Cognac while breastfeeding what will happen to the baby. Alcohol while breastfeeding - how long after you can feed your baby if the mother drinks alcohol

Society has firmly established a critical attitude towards mothers who drink alcohol while breastfeeding. And there are good reasons for this. After all, someone will probably argue that alcohol itself is poison. And poison during breastfeeding is a serious blow to the baby’s health. But there are a lot of nuances in this topic, which will be discussed in this material.

Facts and Research

The question of how harmful alcohol is when breastfeeding, is quite important, but has not yet been resolved through research. Therefore, all doctors tend to give recommendations only on the basis of what threat alcohol can pose to the baby’s life in theoretical terms. Nursing mothers are advised to completely avoid drinking alcohol. But in 2006, an American doctor made his point of view on this topic publicly available. In his opinion, the categorical ban on alcohol was imposed in vain, and a nursing woman may well drink a little alcohol. But his main emphasis is on the word “a little.”

However, who can say how to understand this word? And what can alcoholic drinks entering the body of a nursing woman actually do to a child?

To answer the question of whether alcohol gets into breast milk and in what quantity, you need to understand the problem a little deeper by studying each stage of the movement of alcohol inside female body.

Taking an alcoholic drink. Any alcohol first enters the stomach, where it remains for about 20 minutes. Then the alcohol moves towards the intestines.
Suction. Once in the upper intestine, alcohol enters the bloodstream. It only takes 10 minutes to process.
The maximum amount of alcohol in the blood is observed within half an hour to an hour after drinking alcohol. Champagne breaks speed records in this regard, going through the first two stages in just 10 minutes. It is at this time that the ethanol contained in the alcoholic drink also enters the milk. He will stay there for quite a long time.
Excretion from the body occurs at an average rate of 10 milliliters of ethanol per hour. However, everything is individual and largely depends on the strength of the drink and the physical condition of the woman. Once alcohol begins to be eliminated from the blood, it also disappears from breast milk.

Based on the above, it is worth giving unambiguous answers to women’s traditional questions.

Does alcohol pass into breast milk? Yes! Moreover, the milk will contain 10% of how much the mother drank.
At what time does the child receive maximum amount milk with alcohol? Half an hour to an hour after mom drinks alcohol. Champagne appears in milk within 10 minutes.
When can alcohol completely leave milk, and how long after can you feed your baby? It all depends on how much the woman weighs and what she drank. If we talk about a weight of 60 kg and one glass of wine, then the milk will become clear in a couple of hours. If a woman drinks cognac or vodka at the same weight, then cleansing will occur after 12 hours.

It is also worth dispelling the misconceptions of many mothers who believe that pumping helps clear milk from alcohol. Alcohol comes out of milk at the same time as it comes out of the blood. Therefore, it is useless to express, ethanol will return to the milk.

The effect of alcohol on a baby while breastfeeding

Despite the arguments of the American pediatrician, there is no need to talk about the safety of alcohol during breastfeeding. After all, not every mother knows when to stop and can stop at a harmless glass of good wine. Usually a woman sets the standard for herself, which can lead to dire consequences.

It’s worth talking separately about the myths that wander around this topic.

The effects of alcohol on the body

If your mother is still wondering whether she can drink while breastfeeding, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the most dangerous and common consequences of drinking alcohol.

Disturbance in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. In a child, ethanol stimulates an increased heart rate, which causes weakness and even breathing problems in the child.
External manifestations. A large amount of alcohol in milk can cause weakness and lethargy in the baby, his sleep will be disturbed, and the baby will become nervous. But the mother will understand that the amount of milk has decreased.
Disorder digestive tract. Alcohol can play a cruel joke even on an adult, not to mention a fragile child’s body. Once in the child’s intestines, alcohol reduces the absorption of beneficial microelements and valuable substances.
Liver problems. Until the baby reaches 3 months, even a glass of wine can cause a severe blow to the child’s fragile liver. She is simply unable to cope with the task at hand, and she becomes intoxicated. Therefore, children can get the most severe liver diseases from the first days of their life.

Safe drinking

So that you can support the company for festive table, and relax a little, you need to prepare for ceremonial event. And if you cannot do without completely abstaining from alcohol, then we recommend that you minimize the possible risk of taking it. To do this, you need to follow a number of simple rules and take into account some features.

