After spending 5 days in Sin City, where alcohol is abundant, I wanted to report on the effects of alcohol on breastfeeding. Alcohol, like most medications, does enter BM, but most research and publications on the issue say light, occasional drinking while BF is ok (think 1-2 drinks of the light stuff a week, e.g. a glass of wine or beer).
According to the AAP, moderate or excessive amounts of alcohol will affect both Mom and baby. For Mom, alcohol can interfere with the let-down reflex, and for baby, it can cause drowsiness, slow weight gain and decrease motor development, among other things.
Some articles recommend if you are going to drink alcohol, avoid nursing for 2-3 hours afterwards. But the best advice of all is to use common sense. BF Mom's obviously want to give their babies the best, so when in doubt, skip the sauce!
I have an night addiction to alcohol. After the kids are put to bed, I want more than one glass of wine to relax. My husband, who knows that both my parents drink at night to relax (enough to get a GOOD buzz), refuses to accept that I want to relax this way. I am having a hard time struggling with the guilt of drinking to relax, and to pump and dump afterwards to make sure my son does not receive any alcohol. I also want to be a christian, but when I drink I don't feel "christ-like." I dump until after his first feeding in the morning, sometimes later (he's 5 months old and waking up usually twice in the night). I am unsure of the alcohol content to baby Kai. I feel the urge to drink every night, and desire the drink, but I love my son dearly (and my 25 month old daughter), but I feel the stress of the two kids are overcoming me.
I am struggling between the christian life I desire to live for my husband and my kids, and the life I am so familiar with. I want an outlet. Help......
Posted by: Heather | January 15, 2006 at 10:33 PM