I intend to breastfeed after I give birth… But I was wondering, I’m going to be having a wedding afterwards, and I may want to have a few drinks afterwards… would it be possible to use a breast pump and supply a couple days worth? how long does alcohol last, or will it effect me for a long period of time that I can’t do it? Either way is fine, but I’m just seeing what the options are.. (and no I don’t normally drink, its just a special occasion!)
August 23rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
For sure you can drink. When your milk supply first comes in a great time to pump because you have so much. So pump as much as you can and store in the freezer. It will last up to six months in the fridge freezer and up to a year in a deep freeze.
If you are going to drink you will need to pump during the time you are drinking, probley every couple hours to keep your milk supply up and relieve yourself of engorged breasts. If you let them fill without pumping for too long you can get an infection called mastis which is extremely painful and you will have to go to the hospital. That is the only downfall so make sure you pump. I have to wake a couple times during the night to pump when my son is babysat to relieve myself. as for drinking the way it works is 1 ounce of liqour will take an hour for your liver to metabolize. So every ounce add an hour and wait to feed till that time is up. I would wait a little longer just to be safe. You can have a beer or a glass of wine and still breast feed, that is ok. Some doctors reccomend a beer to help with baby constipation or to help you get your letdown. ( release of milk)
So enjoy your wedding and have a couple!! Congratulations!
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:26 am
Alcohol goes through your system fairly quickly. A couple drinks should not hurt you. Just pump that night, so your milk supply won’t suffer and continue as normal. Ask your doctor to be sure.
August 23rd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Your body will process a standard (small) drink every hour so if you stay under that, then you should be fine to feed about 2 hours after your last drink. But … it is better to be safe than sorry with a very little baby so you should pump.
Breast milk lasts for 3-5 days according to my baby book, and it freezes as well. To be sure you get enough, make sure you start collecting early enough (I have been caught with too little by leaving it too late!!)
And you don’t need to pump and dump … old wives tale!
August 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
okay i will tell you what i did if i planed on drinking and by drinking i mean moderatly i would pump lots before hand and save it in the freezer then the next day continue pumping as usuall but dump don’t save it it is not safe milk just like somepeople will say ypou can drink a little while preg. but they don’t know how much or how little it takes to hurt your baby so pump and dump lol. but make sure you have enough saved for the next full day do not DO NOT feed you child the next full day from you give him or her the saved milk
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
You can have 2 drinks without discontinuing breastfeeding at all, or at most not breastfeed for 2 hours the guidelines vary widely (which is probably the time you would be at the wedding anyway).http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle…
Guidelines
* Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2 drinks) is not harmful to the nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a “Maternal Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding.”
* Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week.
* It is recommended that nursing moms avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking (Hale 2002).
* There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than for mom’s comfort — pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of alcohol from the milk.
* Alcohol does not increase milk production, and has been shown to inhibit let-down and decrease milk production (see below).
* If you’re away from your baby, try to pump as often as baby usually nurses (this is to maintain milk supply, not because of the alcohol). At the very least, pump or hand express whenever you feel uncomfortably full – this will help you to avoid plugged ducts and mastitis.
In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom’s blood and milk approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same time period, mom’s body weight and percentage of body fat, etc.). Alcohol does not accumulate in breastmilk, but leaves the milk as it leaves the blood; so when your blood alcohol levels are back down, so are your milk alcohol levels.
Always keep in mind the baby’s age when considering the effect of alcohol. A newborn has a very immature liver, so minute amounts of alcohol would be more of a burden. Up until around 3 months of age, infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly.
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Breastfeeding and Alcohol
By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC
Guidelines
* Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2 drinks) is not harmful to the nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a “Maternal Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding.”
* Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week.
* It is recommended that nursing moms avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking (Hale 2002).
* There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than for mom’s comfort — pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of alcohol from the milk.
* Alcohol does not increase milk production, and has been shown to inhibit let-down and decrease milk production (see below).
* If you’re away from your baby, try to pump as often as baby usually nurses (this is to maintain milk supply, not because of the alcohol). At the very least, pump or hand express whenever you feel uncomfortably full – this will help you to avoid plugged ducts and mastitis.
In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom’s blood and milk approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same time period, mom’s body weight and percentage of body fat, etc.). Alcohol does not accumulate in breastmilk, but leaves the milk as it leaves the blood; so when your blood alcohol levels are back down, so are your milk alcohol levels.
Always keep in mind the baby’s age when considering the effect of alcohol. A newborn has a very immature liver, so minute amounts of alcohol would be more of a burden. Up until around 3 months of age, infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly.
From http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle…
August 24th, 2009 at 5:29 am
hmm….thats hard. I don’t think you should drink at all thats just me though….
I would NOTgo for it because my sister ate mexican food a while back and pumped before she did it. It stayed with her for ever and the baby got sick!