Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Breastfeeding And Alcohol

Guhlia

By Guhlia
in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff

Recommended Posts

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

Ok, I got invited to go on a girl's night out and I'd really like to have a few drinks or so. Does anyone know how long I need to pump and dump to avoid getting alcohol in my baby's system? I know I should just call my lactation consultant and ask, but I feel kind of embarrassed about wanting to go out drinking when I have a two month old. I feel comfortable with you guys, so I thought maybe someone would know.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Can you go out with the girls and not drink? That would be best but when I was breastfeeding my son his pediatrician allowed me one glass of wine while I was breastfeeding to relax. I was told not to drink more than that. How long it would take for the alcohol to leave your system has a lot of variables to it, like your weight, sex, condition of your liver and kidneys, how much you drank, how fast you drank, how much you ate, etc. Could you go along and be designated driver and at most have just one glass of wine?

CarlaB Enthusiast
CarlaB
Posted

I drank when I breastfed with all five of my kids .... I know it's not the ideal, but it's not the same as drinking while pregnant, either.

I'm not a heavy drinker, so it wasn't like I was getting loaded. :) It was a couple drinks every once in a while.

I didn't pump and skip a feeding when I did it ....

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author

Thanks guys. I definitely don't want to be the designated driver. I'm willing to pump and dump for as long as I have to to make it 100% safe for the baby. Anyone have any clue how long if I have 3 drinks? What about 4? What about 5? I'm approximately 140 lbs, 5'3" and we'll probably only be at the bar for 3 hours so I'm assuming it will be spread out over 3 hours.

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

Angie,

Here is an article/table to show how long it takes to clear alcohol out of your system for breastfeeding mothers. Get your glasses, the print size in the table is tiny!

Open Original Shared Link

JennyC Enthusiast
JennyC
Posted

If you have three drinks I really wouldn't worry about it, but if you're not comfortable breastfeeding after drinking dump your milk while drinking and four hours or so after you stop. The peak amount of alcohol is in your milk four hours after drinking.

Go out and have a GREAT time! :D

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author

Janet, that is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I wasn't having any luck finding it through google though. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thanks to everyone else too who replied. :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

You've probably already had your Mom's Night Out, but I just wanted to point out that if you're going to "pump and dump," you should pump before you leave, too, so that the baby gets your milk and not formula.

Your baby might be able to tolerate formula just fine. But I was told by a neonatal nurse that nearly every nursing baby she ever had to give formula to had colicky reactions to the switch.

That could be a rather heavy price to pay just for a couple of drinks!

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author

I have a week's worth of frozen breastmilk in the freezer that we rotate out so my husband can feed her a bottle at night. Last time, with Tori, I ended up in the throes of Celiac while breastfeeding. I ended up in the hospital rather unexpectedly and we didn't have any reserve breastmilk. We had to throw poor Tori onto formula with no weaning period. She didn't handle it well at all, even Alimentum gave her bloody diarrhea, and we ended up having to give her Neocate until she was almost a year old. I was so sick that I couldn't even muster up the energy to pump while I was in the hospital, so my milk dried up. I was in the hospital for a week. It was horrible. So.... Needless to say I'm rather paranoid and have made sure that I have plenty of breastmilk on reserve. I pump once daily now so that we can keep the reserve in the freezer fresh. I never, ever want to have to throw this one onto formula like we did with Tori. That was just entirely too stressful for all of us.

ruthla Contributor
ruthla
Posted
Ok, I got invited to go on a girl's night out and I'd really like to have a few drinks or so. Does anyone know how long I need to pump and dump to avoid getting alcohol in my baby's system? I know I should just call my lactation consultant and ask, but I feel kind of embarrassed about wanting to go out drinking when I have a two month old. I feel comfortable with you guys, so I thought maybe someone would know.

No need to pump and dump, as long as you don't "get wasted." If you're sober enough to drive safely and safely care for your baby, you're sober enough to nurse. If you do get drunk, you're fine to nurse again as soon as you're sober enough to drive.