Know your limits! Any alcohol should be taken within reasonable limits. A nursing mother can only afford a glass of wine or champagne in the evening. Just don’t use this kind of belief every day, otherwise it can lead to alcoholism.
If the baby is under three months old, then alcohol is out of the question.
Do not drink on an empty stomach. If you eat a heavy meal, alcohol will be absorbed into the blood more slowly and in reduced quantities.
Consider the fact that with a woman’s low body weight, ethanol takes longer to be eliminated from the body. For those with curvy figures, everything happens much faster.
Do not drink various sorbents. This technique will not help you reduce the amount of ethanol entering your milk. Alcohol does not accumulate in milk; it enters and leaves it along with the blood.

If you strictly remember the previous tips, then you can spend a gala evening with family and friends without any complications. And in order to minimize the risk of negative consequences for your child after your feast, we have prepared a number of other recommendations.

If you plan to drink at a feast, then feed your baby beforehand.
Pour some milk in reserve. If you are not confident that you can correctly calculate your dose of alcohol, then it is better to express the milk and put it in the refrigerator. It is better to stock up on milk for several feedings at once, because it can be safely stored for a day.
Do not put your child to sleep with you if you are intoxicated. Not only can the baby reach the breast on his own and drink full-degree milk, but you can accidentally crush him with your own body.

Remember how long alcohol lasts in breast milk and how long it takes for it to be excreted. Only your prudence will allow you to avoid negative consequences. Komarovsky says about drinking alcohol while breastfeeding: “Alcohol or baby? The choice is up to mom.”

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Article last updated: 01/23/2017

Any breastfeeding woman should know that everything she eats or drinks is passed on to her baby through breast milk. Therefore, alcohol taken by the mother can cause significant harm to the newborn. However, some ladies can hardly resist missing one glass of wine or drinking a little beer, especially since the period of natural feeding lasts quite a long time, and during this time there are many holidays or friendly gatherings, where strong drinks are almost always present. And before drinking, a woman must understand for herself that breastfeeding and alcohol are far from compatible concepts.

Features of a woman’s body, the effect of strong drinks on it

It has long been known that alcohol is poorly compatible with the weaker sex, because the female body is structured somewhat differently than the male. While men can tolerate a certain amount of alcohol, women get drunk many times faster. And body weight is not the only indicator. The bottom line is that the body of the stronger sex has more fluid and less fat, and water actually reduces the amount of ethanol in the blood, but the presence of a fat layer, on the contrary, increases the effect of drinking alcohol.

Also, enzymes in the male liver are produced in greater quantities than in the female liver, so women process intoxicating drinks much longer. Availability menstrual cycle also enhances the toxic effect after drinking alcohol. In addition to physical differences, the female psyche is much subtler and more vulnerable, which quickly leads to the development of alcohol addiction.

The effect of alcohol on babies

It is worth noting the fact that the absorption and removal of strong drinks from the body of a nursing mother occurs a little differently than in normal times. So, drunk beer or wine is absorbed much faster, but it is excreted, on the contrary, more slowly. In this case, 10% of all alcohol passes directly into mother's milk. The removal of alcohol from milk occurs at the same time as its removal from the woman’s blood, and what more weight mothers, the faster the time it takes to cleanse the body of intoxicants.

For example, if a nursing woman weighing 60 kg drinks 0.5 liters of beer, it will be released from breast milk in about 2.5 hours. Strong drinks (vodka, cognac, whiskey, etc.) are eliminated from the female body 12-13 hours after their consumption.

The baby can receive the maximum dose of alcohol in 40-60 minutes, if the mother drank beer or wine, literally within 10 minutes ethanol will enter the milk after a glass of sparkling drink.

Alcoholic drinks have the most negative impact on the development of the central nervous system and the development of mental and physical abilities. Alcohol-containing drinks affect each child differently: while some experience drowsiness, lethargy and weakness, others experience extreme agitation and nervousness.

In addition to the effect on the nervous system of the baby, alcohol has an extremely negative effect on the cardiovascular system. Ethanol contained in intoxicating drinks leads to an unnatural rhythm of the child’s heart. After some time, the baby may experience breathing problems.

Alcohol-containing drinks also affect the baby’s digestive tract. If a mother often drinks beer or wine, it can provoke an attack of intestinal colic, or reduce the intensity of absorption of various beneficial substances in the child’s intestines.

And when mommy asks herself whether she can drink or not at the holiday table, and how much alcohol to allow herself, several important factors must be taken into account:

the type of alcohol and the amount the lady drank;
how often is intoxicating drink consumed;
how many feedings occur per day;
the immediate age of the baby.

