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Question

When is the latest to breastfeed after drinking?? Google articles say 3/4 hrs not to breastfeed.. But im also hearing 24 hrs from my best friend.. How soon can I breastfeed?? I pumped all day and threw the milk out that i felt was contaminated.

Answer

The biggest issue is being able to safely hold the baby.  The amount of alcohol in breastmilk (even if you are  beyond 3 sheets to the wind) is minimal. Those tests you can buy aren’t the best - it’s hard to gauge how much alcohol is truly present.  Keep in mind these tests also turn positive for orange juice (and yes there is a small amount of alcohol in orange juice because as fruit juice ages it turns to alcohol).  Also - please don’t pump and dump!  Don’t waste that liquid gold.  If you are truly concerned - pump and dilute the milk with “sober milk” before feeding baby.  
The rule I’ve heard from the breastfeeding experts I’ve talked with is if you can safely hold the baby you can safely feed the baby. If that makes you nervous - wait and hour or two per drink.  I was super careful about alcohol with my first and as I learned more, read more, and talked with more people - alcohol and breastfeeding aren’t as incompatible or even as risky as I originally thought.

Answer

Keep in mind - pump and dump is not going to get rid of the alcohol in your milk. I would still do it to keep your supply up if you are missing a feeding, but it’s not that the milk is alcohol free after you dump the first batch. It’s my understanding that if you are feeling the effects of alcohol in any way still, then it will still be in your milk. I follow up with a glass of water for each drink (at this point with a newborn, it’s not worth it to have more than one drink unless you have formula or  pumped milk for baby.) After two - three hours from the end of your drink and plenty of water/food to absorb should be fine if you are not still feeling the alcohol.

Answer

24 hrs??  I mean I was told that it’s 2 hrs PER drink you have.  So I really just followed that, mostly because I had no concrete answer? But girl 24 hrs is super excessive lol I’m all for pump & dump but no.  The 3/4 hr answer is what I’d be following!  
I’m just a mom who breastfed for 24months and rarely went out to drink 😂😂 but when I did, I made sure to track my drinks!  My kiddo was totally fine with the 2 hour per drink I had set (if I drank 3 drinks, I pumped and didn’t feed for 6 hrs)  so I mean, you’ll be okay regardless.    So many opinions on this topic, do what you think is safe :)

Answer

I commented already, but did a quick google search for what the cdc say (in the US)

Answer

Omg I so wish I could point you to an article that was on here about breastfeeding and drinking it was so informative you definitely don’t need to wait 24 hours I mean I guess if you’re shit faced drunk yea that might not be so bad but it’s pretty much how your body consumes alcohol content it’s like the same with breast milk

Answer

You definitely don't have to wait 24hrs! Generally, it's a good idea to wait 2hrs after 1 drink.  A good guideline is if you can't feel it, you're probably ok.  Also, if you wait long enough the alcohol metabolizes it of your milk.  So, unless you are drunk, you shouldn't have to pump and dump.  That's a terrible waste.  I was SUPER cautious with my first baby, did all the testing, etc.  Then I looked into it more when I had my second and realized I didn't have to be THAT strict.  It doesn't affect baby through breast milk like it does while pregnant.  I NEVER drink while pregnant, but I do while breastfeeding.  I usually nurse, than have a drink or two so it's the longest time between feedings.  Hope that helps! :-)

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