# I drank and nursed



## SoInLove (Aug 1, 2005)

I am so angry with myself...and I have been beating myself up all day. Last night I have a few glasses of wine, I just wasn't thinking. Then I nursed my 18m daughters. I am scared they are going to have a gross motor issuses b/c of my selfish behavior. How much of the alcohol was put into their system? I have read all different things on it. I just feel like such a loser mother. Whats the point of breastfeeding for devlopmental and bonding reasons when I go and mess it up with drinking...I am so angry with myself.


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## nonconformnmom (May 24, 2005)

There's nothing wrong with drinking and nursing, as long as you don't make a habit out of it. One time is certainly nothing to beat yourself up over. You can have a beer or a small glass of wine every night if you like; as long as you don't feel 'buzzed' while nursing, there's nothing to worry about.


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## Nisupulla (Jun 16, 2006)

I wouldn't sweat it. I read somewhere once that the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is equivalent to the amount in your blood. So hypothetically the amount the children ingested was next to nothing, even if you were trashed. I think the bigger risk is how your parenting was while you were impaired. Driving, sleeping with the kids, not doing a good job supervising, all would be risky. I suspect you didn't drive and it was late so the kids were sleeping anywhay. No biggie.

If you're feeling really horrible about it, plan better next time.


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## KnittingMama (Nov 30, 2005)

Yes, the alcohol in your BM will metabolize itself out just like it does in your blood. So, while I wouldn't make a habit of it, one time shouldn't cause any issues. Just be more careful next time and wait before you nurse so that it can metabolize out.


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## liawbh (Sep 29, 2004)

If you are sober enough to care for your kids, or drive, there's no problem.

kellymom.org has some great info on it.


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## Joannarachel (Dec 10, 2005)

Uh. There's nothing wrong with what you just described!







:


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## starparticle (Jun 30, 2005)

I'm so going to get the bad-mom-of-the-year award! I have a glass of wine or a beer several times a week and think nothing of it! Seriously, all the reading I've done tells me this is just fine - inclusing the la leche league. You're daughters have a mature digestive system and liver and can process the minute amount of alcohol they received without issue.

Cheers!


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

I too have a beer or a glass of wine on occasion, sometimes a few times a week. My midwife said that there is no need to pump and dump, that the BM has the highest concentration of alcohol while you feel the effects. So just wait til the buzz wear off and you are fine. Obviously drinking several glasses would not be good, but a glass or two should be fine. No worries!


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## Ivan's Mom (Jul 10, 2006)

My breastfeeding teacher at the hospital also told our group that alcohol in moderation was fine. Like a glass or two is no big deal.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

A big yeah-that to what everyone else said. You're fine. Your girls are fine.


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## EVC (Jan 29, 2006)

Hmmm....This thread is making me thirsty


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## Sol (Mar 4, 2006)

My mother swore that drinking Guinness kept her (and us) healthy when she was breastfeeding! I've had drunk alcohol while pregnant and while breastfeeding, and my kids have turned out fine


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## Megs_BK (Jul 26, 2006)

I'm also a drinker ~ I had the occasional very small glass of wine or beer while pregnant (did a lot of reading about it; felt it was fine, and my nearly 9-lb perfect girl at birth wouldn't argue with me!) and I usually have a glass or two of wine each night or my other vice -- gin & tonic.

The amt of alcohol in breastmilk is closer to 1% of what is in your blood, so it is sooooo negligible unless you're actually drunk. There are lots of "old wives tales" about the benefits of moderate alcohol. Just trust your instincts!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

check out www.kellymom.com or www.drjacknewman.com for more info. the percentage of alcohol in your breastmilk that your baby will get is approximately equal to the percentage of alcohol in your blood.


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## Meredith&Alexander (May 23, 2005)

Don't beat yourself up! Your girls have mature livers, and the few drops of wine that might have made it through to them are less alcohol than they'd get in a dose of cough syrup. Don't forget that alcohol is food, and except for tiny babies, our bodies generally process it without incident.


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## phaeon (Nov 15, 2004)

In addition to what everyone else said, my G'mas OB told her to have a glass of beer EVERY night to keep up her milk supply!


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## InDaPhunk (Jun 24, 2005)

You are a horrible mom and a lush. The only way to repent is to immediately send all the remaining alcoholic beverages to me. I'll PM you with my address.

Bad mom!!!!!


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## MysteryMama (Aug 11, 2006)

you're not a bad mom at all. im having a beer right now!


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

I have heard that the ammt of alcohol in breastmilk is in proportion to your blood alcohol level- JUST SLIGHLY more than Blood alcohol level. I have also heard (from an IBCLC at my CLC training) that Milk alcohol level is roughly equivalent to Blood alcohol level.

