Do I Drink While Breastfeeding?
I get asked this question a lot, so I thought I’d answer it honestly.
I’m not a big fan of mommy wine culture, and I think that points to a lack of support for moms in general, but I will say that I missed drinking wine much more in this pregnancy than I did in my first. I think because, at the end of a long day of being pregnant with a toddler, all I wanted to do was sit down and relax, and wine helped me do that.
When Elio was born, I really didn’t have much interest in adding alcohol back into my life. I did slowly start drinking again, but I truly enjoyed not.
But this pregnancy, I did genuinely miss sharing a glass of wine with friends or having one while making dinner at the end of a long week.
So now that I’m postpartum, yes, I do occasionally drink while breastfeeding.
I don’t think alcohol is healthy, so it’s something I try to be mindful of. It’s usually one glass of wine, occasionally two, over the course of an evening. I never drink to the point of feeling intoxicated, and I don’t drink every day.
Alcohol does pass into breast milk - at about the same concentration that’s found in your bloodstream. As your blood alcohol level rises, so does the alcohol concentration in your milk. As your body metabolizes the alcohol, the amount in your breast milk decreases, too.
So, I don’t worry about “pumping and dumping,” mostly because my blood alcohol levels never get high enough for it to be a problem. If I’ve had a drink, I’ll just wait an hour if I feel like it’s needed to give my body time to metabolize it before nursing again.
Part of not wanting to drink too much is that I have two little kids who need me, and alcohol affects both my sleep and energy. It’s just not really worth it.
As I’ve said, I don’t think alcohol is healthy. And while I do enjoy a glass of wine, one thing I’ve realized, though, is that it’s more about the experience, being able to enjoy a moment, and to feel like I’m doing something “special.” I really enjoy pouring something into a beautiful glass and sitting on the patio after the kids are asleep. To me, it signals that the day is done and this is my time.
In this season of life, I’ve been really enjoying non-alcoholic options like Pique’s Vesper. It gives me that same evening experience without the alcohol. It contains L-theanine, an amino acid naturally found in tea that’s known for promoting a sense of calm. It’s become one of my favorite ways to unwind on nights when I don’t feel like drinking.
Motherhood asks a lot of us, especially in these early newborn days and finding healthy ways for me to recharge has been really important. Sometimes that’s a glass of wine, sometimes that’s a nonalcohol bevy, other times it’s a warm bath or just an early night.
What are your thoughts on drinking while breastfeeding? Have you tried some of these non-alcohol alternatives?
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