But, despite all the points listed, the mother must understand that after allowing herself a little weakness, alcohol will still end up in the milk, and soon in the newborn’s body. And naturally, it is important what was drunk at the holiday - dry wine, high-quality beer or vodka. The age of the baby is also determining; the younger the baby is, the more negative the effect on his body. Many experts on issues of motherhood and childhood agree that until the baby is at least six months old, it is best for the mother not to drink alcohol at all; this prohibition at this time even applies to various alcohol tinctures, such as tincture of valerian or motherwort.

If there is a strict taboo for children under six months of age, then when feeding older babies, restrictions are introduced for the mother on the issue of drinking alcohol. After all, the immature liver of a newborn simply cannot cope with even a small amount of alcohol that reaches him through mother’s milk.

It is important to know that a woman can drink low-alcohol drinks, such as beer, about three hours before feeding. As for vodka, whiskey and other strong alcohol, they should be excluded until the end of the breastfeeding period.

If a woman encounters situations in which she cannot adhere to the above tips, then it is better to express before going to a party. After all, mother’s milk is stored for quite a long time and does not lose its useful properties: in the refrigerator - a day, in the freezer - 1 month.

Some mothers wonder: to make milk pure, can they simply express it after drinking alcohol? Unfortunately, the answer is disappointing, as long as alcohols remain in the blood, they will again and again end up in mother's milk.

Is it possible for a nursing mother to drink alcohol: truth and myths

This sensitive issue is surrounded by many different myths and speculations. Here are some of them:

Beer leads to increased lactation. There is an opinion that if you drink this drink, the baby asks for the breast more often, therefore, more breast milk is produced. Several American scientists have conducted research on this matter. Some mothers drank alcoholic beer, while others drank non-alcoholic beer. Indeed, women who drink alcoholic beverages began to put their children to the breast more often, but the total amount of milk after such an experiment among these nursing mothers decreased by almost a third. Consequently, beer does not increase the production of mother's milk, but, on the contrary, suppresses it.
If the mother drinks a little alcohol, this will improve the baby's sleep. There is an opinion that if you allow yourself wine before night feeding, the baby will sleep until the morning. About 20 years ago, detailed studies were carried out in the United States, during which it turned out that after the mother drinks alcohol, the baby’s sleep actually changes, but some disruption occurs in the baby’s nervous system, and he feels a sensation close to intoxication. He simply falls into a sleepy state. And the sleep of such children is much more restless and shorter than that of those who drink regular milk.
A woman can't drink a large number of alcohol after the birth of a child to stabilize emotional condition women in labor. This is simply a terrible misconception, because no matter how little a woman drinks, up to the age of six months, alcohol has an extremely negative effect on the newborn.
Intoxicating drinks tend to accumulate in breast milk. This is just a myth. After a certain time, ethanol is eliminated from breast milk, as well as from the blood.

Some tips on how you can celebrate the holiday without harming your baby

One of the American pediatricians, Thomas Hale, conducted many studies on breastfeeding, after which he published a book entitled “ Medications and breast milk." In it, the specialist gives several rules for drinking alcohol while breastfeeding.

There are several features during the period of natural feeding:

the effect of alcohol on the child’s body directly depends on how much the nursing mother drank. You should not abuse alcohol. Wine or beer should not be the norm every day, but you can afford a single glass on a holiday.
if the child is under 6 months old, then the mother should not drink any alcohol-containing liquid at all; the baby’s liver cannot cope with even a minimal amount of alcohol;
a woman should take into account her own weight and height; the larger they are, the faster ethanol is eliminated after drinking strong drinks;
You can’t drink on an empty stomach. Food reduces the absorption of alcohols into the blood of a nursing mother, and, consequently, into breast milk.

No effective ways reduce the alcohol content after drinking relaxing drinks, and even sorbents will not speed up the process of their elimination. While the drugs act in the intestines, ethanol is in the blood and then penetrates into the milk.

Don't harm your child:

If you plan to drink beer or wine at parties, then feed your baby some time before the event. The next feeding should be when the mother considers that she is sober enough;
do not abuse strong drinks at the holiday, limit yourself to a glass of light alcohol, you also need to clearly control how much you drink;
Stock up on “pure” milk in advance so that you have enough for at least one more feeding. It is known that breast milk can be stored for a long time after expression;
Try to still drink non-alcoholic drinks. You can opt for non-alcoholic beer that does not contain dangerous ethanol. Also watch out for preservatives and dyes found in low-quality alcohol, they can cause allergic reactions in your baby.

To drink or not to drink alcohol is the responsibility of every nursing mother, on which her health depends. small child. And if a woman decides to drink a strong drink at a party, then high-quality beer and wine can be an excellent alternative to vodka and cognac.

Breastfeeding is a natural process. During feeding, the baby feels protected, he calms down, and worries disappear.

