Breastfeeding and alcohol: dangers and risks
If you drink alcoholic beverages, your body absorbs the alcohol through the mucous membranes. This already happens in the mouth, but for the most part in the gastrointestinal tract. From the mucous membranes, the alcohol enters the blood and, in the case of breastfeeding women, from there directly into the breast milk.
Alcohol in breast milk
Depending on the amount of alcohol, it may take a few hours for the alcohol to completely break down again. Pumping will not help in this case, you will have to wait for the alcohol to break down in your body.
Alcohol harms the child
Long-term damage to the child from long-term alcohol consumption during the breastfeeding period is difficult to assess. If the mother drinks alcohol while breastfeeding, this can impair the child’s motor and mental development, its sleep rhythm and its growth. It has been scientifically proven that alcohol shortens sleep times in children.
Alcohol promotes breastfeeding problems
The widespread belief that a glass of champagne or beer stimulates milk production is not true!
Alcohol while breastfeeding – yes or no?
Unlike during pregnancy, your body is now no longer continuously supplying the baby with nutrients. There are breaks between meals, which theoretically allow some freedom. But you should be careful if you are breastfeeding and consuming alcohol at the same time.
When breastfeeding: alcohol not before the first month
You should therefore wait until the breastfeeding rhythm has adjusted, the amount of milk has been adjusted and, at best, you have already been able to pump some milk in advance. Then the alcohol can dissipate until the next breastfeeding meal, or you can feed your baby with pumped milk.
Not too much alcohol
High-proof alcohol is taboo for breastfeeding women. If you absolutely must, prefer spirits with a lower percentage of alcohol, such as wine spritzers or light beer. However, you should not drink more than one or two glasses. Otherwise, the alcohol will not be completely broken down before the next breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding and alcohol – you need to be aware of this!
You should avoid intoxication at all costs when breastfeeding. What is otherwise also true is especially important when breastfeeding and drinking alcohol: eat well before drinking so that the alcohol does not enter the blood too quickly and drink water in between. Women who breastfeed and consume alcohol should also keep the following in mind:
- Breastfeeding and alcohol – exactly in this order!
- To prevent breastfeeding problems, do not skip any breastfeeding! As mentioned above, use non-alcoholic milk supply if necessary.
- Make sure your baby is well taken care of until you are sober again!
- This is especially true at night: alcohol delays response and alters sleep, so you could easily miss signals from your baby.
Breastfeeding and alcohol: recommendations
However, there is a lack of reliable data proving the amount of alcohol that poses a risk to the child’s health. The National Breastfeeding Commission recommends that women who drink a small glass now and then should not stop breastfeeding, as the positive aspect of breast milk predominates.
Alcohol only occasionally!
If you cannot give up alcohol permanently, you should seek professional help. Because regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or not, if you are drinking alcohol regularly, you need to ask yourself to what extent you are able to care for your child adequately and build a stable mother-child relationship. Don’t lose sight of your child’s best interests when breastfeeding. Alcohol should remain the exception.
