Drinking Alcohol & Breastfeeding

Can I have an alcoholic beverage?

Nursing mothers can have some alcohol.

• In moderation
  • One to two times per week
  • One glass of wine, one serving of liquor (1 oz.), or one beer
• After nursing it is best for you to wait about 2-3 hours from the time of drinking the alcoholic beverage before feeding the baby at the breast.
• If you are due for a feeding before 2-3 hours, pump.
• Feed the baby a bottle of pumped milk that you have saved from a previous pumping session.

What to do with pumped milk with alcohol?

• Mark the newly pumped milk bottle with an “X” or another symbol. This will remind you that this bottle contains milk pumped after an alcoholic beverage. This milk will go into the fridge or freezer to be used at a future feeding.
• Your pumped milk with alcohol should be combined with fresh or other previously frozen milk that is “clean.”
  • You will need 3 or 4 bottles of clean milk with 2-3 oz of breast milk in each bottle. Then, take 1 ounce of the “tainted” milk (milk with alcohol) and add that to each of the clean milk bottles. The goal is to distribute small amounts (~1 ounce) of the milk with alcohol across bottles of clean milk so it is diluted enough for the baby to consume.

Still unsure about consuming alcohol safely while nursing? Become a member and talk to a healthcare professional on our team.