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It is safest for you and for your baby not to use alcohol or other non prescribed drugs when you are breastfeeding. If you do, here is some information to consider. Breastfeeding and Alcohol Alcohol does pass into the breast milk. It is the same concentration in the breast milk as it is in the mother's blood. The alcohol level of the milk is highest about 30-60 minutes after a drink and decreases gradually from then onwards (provided you don't keep drinking). Generally, if you have a drink right after your baby has fed and then wait a couple of hours until you feed again you can minimize the amount of alcohol the baby will consume. Source: Australian Breastfeed Coalition If you do decide to drink try planning ahead. For example, you could consider using a breast pump to express your milk and then breast feed once the alcohol has left your body. How long does alcohol stay in the body? The amount of time it takes for alcohol to leave your body will vary depending on many factors for example your body weight, the way your body handles alcohol and the health of your liver. For example: If a 90 pound women drank 3 drinks in one hour, it would take 8 hours, 30 minutes for there to be no alcohol in her breast milk. For example: A 140 pound women drinking 4 beer starting at 8 pm it would take 9 hours, 17 minutes for there to be no alcohol in her breast milk – 5:17 in the morning.
Source: Canadian Family Physician 2002; 48:39-41 |
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Breastfeeding and Marijuana There is very little known about the effect of marijuana smoking on breast feeding. It is believed that some of the drug will pass through the breast milk to the baby and the baby may become unsettled and demand frequent feeding. If possible, it is best to avoid using marijuana while breast feeding. Breastfeeding and Methadone Depending on the dosage level of methadone you are taking, it is possible to breast feed. Methadone will be in your breast milk. Methadone in human breast milk reaches its peak about 2 to 4 hours after a single oral dose. It is best to talk to your doctor about whether you should breast feed while you are on methadone. Breastfeeding and Cocaine: It is likely that cocaine will reach the baby through breast milk. It will depend on the amount you have taken and whether it was around feeding time. Cocaine in breast milk may cause the baby to be irritable, unsettled and difficult to feed. The use of cocaine is not recommended if you are breast feeding. Source: Tranx Breastfeeding and Medications The best advice is to consult your doctor about your mediations and the decision to breastfeed. The decision about continuing breastfeeding when taking a medication, involves more than consideration of whether the medication appears in the mother's milk. Most drugs appear in the milk, but only in very tiny amounts. Although a very few drugs may still cause problems for infants even in tiny doses, this is not the case for the vast majority. Talk to your doctor. |
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