I wouldn't worry too much.

Many cultures regularly drink alcohol and nurse. Many cultures regularly give infants alcohol directly. Not that either of those is evidence saying that doing so is healthy.

I drink 2-4 glasses of wine about twice a week (weekends!) and have been doing so since my son was about 5ish months old. He was precocious in all motor respects. He walked at 9 months. He is now 18 months old. He doesn't talk much though. . . WHAT HAVE I DONE


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## Pandora114 (Apr 21, 2005)

yup Dark beers are supposed to be REALLY good at getting your supply up. I think it has to do with the brewers yeast.

And well..one time, when I was teething, my mom was out of orajel...she was at someone's house and I was screaming my guts out because of my teeth.

This person poured a shot of dark rum, dipped my paci in it, and plugged it in my mouth...

I was a very happy baby after that I guess...


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

As others have said, the level of alcohol in your milk is roughly equivalent to your blood alcohol level. So let's think about this.

The percent alcohol in the average beer is about 6%. The percent alcohol in the average wine is about 12%. The percent alcohol in the average hard liquor (which I certainly hope no one here is guzzling straight) is 40%. The percent alcohol in NONALCOHOLIC beers is generally legally allowed to be up to .5%.

Now let's consider blood - and therefore milk - alcohol levels.

The legal limit in most states in .08% - that's _less_ than _one tenth_ of one percent.

Here's a quote about blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) from answer.com:

Quote:

Unless a person has developed a high tolerance, a BAC rating of 0.20 represents very serious intoxication (most first-time drinkers would be passed out by about 0.15), and 0.35 represents potentially fatal alcohol poisoning. *0.40 is the accepted LD50, or lethal dose for 50% of adult humans*. For a long-time, heavy drinker, those numbers can at least double. In extreme cases, individuals have survived BAC ratings as high as 0.914.
(Boldings mine)

Let's compare those numbers: when you are _falling down drunk_, with a blood alcohol level of .2%, your milk is _still_ less alcoholic than a non-alcoholic beer is allowed to be.

Granted, babies DO have *much* more immature livers than adults - but they're not completely incapable. Drink in moderation, if at all, because binging is not good for you, and your children need you around and sober both today and in years to come - but don't feel bad about every once in a while having a couple drinks and then nursing your children, either.


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## Nisupulla (Jun 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pandora114*
Dark beers are supposed to be REALLY good at getting your supply up

I thought that one was a myth. I'm pretty sure the negative affect of the alcohol overrides the relaxation in the mother and any potential benefit of the brewer's yeast. Anyone know for sure?

Although I think if you enjoy dark beer, imbibe in moderation, I do.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I can understand giving up alcohol during pregnancy but while breastfeeding?? That's just crazy!! I've even gotten really drunk (and then pumped and dumped) and then fed DS the next morning. The minimal amount of alcohol that passes thru breastmilk is not going to do any harm to your toddler. And my mom is a midwife and recommends guiness to new mamas who are having a hard time with milk let down or supply issues. I think the good affect is the relaxation. Everyone else has posted good information but I just wanted to say there's no reason you should feel bad. I've never heard of avoiding alcohol while breastfeeding. Of course you don't want to get wasted and take care of your kids (nursing or not) but being responsible about it... there's nothing wrong there.


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## cfiddlinmama (May 9, 2006)

My midwife recommends Guiness and cheesecake for milk!







She told me to drink a small glass of wine to stop my preterm labor too. My kids are great!


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## kookielukie (Oct 28, 2005)

There are so many more important things to beat yourself up about as a mom - give yourself a break! Alcohol enters and leaves your milk according to its concentration in your bloodstream. The rule of thumb is, if you feel it, don't nurse, and wait until you are clearheaded. Dr. Hale, who has a website on lactation pharmacology, has excellent information on this, if you are interested in the clinical side. A glass of wine in the evenings might be just the thing for a tired mom, nursing or no!


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## weeirishlass (Mar 30, 2006)

Oh hon, you're okay. I've done it before. I just try not to make a hobbie of it. And this is a good time to build up a freezer supply for these instances.


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

I love the saying, "Sober enough to drive? Sober enough to nurse." I read it here.

The information out there is really scary about FAS and drinking while nursing. Most of it is aimed at really heavy drinking mothers tho and not someone who had a couple of glasses one night one time.

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. There's really no reason to.


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

But the point is we don't NEED to not nurse, or to pump and dump, or to give expressed milk. To do so is to be extremely cautious, arguably _overly_ cautious. Where's the evidence that says babies are damaged more by occasionally being fed with .2% alcohol breastmilk (and again, that's only feeding when VERY drunk for most of us, which we shouldn't be because our babies need us to be at least mostly sober so we can care for them) than by not receiving mother's milk, or given frozen milk in a bottle?

