12/30/2025
A hot topic this time of year. 🥂 A couple things to keep in mind:
1. If you plan to drink, make sure someone who is sober is caring for the baby. ☺️
2. Alcohol metabolizes out of your breastmilk just like it metabolizes out of your system. If you feel the effects of alcohol, it’s in your system, and therefore your breastmilk.  Please read below for more details! And please be safe! 💕
Alcohol and Breastfeeding: What Every Mom Needs to Know (Without the Shame)
Let’s talk about something real: breastfeeding and alcohol.
Whether you’re a first-time mom or you’ve done this before, the moment you start nursing, it can feel like every little decision especially what you eat and drink is suddenly under a microscope. One of the biggest questions I get asked on this page is:
“Can I have a drink while I’m breastfeeding?”
The short answer? Yes, you can in moderation. But it’s all about timing, amount, and understanding how alcohol passes through breast milk.
🍼 What the Experts Say
According to the CDC and most lactation experts, an occasional drink is generally considered safe while breastfeeding. Alcohol does pass into breast milk, but not permanently. It enters and leaves breast milk the same way it enters and leaves your bloodstream.
Here’s the general guideline:
• If you’re sober enough to drive, you’re usually sober enough to breastfeed.
• Alcohol peaks in your milk around 30 to 60 minutes after drinking.
• It usually takes 2 to 3 hours for one standard drink (5 oz wine, 12 oz beer, or 1.5 oz liquor) to clear your system.
🕓 Should I “Pump and Dump”?
Only if you’re uncomfortably full and not ready to nurse yet. Pumping and dumping doesn’t speed up how quickly alcohol leaves your milk—it just relieves pressure. Time is the only thing that helps.
✨ Tips for Breastfeeding Moms Who Drink Occasionally
• Time it right: Nurse before your drink, not after.
• Limit to one standard drink per occasion.
• Wait 2–3 hours after your drink to nurse again.
• Have milk stored? Use pumped milk if your baby needs to eat sooner than you expected.
• Stay hydrated, eat with your drink, and avoid binge drinking.
💬 Let’s Be Real
There’s so much shame and confusion around motherhood, and this page isn’t about judging—it’s about support. If you’re a responsible adult enjoying an occasional drink, it doesn’t make you a bad mom. You’re human. You’re balancing a lot. You deserve to make informed decisions that work for you and your baby.
And if alcohol isn’t for you right now, that’s okay too. Every journey looks different.
You are allowed to enjoy life. You are allowed to ask questions. And you are allowed to do what’s best for you.
With love, facts, and no judgment,
Aaleyah 💕
