Alcohol during breastfeeding.

Alcohol and breastfeeding: it's a topic that causes a lot of confusion. Can you have a glass of wine? Do you have to pump and throw it away? And what exactly is your baby getting?

It is not wise to give your baby breast milk when there is still alcohol in your blood , because then there will also be alcohol in your breast milk.

But that doesn't mean you can never drink anything again while you're breastfeeding.

Drinking alcohol occasionally while breastfeeding is safe , as long as your baby is over 1 month old and you know how it works and what to look out for.

Alcohol and breastfeeding aren't black and white. It's all about how much, when, how old your baby is, and how your body processes alcohol.

Let's make that clear step by step.

Alcohol and breast milk

When you drink alcohol, alcohol enters your bloodstream. Breast milk is made from your blood. Alcohol passes directly from your bloodstream into your breast milk.

As long as there is alcohol in your blood, it is also in your breast milk.

As the alcohol content in your blood drops, the alcohol content in your breast milk automatically drops as well.

So alcohol is not stored in breast milk

The alcohol percentage in breast milk ≈ the alcohol percentage in your blood.

It works like this:

1. After drinking, the alcohol level in your blood rises

2. The alcohol content in your blood, and thus in your breast milk, reaches a peak.

3. Then your body begins to break down the alcohol.

4. Over time, your body breaks down the alcohol and the alcohol content in your blood and breast milk decreases simultaneously.

   
   

Time is the only factor that makes alcohol disappear. Drinking water, sleeping, or pumping doesn't speed this up.

How long does alcohol last in breast milk?

How long alcohol stays in your blood and breast milk depends on the percentage of alcohol you drink.

If you drink more, there will be more alcohol in your blood, and it will take longer for your body to break it down.

If you drink less, the alcohol percentage is lower and your body can break down the alcohol faster.

How long you have to wait before you can breastfeed again depends on how much you drank.

The most important principle: timing

The safest way to combine alcohol and breastfeeding is to time it wisely.

Practical example

• You feed or express

• You drink one glass of wine immediately afterwards

• About 3 hours later you feed or express again

The alcohol is then largely out of your blood

You don't have to throw away milk

Pump & dump for alcohol?

Pump & dump literally means: expressing (“pump”) breast milk and then throwing it away (“dump”) .

Parents usually do this:

• after drinking alcohol

• when using certain medications

• or when they think their milk is “not safe”

The idea behind this is that you prevent your baby from ingesting something that you would rather not pass on through breastfeeding.

But pump & dump only makes sense:

• to relieve congestion

• or if your breasts feel uncomfortably full

• in case of leakage

• with multiple glasses of alcohol (it then takes longer for your blood (and milk) to become alcohol-free again)

  
  

Not to remove alcohol from your milk, because as you now know, that happens naturally over time.

Example: when pump & dump is useful

Couple:

1. You feed your baby at 7:00 PM.

2. Then, on a night out, you drink 2 glasses of alcohol.

3. Your breasts will feel full and tense around 10:00–11:00 PM, but it's still too early to nurse again because there is still alcohol in your blood.

4. In that case you can:

   pump around 10:30 pm to reduce engorgement and discard this milk, as there is still alcohol present at that time

   
   

You can then feed or pump safely again around 1:00 AM , when the alcohol has largely broken down.

In this example you use pump & dump for your comfort .

When is caution important?

In babies younger than 1 month, extra caution is needed because the liver is still immature, alcohol is broken down more slowly and newborns drink more often.

Therefore, alcohol is not recommended for babies under 1 month of age.

In addition, alcohol also has a natural influence on the mother.

Aside from the milk, if you feel drowsy, dizzy, or less alert, it's not a good time to feed or care for your baby.

Effect of alcohol on milk production

This is an important point that's often overlooked. Alcohol can slow down your milk flow. The hormone that helps your milk flow is temporarily less effective, meaning your baby may take in less milk while nursing.

Your breasts may feel fuller during this time, but that doesn't mean you have more milk. It simply means your milk is being released less effectively .

This may also mean that you have to pump for longer to collect the same amount of milk.

What can you do to break down alcohol better?

The honest answer is: your body breaks down alcohol at its own pace. You can't speed it up. But you can prevent alcohol from hitting you harder and support your body as best as possible.

Practical tips

1. Drink after a feeding or pumping session

This way you have the most time until the next feeding.

2. Eat before or while you drink

Alcohol is then absorbed more slowly and the peak remains lower.

3. Limit the number of glasses

Each additional glass means about 2 hours more of waiting.

4. Drink slowly

Spreading a drink over time gives a lower peak than drinking quickly.

5. Alternate with water

This does not accelerate the breakdown, but it does help against dehydration and headaches.

6. Plan ahead

Is your baby feeding irregularly or is he young? Consider expressing a feeding beforehand.

7. Listen to your body

Are you feeling unfocused, sleepy, or dizzy? Then it's not a good time to feed or care for your baby, apart from milk.

Finally

Breastfeeding is beautiful, but it also demands a lot from you. From your body, your energy, and your constant presence. It's okay to acknowledge that.

That's precisely why it's important, in addition to caring for your baby, to also consider what you need. And if that sometimes means a glass of wine, that's perfectly fine.

With a little preparation and the right knowledge, this can be safely combined with breastfeeding. Not out of guilt, but out of balance, for you and your baby.

Love,

Bobby