alcoholic beverages.

But a nursing woman must make a decision for herself: whether she should experiment with alcohol-containing drinks during lactation. To be sure, it is better to prepare expressed milk in advance and resume breastfeeding after removing ethanol from female body in full.

Video: Alcohol during breastfeeding Komarovsky

Video: Breastfeeding - Komarovsky School

Everyone knows that everything that enters the body of a nursing mother enters the baby’s body along with the milk. And yet, many modern women still believe that small amounts of alcohol can be consumed while breastfeeding. Moreover, some online communities recommend that nursing women drink alcohol. Women are even advised to drink a glass of beer daily to improve lactation.

The first question a breastfeeding mother should ask herself before drinking is: “Will this be good for my child?”. And there is only one answer: "No". Therefore, if you are able to abstain and not drink alcohol while breastfeeding, do so. Alcohol and its derivatives are poisonous, they destroy internal organs and applies irreparable harm health of both the drinking mother and the child.

Not all women are able to withstand a complete abstinence from alcohol for two to three years (nine months of pregnancy plus a year and a half of breastfeeding - at least two and a half years). Often a woman does not even remember alcohol until she is drunk. festive table where is she, what is it called, "out of work". Everyone is having fun, drinking, but she feels left out and cannot fully participate (as it seems to her) in the general fun. If, nevertheless, the desire to support the company and not be a black sheep prevails over sanity, a woman should take care to minimize the risk associated with drinking alcohol and subsequent breastfeeding.

Harm to the child

Alcohol affects nervous system child. A child who has tasted breast milk that contains alcohol will quickly fall asleep. But his sleep will be restless and he will wake up frequently. If a mother regularly drinks alcohol, the child experiences mental retardation.
Drinking alcohol can affect the functioning of the child’s cardiovascular system: the heart rate increases, general weakness appears, blood pressure may go down.
The child suffers more from intestinal colic. Ethyl alcohol leads to inflammation of the lining of the esophagus, stomach or intestines. The intestinal absorption function is impaired, causing vitamins and minerals to be poorly absorbed. With frequent alcohol consumption, the child does not gain weight well and often lags behind in physical development.
Frequent drinking of alcohol causes gradual addiction in a child, up to the appearance of addiction.

First: Do not drink under any circumstances until the baby is three months old (at least). How younger child, the less his body is adapted to process alcohol, and newborns do not have such an ability at all. The baby’s liver is not able to process even a small amount of alcohol, which means that all the harmful substances in the alcoholic drink will poison the baby’s internal organs.

Of course, the human body is influenced not so much by the alcohol itself, but by its quantity, quality and type of drink. It is clear that if a woman drinks a glass of good red wine or half a liter of cheap vodka, the harm caused to the body of both mother and child will vary in severity. The amount of drink consumed is also important - the more you drink, the longer ethyl alcohol will be eliminated from the body, the more of it will enter the baby’s body through mother’s milk.

Note to moms!

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Hence the second tip – if you decide to drink alcohol, then either express before drinking so that you can give the baby “pure” milk, or wait at least three hours between feedings (provided that you drank no more than 100 ml of low-strength alcohol). If you drank vodka or cognac, then 100 ml of this drink will be eliminated from the body for at least 5 hours.

It is also important how often a nursing mother drinks alcohol. According to studies by Western doctors, if a woman, while breastfeeding, drank once or twice a month (high-quality weak alcohol in small doses), then this did not cause significant and noticeable damage to the child’s health. However, in Russia no one can guarantee that a wine bought in a supermarket will be of the same quality as the same wine bought, say, in France.

We should not forget about harmful impurities contained in alcohol. In addition to ethyl alcohol (which is often made from low-quality raw materials and poorly purified), alcoholic beverages contain chemical dyes and concentrates, especially in liqueurs and wines beloved by women - they are often counterfeited using cheap and unhealthy additives. Think about it - do you want them to enter the body of your precious child?

Alcohol negatively affects breast milk production. And if you don’t already have a lot of milk, then drinking alcoholic beverages can reduce breastfeeding...

And lastly– since for doctors around the world the issue of drinking alcohol during breastfeeding remains open, it is still better to avoid drinking alcohol while you are breastfeeding your baby.

Myth: Beer enhances lactation. This is a myth; drinking beer does not affect lactation in any way ().

Can women drink alcohol while breastfeeding (BF)? A similar question is asked by many young mothers who are forced to give up alcoholic beverages throughout pregnancy. And if doctors prohibit drinking alcohol while expecting a baby, then during lactation such strict prohibitions no longer exist. How does drinking alcohol affect a child and is it possible to afford a glass of wine in good company?

The path of alcohol in the body: does it get into milk?

Every woman who breastfeeds her baby wonders: does alcohol pass into breast milk? The answer to this question is known to any person familiar with the basics of chemistry and physiology. All alcoholic drinks contain ethyl alcohol. This substance easily passes into mother's milk, like many other elements. The peak concentration of ethanol in milk reaches after 30-60 minutes. If alcoholic beverages were consumed during meals, this time is extended to 90 minutes.

Alcohol passes into breast milk just like any other alcohol. nutrients- through blood. Here ethanol does not stay for long, circulating through the body with the bloodstream. On average, a nursing mother's breast milk contains about 10% of the total alcohol in the blood. This amount is quite enough to change the composition of milk and influence the child’s condition.

How long does it take for alcohol to leave breast milk?

Ethyl alcohol does not remain in the body forever. It is excreted through the kidneys, like any other substance. The speed of its elimination is influenced by the following factors:

mother's weight;
volume of alcohol consumed;
quantity and quality of food accompanying the intake of alcoholic beverages.