Human milk is a healthy liquid that is produced in the mammary glands. Milk is produced from lymph and blood under the influence of the hormone prolactin.

About breastfeeding

Human milk is very useful, along with it antibodies are passed from the mother to the child, breast milk, in addition to being food and drink for the child, it is also a natural immune stimulant. The baby receives warm and sterile milk, which simplifies and facilitates the feeding process, making it comfortable and enjoyable.

Any mother wants a little break from everyday life, from ironing diapers and frequent feedings. If the mother experiences stress or constant lack of sleep, this can affect lactation, as a result of which it will decrease, and you will have to put effort into stimulating it.

Every mother interprets the concept of rest differently. For some it’s getting enough sleep, being alone, or drinking alcohol. But is it possible to drink alcohol while breastfeeding? Does alcohol pass into breast milk? How long after consumption can I feed? How much beer or wine can you drink? All this needs to be sorted out.

Alcohol

Alcoholic drink and - these are drinks that contain ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Each type of alcohol has its own percentage of ethanol content.

Alcoholic drinks are divided into three types: low alcohol, medium alcohol and strong alcoholic drinks.

It is also worth remembering the time it takes for alcohol to be completely eliminated from the body.

Time to remove alcohol from the body

Everyone is concerned about the question: in what period of time is alcohol completely eliminated from the body? It is believed that in one hour from 90 to 130 milligrams of alcohol per 1 kilogram of a person’s live weight is destroyed. But a woman’s body is less weak to quickly eliminate alcohol, and therefore the time for complete elimination of ethyl alcohol from the body increases by 20%.

Society and medicine have a negative attitude towards alcohol consumption during breastfeeding. Really, alcohol is poison for the body. It disrupts the processes in the adult body, and deals a severe blow to the child’s body.

Does alcohol pass into breast milk?

Ethyl alcohol penetrates directly into the body through the bloodstream. Alcohol penetrates into milk after half an hour, the elimination time depends on the weight, metabolism and condition of the mother.

If you want to drink alcoholic beverages, You must remember three rules :

The percentage of alcohol that passes into breast milk is is about 10%. But this figure can vary up to 25%, depending on the woman’s weight and metabolism.

The approximate time for ethanol to enter milk is 25-40 minutes. Even 2 hours after consumption, alcohol will be transferred to the child along with milk. Until alcohol is completely eliminated from the body, it will penetrate the mammary glands, thereby ending up in milk.

Some mothers note that after drinking beer or wine, the baby falls asleep faster and more soundly. This is due to the fact that alcohol is not completely eliminated from the body and milk, as a result of which baby fell asleep due to alcohol intoxication and intoxication.

Do I need to pump?

Alcohol, after entering the stomach, spreads throughout the body. And therefore, many doctors claim that expressing is useless. Since the substance is excreted from the body and different organs at the same time.

Wine for breastfeeding

Many people know that real wine in small quantities has a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis and increases hemoglobin, but the alcohol contained in it can harm the baby and lactation in general. In this case, it is better to replace the wine with pomegranate juice, which will bring great benefits to the body.

Beer during breastfeeding

There is a popular belief that a glass of beer increases lactation. Indeed, such an effect is observed, but not for everyone, especially since it is fleeting and one-time. Also, after drinking a glass of beer, your breasts may increase slightly in size. This is due to the fact that under the influence of ethanol, the breasts swell due to fluid retention in the vessels.

When lactation decreases, it is better to replace beer with frequent drinks, plenty of warm drinks and a good mood.

Champagne with guards

Champagne is considered safe for the health of the mother, due to the fact that when drinking it there will be no strong intoxication. During breastfeeding, sparkling wine can be consumed if its dose does not exceed 200 ml. But you need to remember that you cannot drink alcohol on an empty stomach! The average time for champagne to be eliminated from the body is 160-200 minutes. After consumption, measure this period of time.

How does alcohol affect a child?

Doctors all over the world unanimously say that during breastfeeding a nursing mother should completely abstain from drinking intoxicating drinks of any strength, because ethanol has a detrimental effect on the child’s body and development. Some experts argue that a small amount of alcohol cannot harm the baby if you follow some rules, which are described below. If a nursing mother drinks a glass of wine (200g) at a celebration and feeds her baby 2-3 hours later, it will not cause harm. Everyone has such moments, you shouldn’t reproach yourself for a one-time weakness, but if you systematically have a desire to sip an alcoholic drink, then you should think about it.

Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine or champagne have a detrimental effect on the growing body. And that's why:

How long after can you feed your baby?

