Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Alcohol and Breastfeeding
Ebony, 31, from Aussie asks...
My bub is 3 weeks old and I am breast feeding, is it safe to have a drink now? How long does it take for smoke and alcohol to get to my milk? Can she tell, taste any thing? Thank you.
Stacy Says...
If your baby is only 3 weeks old, there are PLENTY of other things to occupy your time with then thinking of when you can drink or smoke. I don't know exactly how long it takes to go to your breast milk--but that's not the point. EVERY THING you take in will go to your baby. Let's say I have a beer. Within 15-30 mintues my body metabolizes it with some of the beer going to my breast milk. The beer is gonna hang out in my boobs until the baby feeds on it. And remember that that little bit of alcohol is ALOT to such a little baby. Do you wanna take that chance?
And don't even get me started on smoking! Smoke simply AROUND the baby leads to increase risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), ear infections, sinus infections, respiratory infections, decreased immunity--and you want to pass it DIRECTLY through the milk. Think about what's best for you AND the baby and don't drink or smoke.
My bub is 3 weeks old and I am breast feeding, is it safe to have a drink now? How long does it take for smoke and alcohol to get to my milk? Can she tell, taste any thing? Thank you.
Stacy Says...
If your baby is only 3 weeks old, there are PLENTY of other things to occupy your time with then thinking of when you can drink or smoke. I don't know exactly how long it takes to go to your breast milk--but that's not the point. EVERY THING you take in will go to your baby. Let's say I have a beer. Within 15-30 mintues my body metabolizes it with some of the beer going to my breast milk. The beer is gonna hang out in my boobs until the baby feeds on it. And remember that that little bit of alcohol is ALOT to such a little baby. Do you wanna take that chance?
And don't even get me started on smoking! Smoke simply AROUND the baby leads to increase risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), ear infections, sinus infections, respiratory infections, decreased immunity--and you want to pass it DIRECTLY through the milk. Think about what's best for you AND the baby and don't drink or smoke.