I'm not advocating getting drunk or even drinking on a regular basis (I'm a teetotaler, actually, and my partner drinks maybe one or two beers a week, if that), but I object to the implication that very, very slightly alcoholic milk is more damaging to a baby than the potential damage to the nursing relationship that can come from distrusting one's milk, skipping a feeding, or introducing artificial teets.

We give babies Tylenol on a regular basis (even people here on this board), which is a NOT negligable amount of a liver-damaging substance. We give rescue remedy, alcoholic gripe waters, other remedies in an alcohol base, because the good of the remedy is believed to outweight the potential damage of the negligable amount of alcohol consumed. I don't understand why the fuss over the one (a minute percent alcohol in a large amount of breastmilk) and the acceptance of the other (a large percent alcohol in a very small amount).


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## dogmama (May 24, 2005)

I have been struggling with my supply since going back to work. Had a gin & tonic one evening a couple weeks ago, and I woke up engorged. I've experimented a little, and wine makes my supply lower, but gin gives me a boost. Heck yeah, I'm drinking and nursing!


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## spughy (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dogmama*
I have been struggling with my supply since going back to work. Had a gin & tonic one evening a couple weeks ago, and I woke up engorged. I've experimented a little, and wine makes my supply lower, but gin gives me a boost. Heck yeah, I'm drinking and nursing!

SERIOUSLY!!?!??! OMG, I should have been drinking g&t's all summer! DAMNIT why didn't you post that sooner?







I'm going to the store right now for some tonic water.


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## Megs_BK (Jul 26, 2006)

oh no, i did NOT need that encouragement to drink more gin!!! That's too funny.


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## Eben'sMama (Jun 29, 2006)

This thread has been very helpful! In the past five months since DS was born, I have had a total of maybe four drinks and everytime I have one, I worry if I feed him within a few hours of the drink. Rationally, I know it's fine and that the amount of alcohol in my milk is negligible; still, I feel guilty. Hearing the experiences of all you other mamas has made me feel so much better--and not just about the drinking







, but about knowing that I'm not the only one worried about this issue. Thanks, wise mamas!

BTW, I have noticed the engorgement with VODKA tonics as well, so maybe it's not just gin.









"Oh, look, sweetie! Mama's making White Russians for you again!"


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

I have to wonder if the engorgement following the clear liquors is more from the fact that it inhibits let down, so that milk that your body was signaled to produce early builds up more, not that it makes more. KWIM? Just a theory.


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## bauchtanz (Nov 15, 2005)

I guess I am conservative when it comes to all this.

While I don't think you should beat yourself up for what you did (You can't change it, can you?) I would not make it a habit of having occasional drinks while nursing. There HAVE been studies that show mothers who drink one drink on a regular basis had children whose motor skills were slightly behind.

I just feel it is one more thing that I gave up for my daughter. Kind of like all the other things.


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## spughy (Jun 28, 2005)

I'd like to see a link to those studies, if possible. Not that I disbelieve you, but if an occasional drink can have THAT much of an effect, nobody should have emerged from the middle ages even remotely functional. You do realize people used to drink mildly alcoholic beverages constantly, because they were safer than water? And yet humanity survived and thrived. Go figure. I want to see what kind of effect this study showed, and see what kind of statistical significance their data actually has.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

regarding the oft heard "dark beers are good for milk supply"...

beer promotes a stronger milk ejection reflex. so if you have an adequate milk supply but a slow milk ejection reflex (letdown), have a small glass of beer may help with improving that so the reflex happens sooner in a nursing/pumping session.

~claudia


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## liawbh (Sep 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bauchtanz*
While I don't think you should beat yourself up for what you did (You can't change it, can you?) I would not make it a habit of having occasional drinks while nursing. There HAVE been studies that show mothers who drink one drink on a regular basis had children whose motor skills were slightly behind.

Link??
The only studies I've read that were even remotely saying that were referring to drinking while preg. - NOT while nursing.


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

The Hale book refers to a study that says at a year children of women who drank frequently scored, on average, _slightly_ lower in tests of motor skills. I believe that the difference dissapears with age.

It's a risk benefit thing. Alcohol has a benefit (relaxation maybe) and the risk that the child will be slightly behind in motorskills. Isn't there some research that indicates that sling wearing increases motorskills? And being responsive to a baby's cries quickens their ability to learn language? I figure even if I have a bottle of wine a week we are still ahead of the game.
Maybe that's just rationalization.