The optimal time for feeding is 2-3 hours, but you need to take into account the strength and amount of alcohol you drink, and also remember the approximate time you stop drinking alcohol. So, after drinking a glass of white wine or a glass of champagne, you can start breastfeeding after 2.5-3 hours, 2 glasses of wine or beer - after at least 6 hours. This way, you can minimize the risk and likelihood of alcohol passing into breast milk.

How smaller child, the more tender his body is to processing various kinds of substances, including ethanol. In this case, you need to take into account the age of the child. It is possible to drink low- or medium-alcoholic drinks once the child reaches three months of age, ideally six months.

After four months, the mother can allow herself to relax a little with the help of alcohol. It is strictly forbidden to drink before feeding. It is better to feed the child and then drink some alcohol. Better yet, express before use so that the child has a portion of reserve, non-alcoholic milk.

You should also choose high-quality alcohol with a minimum of impurities, and remember the permitted dose: 200g of wine or champagne, or a glass of beer (no more than 250g). When drinking beer, do not take it in cans, as it contains a high content of preservatives. It is advisable to opt for dry white wine.

Alcohol during breastfeeding should be drunk no more than twice a month. It is not advisable to drink on an empty stomach; with a full stomach, alcohol is absorbed into the blood more slowly and less.

Ethanol negatively affects lactation, which leads to its decrease.

Alcohol and breastfeeding- this is a responsibility that lies on the shoulders of a woman, and only she is responsible for her actions and actions that can affect the condition and development of the baby. Any mother has the right to decide whether to drink or not drink while breastfeeding, but before doing so, you should weigh the pros and cons, and take everything into account possible risks and consequences. Perhaps a nursing woman will opt for non-alcoholic wine or beer, which will be a safe alternative.

Food eaten by a nursing mother passes into breast milk and into the baby's body. So she tries to fill her diet healthy products, fruits and vegetables. Almost all women know about the dangers of alcohol during lactation, trying to reduce its consumption to a minimum. But on holidays it’s hard to resist a glass of champagne or wine. Is alcohol dangerous while breastfeeding? How much alcohol can you drink without harming your baby?

How can alcohol affect a newborn?

Before sipping a glass of alcoholic drink, a nursing mother should understand what alcohol is and how it affects the body. The main component of all alcoholic beverages is the substance ethanol (wine or ethyl alcohol). Liqueurs, wine, beer, cognac contain various impurities that negatively affect health. These are aldehydes, ethers, lead, cobalt, phenols, methanol, flavors, and coloring matter. The more drink you drink, the higher their concentration will be in the body.

A nursing mother should know that her absorption and release of alcohol proceeds differently than in normal times. During breastfeeding, alcohol and other components are absorbed much faster and released more slowly. 10% of what you drink ends up in milk. If alcohol can harm a baby, then what does this mean?

Any doctor will say that Negative consequences alcohol affects:

The baby's nervous system. Having tasted breast milk with alcohol, the baby will instantly fall asleep, but the sleep will be restless and sensitive, which is why the baby will often wake up.
Mental development. If a mother constantly drinks alcohol while breastfeeding, she runs the risk of raising a child with developmental disabilities.
Cardiac and vascular system. The number of heart beats increases, the baby becomes weak, lethargic, and apathetic. His blood pressure drops.
Digestive system. Any unfamiliar product can provoke a negative intestinal reaction, not to mention alcohol. Painful colic, bloating and gas formation will intensify. Ethyl causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, and intestinal absorption deteriorates. Valuable vitamins and minerals leave the body without having time to be absorbed. Frequent consumption of alcohol while breastfeeding affects the child by underweight and delayed physical development.
Mental condition. If adults quickly get used to alcohol, then infants are not even worth mentioning. From the very first days of life, the mother will form an addiction in the baby, until the child becomes dependent on alcohol.

Misconceptions – Alcohol and breastfeeding

The main misconception among nursing mothers is the usefulness of alcohol to enhance lactation. A connection has been found between an increase in the amount of milk during breastfeeding and the consumption of “live” beer. This process is influenced by the polysaccharide found in yeast and barley. But a qualified doctor will never advise a young mother to skip a glass of beer in order to affect her milk volume, because:

When drinking alcohol, the mammary glands increase in size not due to the influx, but due to the retention of salts and fluid in the breast. The volumes of milk produced remain the same. Pediatricians from the United States conducted an experiment in which some women drank non-alcoholic beer, while others drank alcoholic beer. It was noted that the number of attachments in women who drank alcohol increased. But the total volume of milk sucked by the baby decreased by 27%. This means that lactation did not increase, but rather decreased.
Beer and other alcoholic drinks contain negligible amounts of useful substances, and more of them can be obtained by consuming other, less harmful products.
Alcohol contains concentrated dyes harmful substances, penetrating into mother's milk and reaching the baby.
Even in small doses, alcohol is completely eliminated from the body of a nursing woman within 6-7 hours. And this is quite a long period of time.

