Breastfeeding and alcohol
Avoiding alcohol while breast feeding, is the safest option for your baby. It is especially important to avoid alcohol in the first month after your baby is born as this can help to ensure that breastfeeding is well established and your baby gets the maximum benefit from your breast milk nutrients.
Knowing how alcohol use may affect your baby allows you to make an informed choice with the wellbeing and happiness of your baby as your absolute top priority.
It’s during the first six to eight weeks following your baby’s birth that setting sound breastfeeding patterns are being established. By avoiding alcohol during this time, you will help your baby to become settled. Since there is a lack of good quality evidence from human studies about the exact effect of alcohol on the development and behaviour of a breastfed baby, it has not been possible to set a ‘safe’ or ‘no-risk’ drinking level for women who are breastfeeding. However, the best option for your baby is to take the cautious approach, which means not drinking alcohol at all is the safest option.
As alcohol is a dehydrating substance, it can also reduce the amount of milk your baby actually gets at a feed. One alcoholic drink consumed just before breastfeeding may reduce your baby’s intake during that session by as much as 25 percent! This may eventually result in your baby taking in less milk than they need which could then affect their body weight as well as their ongoing growth and development!
For mothers who do choose to consume alcohol during breastfeeding, you should talk to your health care professional, for guidance.
Knowing the facts about alcohol consumption and breastfeeding is important and allows you to make an informed decision about what’s going to be best for your baby.