Here’s
the good news: It’s the holiday season. No doubt you have many opportunities to
gather with friends and family to celebrate. And if you enjoy a beer, a
cocktail, or a glass of wine there’s a good chance each party will be stocked
with liquid cheer.
Here’s
the bad news: Just as there’s no magical cure to hastily speed a hangover,
there’s also no quick fix to clearing alcohol from your system. As an adult enjoying
adult beverages, it’s your responsibility to know when it’s safe to drive and
when it’s time to call a cab. As a breastfeeding mama, it’s your responsibility
to know when it’s safe to feed your baby your breast milk and when it’s time to
“pump and dump.”
The
common misconception is that if you pump your breast milk just after drinking,
this action eradicates the alcohol in your system. Don’t be embarrassed for
assuming that. We did too, once upon a time. It was our responsibility—and now
yours—to have the correct conception of what it means to pump and dump.
According
to the Mayo Clinic, “Alcohol passes into your breast milk at
concentrations similar to those found in your bloodstream. Although a
breast-fed baby is exposed to just a fraction of the alcohol his or her mother
drinks, a newborn eliminates alcohol from his or her body at only half the rate
of an adult” [1]
thereby making it increasingly harmful to your baby.
You
want to pump and dump to avoid becoming engorged and uncomfortable while the
alcohol in your blood stream contaminates your breast milk as well as to
maintain your milk supply. (Remember the more you use, the more your body makes
and skipping a feeding/pumping could affect supply.)
Since no amount of alcohol is safe for your baby to consume you
want to avoid breast-feeding until your milk is clear of all alcohol.
The following are general standards for a healthy adult, varying
by the individual’s body weight:
In 2-3
hours the body metabolizes 12 ounces of 5% beer, 5 ounces of 11% wine, 1.5
ounces of 40% liquor. [2]
If you want to enjoy one drink, the best time to do so is
immediately after a feeding or pumping session so that your body has ample time
to naturally clear its system and your milk supply. However, we strongly
suggest you discuss these standards with your personal physician before
potentially and unintentionally exposing your baby to any amount of alcohol.
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