Another popular misconception is that alcohol has a positive effect on a child’s sleep. A glass of wine before feeding will calm a restless baby and put him to sleep throughout the night. The Americans, in order to refute this opinion, conducted another study and found that alcohol in breast milk actually affects the depth of sleep and wakefulness of the baby. But not soothing, but annoying, causing disturbances in the nervous system. At first, the baby feels euphoria, similar to intoxication. Afterwards, the nerve cells are depressed, and he falls into a heavy sleep, constantly waking up. Sleep is not deep due to the absence of a resting phase, thanks to which the body's resources are restored. The duration of sleep in children who suckled breast milk with alcohol was much shorter than in those who drank pure milk.

What kind of alcohol and how much will not harm

If a woman decides to drink alcohol during breastfeeding, she should know how much is allowed to drink and what kind of alcohol it should be.

Do not overuse even the highest quality wine, liqueur or champagne. You can afford a glass of alcohol on a holiday, but you cannot drink such drinks every day. Regular drinking is a sign of alcoholism;
Until the baby is 3 months old, drink alcohol is strictly prohibited. Alcohol poses a threat to newborns. Their liver and digestive system are still immature. They are not able to cope with the alcohol that entered the body, which is included in the champagne flute that the mother allowed herself while breastfeeding. At this age, the baby will be freed from poisons 3 times longer than the mother;
For each mother, the dosage of alcohol is individual. The amount of alcohol consumed per day depends on the woman’s body weight. The less it weighs, the smaller the volume of the drink consumed, and the longer it will take to dissipate. This means that the interval between drinking alcohol and future feeding will lengthen;
Do not drink on an empty stomach. Having had a good lunch beforehand, mommy will reduce the intensity of ethanol absorption.

There is no ideal way to instantly cleanse yourself of alcohol intoxication. Adsorbents, large volumes of water, and other methods will not speed up the process. Ethanol, absorbed into the blood, penetrates into milk and leaves it when the general condition of the body returns to normal.

Table - time for removing alcohol from the body

How long it takes for alcohol to leave the body depends on several components:

weight and height;
liver health;
amount of alcohol;
strength of drinks consumed.

If a nursing mother allows herself a glass of wine (170 ml.), containing 11% alcohol, or a glass of beer 250 ml., containing 4.5%, or a glass of vodka with 40% alcohol, then you can calculate the approximate weathering time using the following generally accepted diagram:

Weight, kg.)	Weathering time
40	2 hours 50 minutes
45	2 hours 42 minutes
50	2 hours 36 minutes
55	2 hours 27 minutes
60	2 hours 21 minutes
65	2 hours 16 minutes
70	2 hours 12 minutes
75	2 hours 06 minutes
80	2 hours 01 minutes
85	1 hour 59 minutes
90	1 hour 52 minutes

If there were two doses, then the indicators are multiplied accordingly. So a mother weighing 70 kg, having drunk two glasses of wine with a friend, will completely get rid of alcohol in her blood and milk in 4 hours 24 minutes. But this time also depends on the health of the liver. Expressing will not affect the alcohol content of the milk. The new influx will produce milk with the same alcohol content as the previously expressed portion.

Mom can take part in the celebration with a glass of juice. But if you can’t wait to have a celebration of the soul during lactation, you can resort to simple tricks and not harm the baby:

Before the upcoming event, feed the baby well and eat yourself.
Express in case you can’t completely sober up before the next feeding.
Try not to use too much. Alcohol while breastfeeding is not harmful in moderate doses.
You are allowed to drink non-alcoholic wine or children's champagne that does not contain alcohol. But here you should take a closer look at the quality of the selected drinks. Many of them include dyes, additives, and sugar that can cause a severe allergic reaction in a baby.

Whether it is possible to drink alcohol while breastfeeding, each mother decides for herself. Many people don’t even think about the danger they are exposing their children to, allowing themselves to relax to the point of complete intoxication. If mom doesn’t know when to stop and can’t stop at just one glass, it’s better not to be tempted and wait until the end of such an important period in life.

