Drinking while breastfeeding

I’ve heard mixed things about drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. Some people suggest pump and dump and some people say all you have to do is wait a couple hours after a glass. Some people even say that it doesn’t matter and to continue to feed. Anyone know more or have an opinion I’m open to listen to anyone.

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I personally wouldn't drink while breastfeeding x

I drink and breast feed. But I have alcohol test strips. I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing when it’ll be good and not. But I always test anyways. Usually breastfeed (or pump) then have a beer or two right after and then you are normally okay.
The test strips are 15-20 dollars at target or Amazon even Walmart. And I like them. They seem very reliable.

I’d feed/pump, then drink 1 glass, and then baby shouldn’t want to feed/you won’t have to pump until a few hours later which will be enough time for the alcohol to filter out of the breast milk! Some sources say wait 2 hours per drink. So if you have 1 drink wait 2 hrs have 2 drinks wait 4 and so on.

Go for it. The amount of alcohol that makes it into your milk is negligible. You can just feed as normal when drinking, as long as you are safe to look after baby you are safe to feed.

If you really don’t feel comfortable feeding after a drink or two then there is no logic behind pumping and dumping as your breast milk will have the same blood alcohol volume as your blood so removing milk will not lower the ABV. Unless you need to pump to stop your boobs getting engorged.

For peace of mind, Look up ABV per drink. It’s like 0.08% after a glass of wine (something like that). Just a totally negligible amount of alcohol, orange juice is naturally about 0.5% for context

I would always have a beer or wine right after he went to bed so I'd have at least 4-5 hours till I needed to nurse again so I'm not cutting it close or calculating too much.

I think it’s personal preference. Me personally I haven’t and wouldn’t drink whilst breastfeeding, I’ve waited 9 months, I can wait a little longer. However I have friends who drink whilst feeding (at the same time) and I’m not going to judge their parenting.

You can also use the milk testing strips to test ur milk before you breastfeed… they sell them at Target… also- in case your milk does have a bit too much alcohol in it, you can use the milk for a milk bath so you don’t have to waste it- that was a good tip someone shared with me when I was breastfeeding.

I drink and breastfeed and I don’t pump n dump! The breast milk will filter out what’s good for baby ! But it’s not like I’m blacking out lol just a couple

I think it's all personal preference. If I have a glass of wine, I pump and dump. I exclusively pump, though I don't know if it's not classed as breastfeeding (some say yes and some say no)

Some resources I’ve found helpful

https://www.instagram.com/p/ClgRXrkN_Z4/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.laleche.org.uk/alcohol-and-breastfeeding/

I have a few and time myself loosely, about an hour per drink until I drink again (2 hours for a bigger drink) and stop if I feel tipsy. I’ve definitely fed within that two hour window tho if my wee one is upset.

Don’t waste your money on the testing strips, experts have debunked them. Also the stuff about yeasty drinks and milk production- also debunked.

Even when I donated milk to NICU babies, one drink a week was fine - and that milk goes to extremely tiny babies.
A drink won't do anything

I plan to drink still. They say wait 2 hrs per alcohol drink to breastfeed

A drink or so a day is fine, per my OB. I’ve also heard “if you’re sober enough to drive, you’re sober enough to nurse”. The amount of alcohol that gets into milk is trivial so long as you are not heavily drinking.

in our community

AITA

In the uk there is an outbreak of meningitis, in a specific area mainly. My BD has family from that area and decided to go and meet up with them, I said if he does then he cannot have contact with the kids for 7-10 days after incase he picks anything up. Am I being over dramatic? I reallyyy don’t want my young kids getting anything serious

Baby clothes

Just out of curiosity, why do parents love zipper onesies?

Don’t get me wrong, I tried zipper ones it’s easy to zip in and out when putting it on the first time and taking it out, but I find it difficult when changing diapers especially when baby is asleep.

I prefer those kimono style buttons where it’s easy to button or too down button with crotch snaps.

Is everyone thinking the same or different? Lol

This might rattle some people

Ok, this might get a bit long, and a bit bumpy, so get comfy and buckle up.

So about a week or 2 ago, there was a post on here regarding sleepovers. Not letting their child go to them as you can't trust who'll be at the house etc.

Now, given recent incidents in nurseries and schools, plus my own experience back in the 90s, I am more concerned about sending my child to nursery and later school than I am to a friend's house for a sleep over.

The other day a man was jailed for abusing children at the nursery he worked at. A woman has been arrested for sleeping with an underage boy and then getting pregnant by a different underage boy while on bail for the first offence.

Young girls and boys get sexually harassed and bullied when at school, not all of them. But more than you think. And not just by other kids, but by adults who we as parents are trusting to look after our kids.

A sleepover, is a more controlled environment, with only a handful of people coming into contact with your child. A school, a club etc there can be 100s of people coming into contact with your child.

I was targeted at 7 years old by the owner of a prominent private school. Thankfully, I wasn't SA'd. In year 5 of primary school, I started to develop early, I was harassed by the boys and teachers made remarks about how my uniform didn't fit right, always "adjusting it" around my chest and legs.

Years 7-9 of secondary school were hell. But it was all under the guise of "we're just messing around". A teacher twanging my exposed bra strap (none uniform day) is not "messing around".

Boys pinning me down trying to rip open my shirt to see my breasts.

I fear for my daughter. I hope she takes after my father's family, flat chested.

We need to educate all our children, what is acceptable behaviour. And to come to us, as their parents should ANYTHING happen.

At this point I’m not enjoying motherhood

My 22 month old is horrendous at the moment🫣 biting, hitting, pushing, pulling and shoving not only adults but children he also wants what other children have and will just snatch it away from them.

We repeat ‘nice hands’ ‘be gentle’ ‘let’s share’ etc

But how do I make him understand what he’s doing isn’t very nice? At the end of the day I feel like I’ve just been saying his name all day and nothing else.

What can I do?

Car seat

No idea which car seat to get next. Please hit me with your recommendations, 1year+ (preferably rear facing or 360). Thank you 🫶🏻

Dummy

My baby has had a dummy since about 2 weeks old (now 5 months) and over the course of the last month we weaned her off it during the day only for naps and night (which was fine) and then 5 days took it completely away during the day.

The first day no dummy was fine, the second bit rougher. But now it feels impossible she just moans and cries all the time it takes ages for her to go down to sleep (she’s always been an amazing sleeper)

I thought it was meant to get better as time went on not worse. I’m at my wits end I dunno what to do.

Currently typing this as she screams uncontrollably in the car and I cry with her cos I can’t do anything.