Breastfeeding and alcohol seem to be incompatible. In some places it’s even illegal to breastfeed while drinking. For example, Tasha Adams, 28-years-old mother, was arrested after breastfeeding while drinking in Arkansas in 2014.
It’s pretty clear that large amounts of alcohol can harm your baby. But when it comes to a glass of wine, is it OK to drink one?
Better Less but of Higher Quality
Experts say there aren’t enough studies to show the full picture on the matter. Yet it is highly recommended to stay clear of any kind of alcohol before your baby gets to the first developmental threshold of 3 months, since the brain of newborns under 3 months of age is still very vulnerable and developing.
If you baby’s older, you can afford yourself a glass of good-quality red wine (about 100-150 ml). But this is not to say that you can drink on a regular basis. One glass of wine once-twice a month is maximum what I personally think is acceptable.
It’s All About Right Timing
Dr. Herway says:
If a mom is going to drink alcohol, she should wait at least three to four hours until breastfeeding the baby
Do not breastfeed while drinking. Four hours, as Dr. Herway says, may be a little too much. I’d wait at least two hours after drinking alcohol.
Some women think that pumping would help them to get rid of alcohol in their milk. Not quite. Alcohol is constantly circulating in blood-stream until it’s fully cleared from your system, thus it would regularly get into breast milk, so pumping is as useless as an udder on a bull. Better drink water after having some wine to speed up the clearance period. Stick to the following formula: 1 glass of wine = 2 glasses of water. And you’ll be fine. 
Preplan when possible
It’s always better to plan ahead. So if you are to drink alcohol and will have to breastfeed soon after, there are two things you can do:
- You can pump and store some breast milk in advance.
- Or, you can feed your baby with formula.
If you decide to bottle-feed, don’t forget to “pump and dump” to prevent some breast pain that can be a result of a skipped feeding.
If you are still not sure whether you can drink alcohol when breastfeeding or not, here’s 13 facts you need to know about drinking alcohol and breastfeeding that will help you make the right call.
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