Yes, a breastfeeding mother drinking alcohol can potentially harm the baby. When a mother consumes alcohol, a portion of it passes into her breast milk and can reach the baby. Learning about the harm of alcohol drinking during the breastfeeding phase is necessary to understand why you need to stop this habit. The experts of our Nasha Mukti Kendra in Ghaziabad have listed all the information down here for you to learn.
Effects on the Baby
Let’s first learn the harmful effects on the baby of drinking alcohol during breastfeeding.
- Decreased Milk Intake – Whatever the mother eats and drinks will turn into milk for the baby. Hence, if the mother is drinking alcohol then it will mix into the milk which will decrease the milk intake.
- Sleep Disturbances – During the breastfeeding phase it is necessary for the baby to sleep without disturbances so that the mother can rest too. However, with alcohol intake, they will have sleep disturbances, which also reduces sleep duration.
- Developmental Issues – Do you know that exposure to alcohol so early on can affect the development of the baby? This chronic exposure can potentially impact a baby’s motor skills and cognitive development.
- Liver Strain – For 6 months, mothers should not feed anything else to the baby other than milk because other food can affect the baby’s liver. A baby’s liver is immature and less capable of processing alcohol. Alcohol intake can lead to harmful effects even with small amounts.
Effects on Breastfeeding & the Mother
Now that we know the harmful effects of alcohol mixed with breastfeeding on babies, we should learn its effects on breastfeeding itself and on the mother too. First of all, alcohol consumption suppresses the release of oxytocin which is a hormone responsible for conjuring milk. With this suppression, there will be a decrease in milk. Moreover, a high intake of alcohol during pregnancy or breastfeeding phase can lead to impaired judgment which can increase the risk of accidental harm done to the baby.
Safe Practices for Breastfeeding Mothers
What are some alternatives to alcohol drinking or some safe practices for breastfeeding mothers? Let’s find out. The first and safest option is to avoid and totally stop drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding phase. If you have to drink alcohol during a party or on a necessary occasion then make sure to drink it in the limit. Moreover, you have to wait at least 2-3 hours before feeding your baby if you have taken alcohol. Lastly, you can pump milk beforehand if you plan on drinking alcohol so that your baby can be fed alcohol-free milk.
Seek Medical Help to Overcome Alcohol Addiction
If you are pregnant or a breastfeeding mother yet also addicted to alcohol then you need to overcome this addiction. You should seek medical help if you have consumed a high amount of alcohol and are unsure about the safety of breastfeeding. You should also seek help if your baby shows unusual signs like lethargy, poor feeding, or irritability after breastfeeding. Our Nasha Mukti Kendra in Noida is here to help you recover from your alcohol addiction. Contact us right away if you want to receive help.
