Breastfeeding and Drinking

Pump and Dump, Baby! Pump out the old... in with the new. (I'd stick to beer and wine only.) Have fun and don't STRESS about it.

If you choose to "pump and dump" it should be while you are still feeling the effects of the alcohol as opposed to the next day. A good rule of thumb is to remember that however you are feeling (ie: buzzed, drunk or just normal) when you nurse, that is how your baby will feel. Alcohol enters your milk very quickly and is gone just as quickly. My oldest child was exclusively breastfed for the entire first year (she refused to take ANYTHING from a bottle). Needless to say, after spending 9 months being pregnant, and then a few months in recovery, by the time I was feeling normal again, I had a few nights of "grown up fun." My daughter was never adversely (sp) affected. This may sound a bit strange, but to be honest with you, if I had a few glasses of wine with my dinner, then went home and fed her, she slept a little better too. I also looked at it like this, I delivered via C Section, so was given narcotics for 6 weeeks after delivery and it was ok to nurse that way, wo why not with a couple of drinks.

Hi M.,

Everyone has their own way of doing this process and like it was already said you know your body and baby and you have to do what feels comfortable for you, with that said I will tell you what I did. Dont do shots rule of thumb!! Also I was told if your are buzzed your milk is buzzed, another rule of thumb. When I drank I would come home and pump whatever was in me out and I also would pump mu good milk and freeze just incase my son needed to eat before I was ready and able to feed him. I would not breastfeed him after I drank for about four hours at least. I also made it a personal rule to only when he was either at my mom's so this way he would not need my breast and could drink the milk I had previoulsy pumped or I would have drink once he was in bed and would not want to eat for a few hours. Hope this helps.

I would have a few drinks and I would never pump and dump. My doc never told me that I should pump and then dump it. He just said don't drink to much. so 2 drinks should not hurt. Do what you feel is best. I would not pump all day the next day. that would just be a waste.

Do what you feel is best.

my lactation counselor said it was ok to drink a little. She didn't tell me to pump, but I did any way. I had saved some milk just for that occasion and just discarded what I pumped the next day. If you are doing the bottle too then you should be good. I agree with the last post that we all need to have some fun.

I was told that you can pump and dump. My lactation consultant told me that if I wanted to have a glass of wine with dinner, that was fine. But to drink immediately after I'd nursed, sip and drink with a meal. If you're going to drink more than one drink, you're suppose to pump once for every two hours. In all honesty, I never did that. I only drank a few times while I was breast feeding. I actually had to pump in the bathroom of a bar once. That was embarrassing, but I was so engorged I thought my boobies were going to explode! I would pump once at night and throw away and two or three times in the am. My dd never had any problems. Just remember, that when you breastfeed after drinking, your child is getting almost the same concentration of alcohol as is in your blood stream. We all need a night out once in awhile! Just make sure to take lots of extra breast pads! And HAVE FUN! :)

DO NOT pump and dump! Bad advice and completely unnecessary! If you have a drink or two you will be fine and so will your baby. It does not go "straight through" to your milk like suggested. Your body has to metabolize everything you take in and only small amounts of anything get through your milk, which is why it is safe to eat, drink, or use any type of medication (with exception to few such as illegal narcotics and chemotherapy drugs) while breastfeeding. By the time it has left your system it is out of your milk and your biggest worry would be being left in charge of your child while drunk, which is unlikely for you to do anyway. Enjoy a drink and your friend's party without worry because it will not harm your baby.

EVERYTHING you put in your body, from over the counter medication to alcohol goes straight to your child when you're pregnant or breastfeeding. If you think its right to expose an infant to alcohol, sure-go ahead and drink and nurse. You'd be doing the best thing for your child if, when you go to that party, you stick to a soft drink! Do you REALLY need to drink to enjoy yourself and the company of your friends?

My doc told me one drink won't effect the baby. She said if I have more than one then wait 1 hr for each drink before breastfeeding. So if you have 2 drinks and wait at least 2 hrs before feeding, 3 drinks wait 3 hrs (or pump and dump during the 2-3 hrs) baby should be fine.