How long does it take for alcohol to be eliminated from breast milk? On average, it takes 2-3 hours to remove the ethanol contained in one glass of wine or an average mug of beer (for a woman with a body weight of about 54 kilograms). The greater the weight of a nursing mother, the faster alcohol is removed from her milk. If a woman allows herself to take a sip of a stronger drink, it will take at least 12 hours to eliminate it (at the same initial weight).

The effect of alcohol on the baby's body during breastfeeding

Russian doctors believe that breastfeeding and alcohol are incompatible. That is why in Russia and many neighboring countries, alcoholic drinks are prohibited during lactation. A breastfeeding woman is strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol during breastfeeding. The ban also applies to the consumption of many food products, various medicines. Thus, a woman who decides to breastfeed her baby is long time she is deprived of many things that are familiar to her, including alcoholic drinks during the holidays.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and some other organizations have a different opinion. According to Western doctors, alcohol in small doses is acceptable during lactation. Nursing mothers can drink low-strength alcoholic beverages while feeding their baby with breast milk; it is only important to know the limits and take into account the period of elimination of alcohol from the body.

Who should breastfeeding mothers trust? Is it possible to drink alcohol during lactation or should you completely abstain from alcoholic beverages? It is quite difficult to answer this question unambiguously. Experts recognize that regular alcohol consumption has negative influence on the development of the child. At the same time, doctors cannot unequivocally say that one glass of wine or a glass of beer will lead to irreversible consequences. It’s up to the woman to decide – after all, the health and well-being of her own child depends only on her.

Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to the following consequences for the child:

excessively deep sleep;
drowsiness during the day;
weakness and lethargy;
delayed physical and mental development;
lack of weight;
diseases of the digestive tract;
respiratory depression.

The effect of alcohol on a baby’s body depends on many factors.

Child's age

The immature enzyme systems of the liver of newborns do not process ethanol that enters their body through breast milk. Will be especially strong negative impact for a baby in the first month of life. After a year, the effect of maternal alcohol intake becomes significantly less. How older child, the faster the ethanol contained in alcoholic drinks is removed from his body.

Avoid drinking alcohol for the first 3 months after giving birth.

Woman's weight

The ability to process alcohol depends on the volume of adipose tissue in the body of a nursing mother. The more a woman weighs, the faster ethyl alcohol is removed from her body.

Type and volume of alcohol

The effect of ethanol is determined by what exactly the nursing mother drank and in what quantity. Strong drinks excretion takes several times longer than wine or beer. Large volumes of alcohol also stay in the body for quite a long time.

Truth and fiction about alcohol while breastfeeding

The debate about whether a nursing mother can drink wine or other drinks has not stopped for many years. There are many myths around this topic, and sometimes it can be quite difficult for a woman to understand all the diversity of opinions. What is hidden behind the generally known facts about alcohol during breastfeeding?

Fact No. 1. Alcoholic drinks increase milk volume.

When offering a nursing mother a glass of beer, many people claim that foamy drink promotes milk flow. In fact, this is not true at all. None of the alcoholic drinks affects the volume of breast milk in a woman, much less contributes to its increase.

Fact No. 2. Alcohol changes the taste of milk

This is true. If you drink a glass of wine or a glass of beer immediately before feeding, your baby may refuse to latch on to the breast. Many drinks and foods change the taste and composition of breast milk, and alcohol is no exception.

Fact No. 3. After drinking alcohol you need to express milk

This doesn't make any sense. Ethyl alcohol does not heat up in milk, but circulates in the blood, penetrating into the mammary glands and back. It makes no sense to pump to reduce the amount of alcohol in the blood. Also, you should not drink tea, coffee or water for this purpose.

Fact No. 4. If you are heavily intoxicated, you should not feed.

This is true. Able to alcohol intoxication the mother is potentially dangerous to her child. In addition, a large amount of ethyl alcohol in her blood can negatively affect the baby’s condition. Breastfeeding women should never get drunk to the point of losing control of themselves.

What should I do?

It makes no sense to argue about whether a woman can drink wine while breastfeeding or drink other alcoholic beverages. Every adult woman is able to figure out for herself what to do. When you decide to drink a glass of wine or sip a beer, you should protect your baby from possible problems.

How can a nursing mother prepare?

Express your milk ahead of time. Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours at a temperature of 15 °C and no more than 6 hours at a temperature of 25 °C. IN freezer milk can be stored for up to 8 days.
Until the alcohol leaves the body, feed your baby with expressed milk.
If you experience a rush of milk while drinking alcohol, express it and throw it away.
Make sure you have a reliable person (spouse, girlfriend) next to you. Someone needs to stop you if you drink too much.

Alcohol during breastfeeding after a year

Many women continue to breastfeed their baby after the first year of life. Of course, not all nursing mothers are ready to give up alcohol for such a long period. Is it possible for women whose baby has already grown up to drink alcohol?

After a year, a child’s body changes quite a lot. This is no longer the same newborn baby who reacted to any changes in his mother’s diet. Drinking alcohol in small quantity will not bring such serious consequences for his health as in the first year of life. It is during this period that many nursing mothers allow themselves to drink a little wine at the holiday table or share a bottle of beer with their spouse.

After a year, the nature of breast milk also changes. It becomes thicker and more concentrated, adapting to the needs of a growing child. Now the baby no longer latches onto the breast every hour. The child masters new foods, spends a lot of time playing and is ready to communicate with other relatives. Even if a woman drinks alcohol, she does not have to pump and store milk. After a year, a nursing mother can safely afford a glass of wine in good company, without fear for the health of her child.