Some organizations recommend not drinking alcohol while breastfeeding, though most health care professionals agree that drinking in moderation on occasion is acceptable. If you were looking forward to that glass of white wine and the little one has already had her breast milk, enjoy.
Significance
Alcohol enters the bloodstream rapidly and can be found at the same levels in breast milk as in blood. There is no safe amount of alcohol in breast milk. Generally, one or two drinks on occasion is not a contraindication to breastfeeding.
Timing
According to Judith Lauwers and Anna Swisher, co-authors of Counseling the Nursing Mother, a mother can resume breastfeeding as soon as she feels normal again or when the effects of alcohol have worn off. The authors quote the group Motherisk, a Canadian maternal health program, which recommends lactating mothers wait two hours per drink before breastfeeding.
Pump and Dump
If you have heard the saying "pump and dump," it holds no medical benefit. According to La Leche League pumping and dumping your breast milk, resting, drinking lots of water or consuming caffeine will not speed up the process of alcohol leaving your body or your breast milk.
Milk Storage
Gini Baker, who is a lactation consultant and teaches lactation educators and consultants at the University of San Diego in California, recommends that if pumping breast milk is required after drinking alcohol, you should write the letter A on the storage container and freeze it for six months. At that time your child will be older and better able to handle the alcohol content in your breast milk.
Considerations
Too much alcohol can inhibit your breast milk from letting down by blocking the release of oxytocin. If you plan on drinking white wine or any other alcohol every day or on a regular basis, you should speak with a lactation consultant or health care provider to make sure breastfeeding your child is the best option for you both. A pregnant woman should never consume alcohol.
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