Make sure you read the part about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

If you’re a mother who would like a glass of wine or beer during breastfeeding, here are a few suggestions to reduce alcohol transfers to your baby through your milk. As long as the quantity remains limited (1 to 2 drinks) and occasional, the baby will be fine, except for maybe possible minor sleep disturbances.

Dr. Carlos Gonzalez, pediatrician and author of Breastfeeding Made Easy, informs us that the concentration of alcohol in a mother’s milk is roughly equal to the concentration of alcohol in her blood. Of course, breast milk is constantly filtered (like blood) and the presence of alcohol will diminish over time.

Since we estimate that alcohol can pass through breast milk 30-90 minutes after consumption, here are several recommendations:

• Breastfeed your baby just before consuming alcohol;
• After drinking alcohol, if possible, wait at least 2-3 hours before breastfeeding your baby. Of course, this is easier if the baby has a breastfeeding routine;
• Keeping you well hydrated and nourished also helps metabolize alcohol;
•  If you want to drink more when going out, keep a milk reserve to feed your baby when you’re away. When you get home, during the 3 hours following your last consumption, you can pump your milk and throw it away to avoid transmitting higher levels of alcohol to your baby. Depending on how much you drink, you should skip one, two or even more feeds to make sure that the alcohol level in your milk is minimal. You can then return to your regular breastfeeding schedule.

If alcohol has been consumed in large quantities, regardless of your breastfeeding, this may entail risks for the baby, depending on his or her age and the time of consumption. In addition to sleep disturbances, there may be more crying and waking, as well as a decrease in feeding, which could result from a drop in nutrient intake.

If the breast-feeding mother consumes alcohol regularly and excessively, certain effects may be noticeable in the baby in the short, medium and long term :

• growth delay
• immune deficiency
• various developmental disorders

Possible Effects of Alcohol on Breastfeeding

Even if you consume alcohol in moderation, keep an eye on your milk production because it can lower under the effects of alcohol. The ejection reflex can also be disturbed, so this is why it’s important to be watchful.

What can you do if you think you need help to stop drinking?