The only reason to pump and dump is if you need to avoid nursing for several hours (longer than the baby normally goes between feedings) you may want to pump just to keep up supply and avoid engorgement. Your milk alcohol level will go down as your blood alcohol level goes down.

OK, now I read the rest of the thread and feel like an idiot for responding after reading only the first post.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author

Ruth, don't feel stupid. I'm glad you replied because it reminded me of something else I wanted to ask... If I don't pump and dump, but just wait the amount of time on the chart, will my milk still have alcohol in it? Or does it go away as time goes on.

Also, if I do pump, then store the milk, will the alcohol level decrease? Does that make sense?

Sorry for all the dumb questions... I just don't know how this whole thing works and I'll really like to be able to go out with my friends every once in a while. God knows I don't take enough time for myself. It would be really nice to get out and let loose occasionally.

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

I know it won't decrease once you've pumped and stored it.

The article that I linked (and ruthla :P ) both say you don't have to pump and dump unless you need to because you are uncomfortably full. The alcohol in your breast milk (while it is STILL IN your breast) will diffuse back into your blood stream. As your alcohol level goes down, so does the breast milk alcohol level.

bakingbarb Enthusiast
bakingbarb
Posted

I'm so glad I read this thread. We have a friend whose Grandson is going through some terrible food allergies and the Drs want to put him on all kinds of drugs. He is just turned 1!

I saw the Neocate and am going to pass that on to her. I won' t get into the rest of it here but it relates to me saying STUPID DR

Oh and when I go out and drink I also drink glass of water per alcoholic beverage. It helps your body flush it out and keeps you hydrated.

ruthla Contributor
ruthla
Posted

No, the alcohol in the milk won't decrease when it's been pumped and stored, but you may be less concerned about the alcohol intake of an older baby, or you may be willing to use it if you're down to the last bottle of frozen milk, mom isn't available, and you're not sure how the baby will tolerate formula. So, if you don't want to pump and dump, you can pump and carefully label.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author
No, the alcohol in the milk won't decrease when it's been pumped and stored, but you may be less concerned about the alcohol intake of an older baby, or you may be willing to use it if you're down to the last bottle of frozen milk, mom isn't available, and you're not sure how the baby will tolerate formula. So, if you don't want to pump and dump, you can pump and carefully label.

I'm currently producing 4-6 more ounces a day than what I actually need because I'm currently giving my other daughter breastmilk to supplement her diet since she's on a gluten challenge. Long story... She's 3-1/2. Would it be safe for her to have milk pumped after drinking? I'm assuming it wouldn't be, but it never hurts to ask. That way I wouldn't have to skip any of her breastmilk (which is what I would do if I pumped and dumped).

Glutenfreefamily Enthusiast
Glutenfreefamily
Posted

Non educated opinion here but, I would be concerned about a 3.5 year old since if they do get intoxicated slightly from it they might fall and hurt themselves. Im usually an overly paranoid parent anyway so take it with a grain of salt :)

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

It just seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to just for a few drinks. Is it really worth it??

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted
  • Author

It was absolutely worth it! I had a fabulous time and I feel like a new woman today. I really needed to get out and let loose. I don't do that often enough.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Colleen H
      - Colleen H replied to Colleen H's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      15

      Ibuprofen

      Yes thyroid was tested.. negative Iron ...I'm. Not sure ... Would that fall under red blood count? If so I was ok Thank you for the detailed response..☺️
    2. Colleen H
      - Colleen H posted a topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      0

      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      Hi all !! Did anyone ever get prescribed methylprednisone steroids for inflammation of stomach and intestines? Did it work ?? Thank you !!
    3. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to Colleen H's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      15

      Ibuprofen

      Hi Colleen Are you supplementing B12/having injections? I have learned recently that sometimes when you start addressing a B12 deficiency, it can temporarily make your symptoms worse. But it is important not to stop the treatment. Regarding your problems with anxiety, again that is another symptom of a B12 deficiency. I didn't know...
    4. Jmartes71
      - Jmartes71 posted a topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      0

