An actual answer to the question: “Can I have a drink while breastfeeding?”

It’s a strange transition, going from minimal-to-no drinking during pregnancy to drinking more recreationally after giving birth. And breast-feeding is hard enough without the misery of dumping that liquid gold down the sink because it might have alcohol in it.

So what do you need to know about drinking while breast-feeding? We’ve got you covered.

1. How much alcohol will get into my breast milk from one drink?

Drinking in small amounts while breast-feeding is considered safe. Studies indicate that the amount of alcohol that enters your breast milk is actually fairly low. The recommendation is to wait two hours after each serving of alcohol before breastfeeding. Many moms find it’s actually easiest to have a drink while breastfeeding, since that gives them the most time to let the alcohol pass through their systems. 

2. If there’s almost no alcohol in my milk, what’s the problem?

The biggest concern with drinking while you have a newborn is becoming impaired while caring for them. You don’t want to drink too much and fall asleep on the couch or in bed while holding the baby. You don’t want to be passed out and unable to hear the baby crying. Even if you drank quite a bit before being pregnant, your body is recovering from a big change right now. So have a beer or a glass of wine, absolutely, but just take it easy, and try to make sure there’s someone sober handling baby care during that time.

3. If I pump and dump, will I make new milk that doesn’t have alcohol in it?

Nope, the milk your body creates to replace it will still have alcohol in it. The benefit of pump and dump is that it will ease any engorgement you’re feeling if you have been drinking and can’t give the milk to your baby. But if you aren’t feeling full or engorged, you can actually just wait for the alcohol to clear your system and then feed your baby. If you are uncomfortable, then you can absolutely pumpg, and we recommend you do that, it just  won’t clear the alcohol from your milk any faster.

It’s always a good idea to listen to your body. If you have a cocktail over the course of an hour and feel fine, then you’re probably fine. But if you’re going to be drinking quite a bit, just remember that it’s worth it to have some formula or previously pumped breast milk on hand, and a sober person available to feed your little one.