From information I read and have heard on this website, and from lots of other parents and lactation consultants, you can drink quite a bit before you need to worry about not nursing or pumping and dumping! Just to be on the safe side if I was ever away from my daughter and having more than 2 or 3 drinks then pumping, I would spread the milk that I pumped then out into a few bottles and pump less "contaminated" milk into those same bottles to further dilute it. I have read that it is only something tiny like 1% of the liquor you consume that gets into the milk and so if you are not fall down drunk it should probably be fine, but I did it just to ease my mind when I was drinking more than I would when I am with her. With her though, I would drink 2 drinks and have no problems nursing after... she wouldn't even sleep better like people joked.
Most things i have read say you should wait at least 2 hours after your last drink, but that varies with each person veries in there asobtion of the alcohol, But here is a link that will help you better.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_alcohol-and-nursing-moms_3547.bc
My daughter was born on 2-28-08 too! =) Pump the normal feeding after drinking and you'll be fine. Have fun!
Alcohol takes about 30 days to leave your system and enters it immediately. Most nursing mothers have an occasional alcoholic beverage.
I didn't have time to read all the other responses so this may have already been said, but alcohol leaves your milk at the same rate it leaves your blood.
Personally, I drink pretty often but only in small amounts - one drink, maybe two at the most. I go by the principle that if I'm not tipsy, then my milk is fine. On the very rare occasion I feel tipsy, I wait a couple hours before I breastfeed. There is no reason to pump and dump unless you're feeling too engorged and can't wait to nurse or pump.
As long as you "don't feel drunk" you do not have to dump the milk....I asked my Lactation Coach after having the girls as I was trying to build a supply for twins. She said alcohol is OK in moderation and if you don't feel it in your system, you don't have to worry!
A lactation consultant informed me to wait 2 hours.
I cannot remember the exacts but Prenancy magazine did an article on the exacts of this practice. It was in 2007 I think, try their website and archives to read the article
I believe it's 2 hours for every 8 oz that you drink.
-Katie
hi ginny, I am pretty sure that the milk is fine after about 12 hours. If you are away from your baby you will be engorged and want to pump and dump anyhow, so I wouldn't worry about the alcohol still being in the milk. If you are interested in looking into it furher then I would suggest going onto a La Leche League site or WebMD, for further info. It is so important to keep the connection with your husband that you should just go and have fun and the baby will be just fine. I am a firm believer that the parents need to get away once every few months for some time alone. Have fun.- v.