Alcohol and Breastfeeding

We are often asked by conscientious parents about how to safely enjoy occasional alcohol when you are breastfeeding. The good news is that there are ways to enjoy an occasional drink while protecting your infant from harmful exposure to alcohol. We encourage you to wait until breastfeeding is well-established and your baby’s feeds are a little more predictable and spaced out, usually after the first 6-8 weeks. Enjoy your drink immediately after your infant nurses, drink slowly, eat while you drink, drink water after you drink alcohol, and allow time (usually 2 – 2.5 hrs per standard serving) for the alcohol to completely clear your system before nursing again. Some moms choose to pump some alcohol-free milk in advance in case their baby is ready to feed sooner than expected. You do not need to “pump and dump” because as your liver works to clear your bloodstream from alcohol it simultaneously clears from your breast milk. However, if you feel uncomfortably full before your body has cleared the alcohol, you may need to pump and discard your milk. Read more about alcohol and breastfeeding on the CDC website, and check out this FeedSafe app that helps determine how much time you need to wait based on your body weight, your height and other factors.