      My only proof

      Hello still dancing around my celiac disease and not getting medically backed up considering Ive been glutenfree since 1994.All my ailments are the core issue of my ghost disease aka celiac disease. Im angery because the "celiac specialist " basically lightly dismissed me.Im extremely angery and fighting for a new primary care physician which is hard to do...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      1

      still struggling with cravings

      I totally get this. It's absolutely a grieving process, and it's okay to feel gutted about the loss of those simple joys, especially at 18. Your feelings are completely valid—it's not about being ungrateful for your amazing boyfriend, it's about mourning the life you thought you'd have. That "tortured by the smell" feeling is so real. It does get easier, ...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,876
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Karin Majdecki
    Newest Member
    Karin Majdecki
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Colleen H
      Ibuprofen

      By Colleen H · Posted

      Yes thyroid was tested.. negative  Iron ...I'm. Not sure ... Would that fall under red blood count?  If so I was ok  Thank you for the detailed response..☺️
    • Colleen H
      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      By Colleen H · Posted

      Hi all !! Did anyone ever get prescribed methylprednisone steroids for inflammation of stomach and intestines?  Did it work ??  Thank you !! 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi Colleen Are you supplementing B12/having injections? I have learned recently that sometimes when you start addressing a B12 deficiency, it can temporarily make your symptoms worse.  But it is important not to stop the treatment.  Regarding your problems with anxiety, again that is another symptom of a B12 deficiency.   I didn't know what anxiety was until it hit me like a train several months before gastrointestinal issues began, so I can certainly relate.   Two books which helped me hugely were At Last A Life by Paul David (there is a website you can look up) and The Depression Cure: The Six-Step Programme to Beat Depression Without Drugs by Dr Steve Llardi.  Although his book is aimed at people who have depression, following the principals he sets out was so helpful in lessening my anxiety.  Llardi suggests we need to focus on getting enough: - physical exercise - omega-3 fatty acids - natural sunlight exposure - restorative sleep - social connectedness - meaningful, engaging activity   ... and we should feel a lot better. That is not to stay you must stop taking medication for depression or anxiety if you have been prescribed it, but adopting the changes Dr Llardi sets out in the book should really help. Can I just ask two more questions:  1) you say that you are B12 deficient, did they test your iron levels too?  If not, you really ought to be checked for deficiency and, 2) did they check your thyroid function, as an overactive thyroid can be cause rapid heartbeat and a lot of coeliacs have thyroid issues? Cristiana        
    • Jmartes71
      My only proof

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Hello still dancing around my celiac disease and not getting medically backed up considering Ive been glutenfree since 1994.All my ailments are the core issue of my ghost disease aka celiac disease. Im angery because the "celiac specialist " basically lightly dismissed me.Im extremely angery and fighting for a new primary care physician which is hard to do in Northern Cali.So currently without and looking.Im angery that its lightly taken when its extremely serious to the one who has it.My only evidence is a brochure back in the days when I got news letters when I lived at my parents.It was published in 1998.I was diagnosed before any foods eliminated from my diet. Angery doctors don't take seriously when Im clearly speaking.I did write to the medicine of congress and have case number.
    • Scott Adams
      still struggling with cravings

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I totally get this. It's absolutely a grieving process, and it's okay to feel gutted about the loss of those simple joys, especially at 18. Your feelings are completely valid—it's not about being ungrateful for your amazing boyfriend, it's about mourning the life you thought you'd have. That "tortured by the smell" feeling is so real. It does get easier, I promise, but it's okay to sit in the sadness and just vent about how much it stings right now. Thanks for sharing that. Celiac.com has published a book on our site by Jean Duane PhD called Gluten-Centric Culture, which covers many of the social aspects of having celiac disease: This chapter in particular covers issues around eating with family and others - Gluten-Centric Culture: Chapter 5 - Grabbing A Bite Together:    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.