An important point remains the possible harm caused to the baby after drinking alcohol. The reaction of a nursing mother to some stimuli is dulled, and the baby requires strict, vigilant control both day and night. Parents must be able to respond to the baby’s actions (if he gets up in a stroller, gets out of a crib, crawls around the room where there may be dangerous objects). Drinking alcohol increases reaction time. The mother will not be able to properly respond to a fall or injury to the child, which threatens his health and life.

Is it possible to drink alcohol while breastfeeding? What is its mechanism of action on the child’s body? How do different drinks affect the baby: beer, wine and champagne? Is there a safe technique for using them?

Society's critical attitude to the problem of combining alcohol and breastfeeding has good reasons. Alcohol is a poison, a well-known axiom. It disrupts metabolic processes in the body of an adult, and can cause enormous harm to a child in his first year of life. However, there are many “buts” in this problem that are important for a nursing mother to know about.

Facts and Research

Despite the importance of the issue, significant research has not yet been carried out on it. Doctors give recommendations based on generally accepted theses about the effects of alcohol on a child’s body. Nursing mothers are advised to completely abstain from drinking alcohol. A refutation of this ban was published in 2006 by an American pediatrician, a member of the Professional Advisory Council International organization on breastfeeding La Leche League Jack Newman.

In his opinion, the ban on complete consumption of alcohol is one of the unnecessary taboos that surround young mothers. Taking it in small doses does not cause dangerous consequences. The professor believes that a woman can drink a little and feed the baby as usual. The main emphasis is on the word “a little”.

But where are the limits of what is acceptable? And what actually happens to alcoholic beverages that enter the mother’s body? Let's look at it in detail.

Taking a drink. Drinking beer or wine enters the digestive tract. The drink remains in the stomach for about 20 minutes. It then moves to the intestines.
Suction. Occurs in the upper, small intestine. Alcohol is released into the blood. Processing time is 10 minutes.
Maximum blood concentration. Observed within 30-60 minutes after self-administration or 60-90 minutes after ingestion with food. Champagne works faster. It goes through the first and second stages in 10 minutes. At the same time, some of the ethanol from the alcohol-containing drink ends up in breast milk.
Excretion from the body. Its speed is 10 milliliters of ethanol per hour, but depends on the woman’s weight and the amount of alcohol consumed. Strong alcoholic beverages take longer to process. As blood levels drop, alcohol leaves breast milk.

In this way, the basic questions that link alcohol and breastfeeding can be answered.

Does alcohol pass into breast milk? Yes, it does. The intensity of absorption is similar to the absorption of medications and is 10% of the volume drunk by the mother.
When can a child receive the maximum dose of an alcohol-containing “cocktail”? When breastfeeding, 30-60 minutes after drinking beer and wine and 10 minutes after a glass of champagne.
When will the milk become pure again? This will happen after the blood is cleansed of ethanol breakdown products. The intensity of the process is individual. With an average woman weighing 55 kilograms, one glass of red wine during breastfeeding is neutralized within 2-3 hours. For strong drinks the process takes longer. So, cognac, brandy, vodka are eliminated within 13 hours.

The intensity of alcohol removal from the body is determined by the woman’s weight and height and the amount of alcohol consumed. Its average speed is shown in the table. The unit of measurement for alcohol is “drink”. One “drink” means:

340 g beer (5%);
142 g wine (11%);
42.5 g of strong drink (40%).

It is impossible to remove alcohol from milk. As long as alcohol is in the blood, it will pass into the thoracic ducts again and again. But when its level in the blood drops, there will be no more of it in the milk.

How does alcohol affect a baby?

According to experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, lactation and alcohol are compatible. In small quantities it does not harm the baby. The danger of this judgment is that each woman sets her own limit of “small amount” for herself.

There is no need to reproach yourself for weakness if you allowed yourself to drink a glass of light wine in honor of the celebration. And it’s worth thinking about if minimal alcohol consumption pushes you to uncontrolled drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Myths and speculation

There are several myths associated with alcohol that haunt young mothers. Because of them, alcohol-containing drinks are either completely prohibited. Or they are interpreted as medicinal and beneficial for women and babies. Here are some of them.

