I am Breastfeeding and I Love my Wine

Finally! The waiter is here with my order after what’s been centuries (it’s probably just been 5 minutes I’m just super thirsty and impatient.) The bubbles in my beer float to the top as my mouth is ready to take in all that cold goodness.

One problem is that all these people around me are staring. Is this that dream where I walked around naked for a whole day without realizing? Nope. Got my clothes on. Oh! it’s my baby! Her cuteness is probably stealing everyone’s attention. Then my boyfriend leans over and asks,

“Babe, are you really gonna drink that?”

I shrug and pick it up to take a whole chug. At this point, I realize that everyone’s staring because I’m drinking alcohol and have a breastfeeding baby which they witnessed a few minutes ago. People can be so judgmental. So I stand up with the resolve to school them on my choice and why I’m not doing anything wrong for my baby.

“Yes, I am drinking alcohol despite the fact that I am a breastfeeding mother. And yes I am responsible and do care what my baby ingests. I fed Imani about 10 minutes ago so she’s gonna be good for another 5 hours or so and by then we will be home where I have expressed milk stored well in the fridge. And I can proceed to feed her with that. By the time I have to breastfeed her again the alcohol will be out of my system. I made an informed decision to enjoy a cold drink without harming my baby. I know that alcohol passes readily into milk thus Imani is going nowhere near my boobs anytime soon. So you can stop staring, worried with concern for Imani, and get back to your meals.”

And with that firm clap back I’d sit down and get back to my drink. If only I had the courage to actually stand up and say that. For now, they’ll have to stare and not be reassured that Imani is fine. I just wish everyone would do some research for themselves and not jump into conclusions.

What you need to know about Breast milk and Alcohol combinations is that:

-The baby’s brains are still developing and can easily be damaged.

-Breastfeeding mothers should avoid alcohol until the baby is 3 months old.

-Alcohol passes readily into breast milk.

-Alcohol levels are highest in breast milk in the 2 hours following ingestion, obviously dependent on the amount taken.

-Only time will eliminate alcohol from breast milk.  Under no circumstances should you breastfeed while intoxicated.

-It is recommended that mothers wait 3-5 hours to breastfeed once again. It is advised to first express the milk with alcohol before breastfeeding again. The exact time it will take to completely eliminate alcohol from the breast is dependent on the mother’s height, mass and liver health.

Lansinoh Single Manual Breastpump makes expressing easier before any wine session. Shop now at The MumsVillageShop

Don’t feel like you’re chained to a chair called motherhood and you can’t do anything you want to anymore. Though partly true, you can still enjoy your favourite glass of wine. Don’t be afraid to sip some chilled rosè wine on a rare Sunday afternoon when all the kids are down napping… It would in fact be wiser to express some milk before so you can be armed in case the baby wakes up hungry.

Breastfeeding while intoxicated will lead to alcohol being passed to the baby via breast milk. This can harm the baby in various ways including drowsiness, weakness and impaired motor development. Be aware of your options, the choices you can make and the consequences. Remember you are not the first mother to do this and you will make informed decisions with your baby in mind.

MumsVillage does not advocate for drinking at all but does advocate for free will and making informed decisions.

You might also like:

9 Cool Breastfeeding Facts New Mums Should Know

MumsVillageShop: Breast Pads Frequently Asked Questions

MumsVillageShop Product Tour: Medela and Avent Breast Pads

Register for our weekly newsletter and follow us for more information and resources on parenting on MumsVillage Facebook page!