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## Chronic Chrissy (Sep 4, 2006)

I've read that you should wait 2 hours for every drink you have with a maximum of 8 hrs after you last drink for the alcohol to be removed from you milk. And the alcohol doesn't hit the milk for 30minutes to an hour. Now Reality. I have a drink or two at least 4 times a week. Sometime I have a beer while nursing and sometimes I have a few drinks and she isn't hunger for some time later. I don't agree with sober enough to drive sober enough to breastfeed because you shouldn't drive after drinking anyways, but I will bf. I think moderation is everything. I have had a night or two where I have been juiced and gone to bed and waken up an hour or two later to nurse because once or twice won't hurt. So don't beat yourself up, we all NEED or time to relax and unwind.


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Synchro246*
The Hale book refers to a study that says at a year children of women who drank frequently scored, on average, _slightly_ lower in tests of motor skills. I believe that the difference dissapears with age.

It's a risk benefit thing. Alcohol has a benefit (relaxation maybe) and the risk that the child will be slightly behind in motorskills. Isn't there some research that indicates that sling wearing increases motorskills? And being responsive to a baby's cries quickens their ability to learn language? I figure even if I have a bottle of wine a week we are still ahead of the game.
Maybe that's just rationalization.









Hey, as long as you're not trying to rationalize a bottle a day (like my grandparents - there's a reason I'm a teetotaler!).


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

I had to look up teetotaler. HA! Ok. I don't have time in my life for a bottle of wine a day. I don't think I ever will.


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Just to be clear, I simply use "teetotaler" as short hand for "I don't drink alcoholic beverages" - I will eat and drink things that have small amounts of alcohol in them (like our annual _real_ eggnog with 2T of rum in a huge bowl







).


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## rene_today (Sep 9, 2006)

Hey! Don't get upset. Why don't you consult your doctor this. Maybe it isn't so bad after all. Maybe it's ok to drink once in a while. btw i am working mother and was recently having a lot of problems in controlling my leaking breasts. Then someone suggested tha all in one shirt and nursing bra which looks hip and can be worn to work. Just thought would share this with you.


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## Jazzmin (Jun 29, 2006)

I am soooo glad I saw this thread. I have a weakness for dark beer and have been feeling guilty when I drink. I am so gald I am not the only one who indulges.


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## RaRa7 (Feb 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nisupulla*
I wouldn't sweat it. I read somewhere once that the amount of alcohol in breastmilk is equivalent to the amount in your blood. So hypothetically the amount the children ingested was next to nothing, even if you were trashed. I think the bigger risk is how your parenting was while you were impaired. Driving, sleeping with the kids, not doing a good job supervising, all would be risky. I suspect you didn't drive and it was late so the kids were sleeping anywhay. No biggie..

I think this is right on target!!
I have worried for soooo long and been afraid to post about it!!
Yet I have never seen ANY effects-be it motor skills or even sleeping longer in my dc.
my 3yo is sooooooooooo intelligent!--actually so is ds #2!
thanks for bringing it up!!


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## RaRa7 (Feb 29, 2004)

Also wanted to add that I have met moms in the past whose reason for weaning is so that they can have a drink once in awhile








I wish someonoe would have educated them-but then again-they're also being told that bf-ing has no benefit beyond a year.............


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## pjabslenz (Mar 25, 2004)

I've had a few while nursing and always found I've beat myself up as well. It's more the fact that I usually felt tired the next day, was feeling horrible about drinking then nursing my baby and feeling like I wasn't being the best mom I could be. I've found that my kids are fine and it was more me coming to grips with my decision.








Be gentle with yourself. I've found I'm always harder on myself than others and could drive myself crazy.


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## CryPixie83 (Jan 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cfiddlinmama*
My midwife recommends Guiness and cheesecake for milk!







She told me to drink a small glass of wine to stop my preterm labor too. My kids are great!

Cheesecake? Do tell, I could get used to having cheesecake on a regular basis


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## wryknowlicious (Apr 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pandora114*
yup Dark beers are supposed to be REALLY good at getting your supply up. I think it has to do with the brewers yeast.

my (italian) OB actually suggested to me that I drink a lager every morning with breakfast. his mom was a midwife for 60 yrs and he gets most of his BFing info form her.
















As to the original poster - I have a glass or 2 of wine about 4 times a week. It's ok, and my kids are fine.


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## ikesmom (Oct 29, 2005)

I enjoy a beer or wine now and then. My sister drank and even abused drugs while pregnant with her 3 kids. They are all very smart and no motor problems.







My oldest ds has motor and learning issues and I was sooo health concious , all natural, organic, vitamin obsessed ect. It doesn't make sense but I am sure you and the babes are fine.


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