It’s important to avoid drinking alcohol until your baby is 1 month old.
In the first few weeks, you and your baby are getting used to breastfeeding. This is called establishing breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding while there is alcohol in your breast milk can affect your baby’s sleep and development. Young babies have an immature liver and take longer to clear alcohol from their body than an older baby or adult.
If you choose to drink alcohol when breastfeeding is established, there are steps you can take to avoid passing alcohol to your baby through your milk:
- Feed your baby before drinking alcohol.
- Express your breast milk beforehand if you plan to drink more than 2 standard drinks
- Wait 2 hours after each standard drink before breastfeeding your baby.
- Drink no more than 11 standard drinks in a week.
- Spread your drinks over the week.
- Have at least 2 alcohol-free days per week.
Never share a bed or sofa with your baby if you have drunk any alcohol. Doing this can increase the risk of cot death (sudden infant death syndrome).
Important
You may not be able to take care of your baby properly if you are affected by alcohol.
Only time makes alcohol leave your body and your milk. Drinking water or expressing your breast milk will not clear the alcohol from your body any faster.
Your baby's first month
Your supply of breast milk is established in the early weeks of your baby's life. This works by supply and demand. The more you breastfeed, the more milk your body produces. This is why it is important not to miss a breastfeed in the first month.
During this time, your baby will be feeding very often. It may be difficult for you to predict when your baby will need their next feed.
It’s best to avoid drinking alcohol in the first month. This is because your baby could need another feed while there is still alcohol in your system.
Breastfeeding is usually established by the time your baby is 1 month old.
Expressing breast milk in the first month
If possible, avoid expressing breast milk while breastfeeding is being established. This allows your baby to feed often from your breasts in the early days and weeks to build up your milk supply.
Some mothers have to express before breastfeeding is established.
For example, you may need to express if your baby:
- will not feed directly at the breast
- was born sick or premature
Drinking when breastfeeding is established
If you choose to drink alcohol when breastfeeding is well established, follow our low-risk drinking guidelines. Low-risk drinking reduces your risk of alcohol-related problems.
An adult woman should have no more than 11 standard drinks per week. These drinks should be spread over the course of a week. You should have at least 2 alcohol-free days a week.
Important
Having 11 standard drinks per week is not safe if you drink them all in one session.
Drinking more than the guideline amount of alcoholic drinks can be harmful to your health.
What a standard drink is
Examples of 1 standard drink are:
- a pub measure of spirits (35.5ml)
- a small glass of wine (12.5% volume)
- a half pint of normal beer
- an alcopop (275ml bottle)
A bottle of wine at 12.5% alcohol contains about 7 standard drinks.
Alcohol and your breast milk
When you drink alcohol, it passes from your bloodstream into your breast milk.
It takes your body an average of 1 to 2 hours to get rid of 1 standard drink.
The alcohol level in your breast milk will peak at about 1 hour after consuming 1 standard drink. That is why we recommend that if you’re breastfeeding, wait 2 hours per standard drink before you feed your baby.
If you have more than 1 standard drink, you will need to wait longer.
As alcohol leaves your body, it also leaves your breast milk.
How many hours after drinking until your breast milk no longer contains alcohol
| 1 standard drink | 2 hours |
| 2 standard drinks | 4 hours |
| 3 standard drinks | 6 hours |
| 4 standard drinks | 8 hours |
| 5 standard drinks | 10 hours |
This is a guide and the amount of alcohol in your breast milk will depend on different factors. These include your weight, how fast you drink and if you take alcohol with a meal.
Important
Only time makes alcohol leave your body and your milk. Drinking water or expressing your breast milk will not clear the alcohol from your body any faster.
When drinking alcohol, you may want to express to relieve breast fullness (engorgement). There is no need to store this breast milk as it will contain alcohol. Expressing breast milk and then throwing it away is sometimes called ‘pumping and dumping’.
Risks
Research shows breastfeeding after 1 or 2 standard drinks can cause some disruption to your baby’s sleep. This means they may sleep for shorter periods than normal. It can also affect their quality of sleep.
At this level of drinking (1 or 2 drinks), the concentration of alcohol reaching the baby through the milk is about 30 times less than what is consumed by the mother.
We cannot say for sure if there are any long-term effects on your baby from exposure to very small amounts of alcohol in breast milk.
The best way to avoid exposing your baby to alcohol in breast milk, even in small amounts, is to follow the guidance above.
Your health
Drinking more than recommended can be harmful to your health. Alcohol can affect your ability to control your behaviour and your body. It can affect your thinking, talking, walking and even your breathing.
Safety
You may not be able to take care of your baby properly if you are affected by alcohol.
Follow these safety guidelines if you are planning to drink alcohol:
- Do not drink in the first month of your baby's life.
- Follow the low-risk drinking guidelines.
- Wait 2 hours per standard drink before breastfeeding.
- Plan ahead if you think you will be drinking more than 2 standard drinks - get someone to babysit your child.
Important
The safest place for your baby to sleep at night is in a cot in your room. Do not share a bed with your baby if you have taken alcohol, drugs or medicine that may make you sleep more heavily.
Eliminating alcohol from breast milk
Only time will reduce and remove the amount of alcohol in your breast milk and in your bloodstream.
Expressing breast milk will not make the alcohol leave your body any faster.
But it can help to:
- maintain your milk supply
- relieve discomfort if your breasts are very full
You cannot reduce the amount of alcohol in your breast milk by:
- drinking water
- resting
- expressing breast milk and throwing it away – this is sometimes called 'pumping and dumping'
If you express milk after you drink alcohol, this milk will contain alcohol and does not need to be stored.
Before you drink
Here are some tips to help you prepare for a night out:
Feed beforehand
Breastfeed before you drink alcohol.
Babysitter
Arrange for a babysitter to care for your baby and stay overnight if necessary.
Express beforehand
Express enough milk before drinking so that your babysitter can feed your baby. Express milk beforehand if you plan to drink more than 1 or 2 standard drinks. Your baby can have expressed milk if they need a feed while you have alcohol in your system.
Have extra milk ready if needed
Have extra milk ready in case you need it while you’re waiting for the alcohol to leave your body. If you do not have extra breast milk, give your baby formula milk if needed.
You may need to talk to your public health nurse (PHN), GP practice nurse or midwife about formula milk. They can give you advice on how to correctly prepare, handle and store formula milk if needed.
When you’re out
When out, limit the amount of alcohol you drink by drinking water in between drinks.
Express your milk to relieve any breast fullness or engorgement. This breast milk will contain alcohol so there is no need to save it.