Hellobee Boards

You can have a glass of wine while BF'ing

I am hoping to time everything right to feed him, put him down to nap and then eat with one small glass of wine!

I just plan on having it right after he eats, not pumping yet!

No wine for me--we go to DH's family and they have a dry turkey day. I've had alcohol twice since LO was born and both times I was too worried about her waking up before the 2 hour window to actually relax about it so I will continue to refrain for now.

I knew I would have some wine last thanksgiving when LO had just turned 6 months so I just pumped the mornings before to have a mini stash. Then I had a couple half glasses in the afternoon/evening. But I also didn't hesitate to nurse after a half glass of wine, the pumped milk was there more if I had another glass after LO went to sleep and felt it.

"La Leche League's The Breastfeeding Answer Book (pp. 597-598) says:

Alcohol passes freely into mother's milk and has been found to peak about 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, 60 to 90 minutes when taken with food. Alcohol also freely passes out of a mother's milk and her system. It takes a 120 pound woman about two to three hours to eliminate from her body the alcohol in one serving of beer or wine...the more alcohol that is consumed, the longer it takes for it to be eliminated. It takes up to 13 hours for a 120 pound woman to eliminate the alcohol from one high-alcohol drink. The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother consumes."

I got that from the LLLI FAQ page, so I would feel comfortable with a glass of wine. A glass of vodka, however not so much lol!

I will be! I had a birthday beer after she went down to sleep last night because I knew she wouldn't be eating for another 3+ hours. It was delicious.

For Thanksgiving, I usually have a glass while getting ready for dinner so, I'll probably just time it with her feeding schedule and pour my glass when I come back down after feeding her a meal in the middle of the day somewhere.

@regberadaisy: I didn't realize she was still nursing every 2 hours! Maybe start drinking while she's eating.....? KIDDING!!

@mediagirl: haha... genius!!!

We probably won't have alcohol with our Thanksgiving dinner (our family doesn't really drink) but I will definitely have a few glasses of wine this weekend!! I'm exclusively pumping so I'll freely have a drink right after my 7pm pumping... then I won't pump again til right before bed, around 10 or 11.

Yep! I already drink a glass of beer on occasion. When I bring up all the new 'rules' to my mom she just laughs. Doctors used to (and maybe some still do) prescribe beer as a way to increase your supply. I understand being more safe than sorry though.

Does anyone watch The League? The wife/mom on the show is BFing and drinking and her MIL chases after her with those milk test strips! Hilarious (though I also kept thinking she should be more responsible-- how boring of me).

@regberadaisy: Oh well, this was this season that it's happening, so I hope I didn't spoil anything! (I didn't-- it's not exactly a cliffhanger type show!)

I'm also with @bpcmarj: about being sober enough to drive = sober enough to bf. I've had a glass (4 oz) on several occasions. I drank it after feeding DS & he slept long enough for me not to need to use pumped milk. I'm hoping to have two glasses on Thanksgiving & have DH give a bottle of breast milk.

I had no trouble not drinking during pregnancy (I was a glass a night girl before!) but now when I see DH have a beer at dinner I am So Sad!

@Mrsbells: that is so cool!!!

I probably will have one glass. I am not opposed to a glass here and there while BF plus Cobi eats SO much solids now that he drinks less milk or I could just have him drink his coconut milk now.

@hellobeeboston: ditto! Hopefully we can time it right