The Safest Approach Is to Avoid All Alcohol

By BuddyT

Mothers who breastfeed are receiving conflicting advice, on and off the Internet, about whether it's okay for them to consume alcohol without affecting their babies' health.

When Pregnancy and Birth Guide Robin Weiss asked me to research this subject for her World Breastfeeding Week Special on the former About.com site, I thought, no problem. I will just jump on the Internet and find the latest "facts" regarding drinking and breastfeeding.

It wasn't that simple.

What I found was a wide range of opinions, ranging from not drinking at all until the baby is weaned, to waiting three hours after drinking before breastfeeding and almost everything thing in between.

Conflicting Breastfeeding Advice

"There are a lot of breast milk and alcohol theories out there," writes Stephanie Ryan, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC at the Childbirth.org website. "Some health care providers feel it is best to avoid all alcohol while nursing. Some feel that occasional moderate drinking is okay and some feel that if any alcohol is consumed, you should pump and dump for 24 hours."

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"Alcohol clears the breast milk in about the same amount of time it takes to clear the blood stream. If you are planning to drink heavily (more than 2 drinks), you may want to give it 6-8 hours to clear your system," Ryan says.

But Denise G Hewson, RN, IBCLC at the Breastfeeding.com website has a different view. "By the time you are no longer feeling "tipsy" it is okay to feed your baby. Alcohol does not go into your milk and stay there. It goes in and comes out. If you feel ok, then most of the alcohol is out of your milk. If you have any doubt, pump and dump one time and that should be fine."

If You Are Drinking, Baby Is Too

But the American Academy of Pediatricians has a still different view: While you are nursing, avoid drinking alcohol because it can pass through your milk to your baby. If you choose to drink alcohol, drink it just after you nurse rather than just before.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while it’s best to avoid drinking while breastfeeding, moderate alcohol consumption (up to one standard drink per day) is generally believed to be okay.

Although these experts disagree about the length of time between drinking and breastfeeding, one thing they all agree about is that mothers who drink while breastfeeding should only do so moderately and "moderate" means no more than one drink per day.

Abstinence Is the Best Plan

Heavy drinkers or alcoholics who breastfeed should "abstain from drinking alcohol until their babies are weaned" the Recovery Emporium suggests. Alcohol readily enters breast milk and heavy alcohol consumption has been shown to reduce lactation.

RELATED: How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother consumes, according to LaLeche League. A significant difference was detected, in a study by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in motor development at one year of age in those babies subjected regularly to alcohol.

"Moderation is the key," says Pat Dwiggins, a nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in Pensacola, Fla. "Drinking large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can inhibit let-down and even deplete milk supply, not to mention affect baby's development."

Learn more about Women and Alcohol.