Once the baby is born and the danger of fetal alcohol syndrome is past, mothers often wonder whether it is safe for them to drink alcohol. If you are breastfeeding, alcohol is not forbidden; however, the alcohol could potentially reach your baby through your breast milk. Luckily, alcohol won't harm your nursing child if you follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' advice for drinking as a breastfeeding mother.
Moderation
The Healthy Children website, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics or the AAP, teaches that a breastfeeding mother can occasionally imbibe alcohol. You shouldn't drink excessively or regularly, because this could harm your baby, but you can drink in moderation.
Alcohol in the Breast Milk
When you consume alcohol, it enters your bloodstream, and a small portion could reach your breast milk, warns Healthy Children. For an hour or so after you finish drinking, your body processes the alcohol and removes it from your bloodstream; after all the alcohol has been digested, it no longer affects your milk.
How to Drink Safely
If you drink, do so shortly after breastfeeding. Then, wait two hours per drink before nursing again, Healthy Children advises; by that time, your body will have processed all the alcohol. Habitual or regular drinking can endanger your baby, so don't have more than one or two drinks at a time, and don't drink every day.
Alcohol and Milk Production
A popular, but inaccurate, myth teaches that drinking alcohol can help increase your milk production. Scientists have investigated whether alcohol is a galactagogue, a substance that enhances breast milk production. "Pediatrics," a journal published by the AAP, proved that alcohol is not a galactagogue and does not stimulate milk production. In fact, "AAP News" found that babies drink less milk after their mothers imbibe alcohol.
Potential Effects
If you drink too much alcohol or breastfeed your baby too soon after drinking, you could seriously harm your child in numerous ways, AAP Policy explains. The child may feel drowsy and may even fall into a dangerously deep sleep. He may become weak or begin to sweat excessively. Over time, the alcohol in your breast milk could stunt his growth or cause him to become overweight.
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