Beer increases lactation. After drinking beer, a woman notices that the baby asks to be breastfed more often. The number of feedings increases, which is why this conclusion was made. In 1991, American pediatricians D. Menella and G. Bishomp conducted a study in which some nursing women were offered alcoholic beer, while others were offered non-alcoholic beer. It was noted that the frequency of breastfeeding in women who received alcoholic beer actually increased. However, the total volume of milk consumed by infants has decreased by 20-27%. The researchers concluded that beer does not increase lactation, but, on the contrary, suppresses it.
Alcohol improves baby's sleep. Young mothers are recommended to drink a glass of wine before night feeding so that the baby can sleep peacefully until the morning. This myth was refuted in 1998 by American pediatricians D. Menella and K. Gerish. During the study, they noticed that maternal alcohol intake actually changes the baby's sleep and wakefulness patterns. But it does not calm the baby, but causes a “failure” of the nervous system. Initially, the child feels “euphoria”, close to real intoxication. After that nervous system is depressed, and the baby falls into a sleepy state. He falls asleep, but not for long, his sleep is shallow, it lacks the main phases of rest, during which the body restores strength. The duration of sleep in children who drank “alcoholic” milk was significantly shorter than in children who drank regular milk.

Features of the effect on the body

Regular consumption of wine and beer while breastfeeding is dangerous for a number of reasons.

External manifestations. The mother's excess of permissible limits is indicated by the baby's lethargy and apathy. The child sleeps deeply, but quickly wakes up and becomes nervous. A woman can also observe changes in lactation. There is less milk! This alarming signal is pointed out by doctors from the Committee on Drugs of the US Academy of Pediatrics.
Disorders of the cardiovascular system. Ethanol stimulates the heart, causing its unnatural rhythm. This condition causes weakness in the baby and can cause breathing problems.
Risk of digestive tract disorders. Beer and wine during lactation affect the mucous membranes of the esophagus and intestines. For the immature digestive system this can be disastrous and cause an attack. With constant consumption of alcohol in large quantities, the mother provokes a decrease in the intensity of absorption of nutrients in the baby’s intestines. The body does not receive the necessary microelements and valuable substances, which leads to deviations in weight gain.

Alcoholic drinks have the greatest impact on babies under three months of age. The reason for this is an immature liver, which cannot cope with alcohol even from a glass of champagne during lactation. The rate of ethanol processing at this age is 3 times lower than that of an adult.

5 rules for a safe holiday

So can a nursing mother have wine or beer? And how to use them correctly to prevent harm to the baby?

Mothers can drink alcohol in moderation, according to Thomas Hale, MD, professor of pediatrics at Texas Tech University. And feed the baby immediately after they feel “neurologically normal.” This statement is given in the book “Medicines and Breast Milk,” published by the author in 2006.

The intensity of the effects of alcohol directly depends on the amount drunk. Do not abuse wine, beer, champagne while breastfeeding! You can allow one glass on a holiday, but you should not take it as a daily norm. Regular use is unacceptable and is a sign of alcoholism.
Avoid drinking alcohol completely until your baby reaches three months of age.. Even minimal, permissible doses can provoke unforeseen consequences.
Consider your own weight. The smaller it is, the longer the breakdown products of ethanol are removed from the body. And, on the contrary, overweight women these processes occur faster.
Don't drink on an empty stomach. When eating food, the intensity and volume of ethanol absorption decrease.
Don't get drunk. In this state, the baby can receive a critical dose of an “alcoholic cocktail”, which will cause intoxication. A woman cannot control her own behavior, which creates the risk of crushing the baby with her body when sleeping together.

There is no way to quickly cleanse the body of alcohols. Neither sorbents, nor large amounts of water, nor other means speed up the process. They all work in the intestines, removing by-products of the feast. Ethanol is found in the blood, from which it passes into breast milk. In the latter, it does not accumulate, but calmly leaves it when the general condition normalizes.

But there are rules that will allow you to take part in the celebration and not harm the baby’s health.

Feed your baby immediately before the event if you plan to drink. The next feeding will be safe only when you feel completely sober.
Don't drink too much. Alcohol is safe during breastfeeding in moderate doses. A glass of wine or a glass of beer will not be superfluous for either you or your child.
. If you are not confident in your own abilities, express enough milk for one or two feedings and put it in the refrigerator. There it can be stored for a day.
Do not put your baby to your breast if you feel it is too full.. In this situation, it is necessary to decant the excess and pour it out.
Drink non-alcoholic drinks. Young mothers can drink non-alcoholic wine while breastfeeding; beer without ethanol is allowed. The only limitation can be the quality of the product. If the drink contains artificial colors and preservatives, they can provoke an allergic reaction in the baby.

Alcohol and breastfeeding are a woman’s responsibility, the need to make decisions on which the baby’s health and its normal development depend. Every mother has the right to make such decisions carefully, assessing the risks and her own condition. But you shouldn’t be afraid of alcohol during lactation, as doctors point out. And when asked whether a nursing mother can drink non-alcoholic beer or wine, they answer: these drinks will be a safe alternative, especially if you can’t stop at just one glass on a holiday.