Can You Drink Alcohol While Breastfeeding? What the Evidence Shows
Although a quick Google search will suggest that moderate alcohol consumption while breastfeeding is probably safe, many new mothers still feel uncertain. When it comes to your baby’s health, it is understandable to err on the side of caution.
Occasional moderate alcohol consumption is generally considered compatible with breastfeeding by most medical organisations, provided feeds are timed appropriately. Alcohol passes into breast milk, but it is not stored there. Waiting about two hours after one standard drink can help minimise your baby’s exposure.
In this article, we look at the evidence and provide practical guidelines to help you make informed decisions and minimise any potential risks.
Before deciding whether it is safe to have a drink, there are several factors to consider:
- Your baby’s age – the younger your baby, the greater the potential effect of alcohol exposure.
- The amount of alcohol you consume.
- How often you drink.
- Most importantly, the timing of breastfeeding after drinking alcohol.
First things first: Alcohol passes into breast milk
Let’s start at the beginning – alcohol does pass into breast milk. For this reason, the World Health Organization recommends avoiding alcohol while breastfeeding. For many mothers, however, complete abstinence can be difficult.
The good news is that alcohol is not “stored” in the breasts. Instead, the alcohol concentration in breast milk closely mirrors the mother’s blood alcohol concentration. As blood alcohol levels rise, so do the levels in breast milk. As alcohol is metabolised and cleared from the bloodstream, it is also cleared from breast milk.
Peak alcohol levels in breast milk usually occur 30–60 minutes after drinking, or 60–90 minutes if alcohol is consumed with food.
This brings us to a common myth: pumping and dumping. Pumping and discarding breast milk does not remove alcohol from the milk already present in the breasts, nor does it speed up alcohol elimination. It is only necessary if you need relief from engorgement or want to maintain your milk supply.
How much alcohol does your baby receive?
Studies estimate that infants receive approximately 0.5–3.3% of the mother’s weight-adjusted alcohol dose through breast milk.
If that sounds confusing, you’re not alone! Researchers use the term weight-adjusted alcohol dose to standardise alcohol exposure, allowing women of different body sizes to be compared fairly. A 50kg woman and a 90kg woman consuming the same amount of alcohol will have different blood alcohol concentrations and, consequently, different alcohol levels in their breast milk.
Rather than simply recording that “the mother drank one glass of wine”, researchers calculate the amount of alcohol consumed per kilogram (kg) of body weight.
Based on these calculations, a breastfeeding infant receives only a very small proportion of the alcohol consumed by the mother. Therefore, if alcohol is consumed occasionally and in moderation, the amount reaching the baby is very low and is unlikely to cause harm.
However, the risks increase with heavier drinking, multiple drinks over several hours, or frequent alcohol consumption.
What is considered moderate drinking?
One standard drink is approximately:
- 340 ml of beer (5% alcohol)
- 150 ml of wine (12% alcohol)
- 30–40 ml of spirits (40% alcohol)
Low-risk or moderate alcohol consumption for women is often defined as up to one standard drink per day, with no more than seven drinks per week.
However, while breastfeeding, daily alcohol consumption is not recommended, even if it falls within these limits. Aim to have several alcohol-free days each week.
Most organisations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), consider occasional moderate drinking compatible with breastfeeding when appropriate timing is observed.
The best way to limit exposure: Time your feeds
It is generally recommended that you wait about two hours after consuming one standard drink before breastfeeding. After about two hours, much of the alcohol from one standard drink will have been metabolised, although the exact timing varies depending on body weight, food intake, metabolism, and other factors.
If you consume more than one drink, you should increase the waiting period accordingly (approximately four hours for two drinks, six hours for three drinks, and so on).
One practical strategy is to have a drink immediately after breastfeeding your baby. This maximises the time between consuming alcohol and the next feed.
If you are planning to have several drinks, you may wish to express milk beforehand so that someone else can feed the baby if needed. If you are unable to breastfeed for several hours, you may need to express milk to relieve engorgement and maintain your milk supply. As mentioned earlier, pumping and discarding milk does not accelerate alcohol elimination.
What are the effects of alcohol on breastfeeding and on your baby?
Moderate alcohol consumption may have no noticeable effects, and any effects are usually temporary. Potential effects include:
- A temporary reduction in milk supply due to changes in hormone levels. (Contrary to popular belief, beer does not increase milk production.)
- Temporary fussiness in the baby.
- Changes in the baby’s sleep patterns.
Heavy alcohol consumption poses greater risks. It can impair milk production, cause excessive sedation in infants, and potentially affect growth and neurodevelopment.
It is also important to recognise that the social and environmental factors often associated with heavy alcohol use may contribute to adverse outcomes. In addition, a parent who is intoxicated may not be able to care for their baby safely.
Recommendations from official organisations
Research in this area is limited because it would be unethical to conduct controlled studies involving alcohol exposure in infants. As a result, recommendations differ somewhat between organisations.
Overall, most authorities agree on the following:
- Avoid alcohol entirely if possible.
- If you choose to drink, limit yourself to occasional moderate consumption.
- Time feeds to minimise your baby’s exposure.
- Avoid breastfeeding while intoxicated.
- Arrange for another responsible adult to care for your baby if you plan to drink heavily.
References:
National Center for Biotechnology Information (n.d.) StatPearls [Internet]. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501469/ (Accessed: 19 June 2026).
Contemporary OB/GYN (n.d.) Alcohol and breastfeeding: What are the risks? Available at: https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/alcohol-and-breastfeeding-what-are-the-risks- (Accessed: 19 June 2026).
World Health Organization (WHO) (2017) Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and newborn services: Guideline. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550086 (Accessed: 20 June 2026).
Gartner, L.M., Morton, J., Lawrence, R.A., Naylor, A.J., O’Hare, D., Schanler, R.J. and Eidelman, A.I. (2005) ‘Breastfeeding and the use of human milk’, Pediatrics, 115(2), pp. 496–506. doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2491.
Meek, J.Y. and Noble, L. (2022) ‘Policy statement: Breastfeeding and the use of human milk’, Pediatrics, 150(1), p. e2022057988. doi:10.1542/peds.2022-057988.
Reece-Stremtan, S. and Marinelli, K.A. (2023) ‘ABM Clinical Protocol #21: Guidelines for breastfeeding and substance use or substance use disorder, revised 2023’, Breastfeeding Medicine, 18(9), pp. 715–733. doi:10.1089/bfm.2023.29207.srs.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2024) Breastfeeding your baby. Available at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/breastfeeding-your-baby (Accessed: 20 June 2026).
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2021) ‘Committee Opinion No. 820: Breastfeeding challenges’, Obstetrics & Gynecology, 137(2), pp. e42–e53. Available at: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2021/02/breastfeeding-challenges (Accessed: 20 June 2026).
