Can a nursing mother drink beer? Drinking beer while breastfeeding, what awaits the baby

For most breastfeeding mothers, alcohol is a taboo product. However, rumors persist among young parents about the fabulous effects of beer on lactation. In addition, there are many brands on sale now non-alcoholic beer. But will it help increase milk supply? Let's think about this topic together.

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There is not a single study that has proven the benefits of beer for increasing lactation. It contains various substances that can affect milk production, but this effect can be either beneficial or unsafe.

All the beneficial substances contained in beer can be obtained from other products. Harmful elements, such as fusel oils, nullify all the “benefits” of this drink.

A nursing mother, without harm to the baby’s health, can drink no more than 250 ml of weak beer (with an alcohol content of 6% or less) or a maximum of 500 ml of non-alcoholic beer per day. It is also important that the child is already 3 months old by this time, and that he is healthy, and that beer is consumed only occasionally.

Beer self-hypnosis

Many nursing mothers say that after drinking beer, they felt a strong rush of milk. Some even recommend that friends with lactation problems drink it to increase their milk supply.

In fact, beer has no magical properties. A surge of milk occurs in women from hot drinks, from massage of the cervical-collar area, and in the sauna, and even at the moment when a loving mother looks at a photo of her baby while at work!

It is provided by the hormone oxytocin, which is most actively produced in the body in response to the baby sucking at the breast, and also under the influence of heat, relaxing massage, stroking and even just pleasant emotions.

The feeling of a rush of milk when drinking beer may be associated with the dilation of blood vessels and relaxation of the milk ducts, into which milk from the milk lobules begins to flow sharply. Another option is that this feeling is simply an indicator of the pleasure that a nursing mother experiences when she allows herself a tasty but “forbidden” drink.

Only the first glass of beer can have this effect. breastfeeding, which does not significantly increase blood alcohol content. As soon as its level becomes noticeable, the beer will cause the opposite effect.

Ethyl alcohol has the property of blocking milk secretion because it reduces the level of oxytocin in the blood. It looks like this: the breast seems full, but at the same time the baby begins to latch on to the breast more often and sucks out less milk.

Subjectively, the mother may feel this condition as a hot flash large quantity milk. But the baby receives less of it, because sucking becomes more difficult - the mammary gland “helps” the child less well in this process.

In addition, if the mother drank more than one glass of beer and the baby is too small, he may become drowsy. Not only will he not finish eating because the milk is not flowing well, but he will also sleep more soundly under the influence of alcohol.

And then the woman can conclude that the child sleeps well because he is full. This is one of the reasons why regular use drinking beer by nursing mothers can cause infants to gain less weight.

Sometimes you can hear that a nursing mother, who was completely indifferent to beer before pregnancy, suddenly begins to reach for it after giving birth.

The beer has a pleasant bready aroma because it is prepared using brewer's yeast. Our body reacts well to this smell, since it is inherent in products with high content vitamin B1 and B2. The first helps a nursing mother restore strength and improve metabolism, in addition, improves the tone of the skin, blood vessels and the uterus, which contracts after childbirth. Vitamin B2 improves skin renewal. Cracked nipples in some cases may be due to its lack.

In addition, brewer's yeast contains a substance that, when exposed to sunlight on the skin, can be converted into vitamin D2, which is extremely useful for strengthening the bones and teeth of the nursing mother herself and for the development of her child. In general, this brewer's yeast is a storehouse of benefits. Only in beer their content is minimal.

Balanced diet - best source any vitamins. If a nursing mother has a craving for beer, she needs to increase the proportion of whole grain bread, vegetables, bran, meat, fermented milk products. You can use pharmaceutical brewer's yeast as a vitamin supplement (but only after consulting a doctor).

Even a small amount ethyl alcohol and fusel oils contained in beer will do more harm to the body than a handful of vitamins and minerals from a glass of this drink. Moreover, beer long-term storage has no beneficial properties at all, and preservatives and flavorings in combination with alcohol can have the most unpredictable effects. Therefore, those of us who drink beer for pleasure while breastfeeding should not refer to its dubious health benefits. But if a few sips can bring pleasure to a nursing mother, she can afford them. The main thing is not to harm either the baby or yourself.

Beer safety rules

Non-alcoholic beer contains from 0.5 to 1.5% alcohol. This is slightly more than in kefir, but less than in live kvass. If the child does not react to the carbon dioxide that is present in beer, and he does not have an allergic reaction to hops or other components of beer, then 500 ml of non-alcoholic beer will not affect either the mother’s lactation or the baby’s well-being.

Beer with low content alcohol (up to 6%) in an amount of 250 ml will be eliminated from the body in 1-1.5 hours, and then there will be no alcohol left in breast milk at all, so there is no need to express and pour it out.

To ensure that alcohol and other unsafe substances do not enter milk, you must follow these rules:
- it is better to start any tastings when the baby is 3 months old and his intestines begin to better filter harmful substances;
- a portion of alcoholic beer for a nursing mother should not exceed 250 ml, and non-alcoholic beer - 500 ml per day;
- the mother should feed the baby right before drinking beer, and then wait until the alcohol is completely removed from the blood (this process takes 1-1.5 hours);
- if a woman feels severe intoxication even from a sip of beer, we can talk about individual intolerance to alcohol or a lack of enzymes for its absorption in the body. Then alcoholic drinks in any quantity will be dangerous for both her and her baby.

The fact that drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding is unacceptable does not need proof. This opinion is shared by both doctors and the vast majority of young mothers. However, many impose an unequivocal ban on strong drinks, while the attitude towards light wines and beer is more loyal.

The opinion about the possibility of drinking low-alcohol drinks by pregnant and lactating women is shared by some authoritative doctors, citing a lack of specific data on the undoubted harm of a small amount of wine or beer on the body of a newborn.

Beer - natural drink, obtained from grain malt with the addition of hops and yeast. Malt is a supplier of vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 ​​(pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B8 (meso-inositol), B9 ( folic acid) and B12 (cyanocobalamin).

Brewing yeast supplies silicon, iron, selenium, molybdenum, and zinc to the drink. Microelements contained in beer have beneficial effect on nervous system, heart and blood vessels, help the liver function, strengthen bone and cartilage tissue.

Besides, vegetable fiber, which is present in liquid form, prevents constipation and prevents the formation of cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels.

Thus, if you occasionally drink a glass of beer, your body will respond to it with gratitude.

There is a persistent belief among the population that drinking beer while breastfeeding significantly improves lactation. Indeed, a woman who has drunk one or two glasses of beer may feel “bloating” in her breasts and may mistake this sensation for a rush of milk.

However, from a medical point of view, when drinking beer, two hormones with mutually exclusive effects are produced in the body of a nursing woman:

• hormone prolactin - promotes the production of colostrum and its transformation into mature breast milk. Under the influence of ethanol, its amount increases, and milk formation occurs more intensively;
• the hormone oxytocin - helps the secretion of breast milk. With a sufficient amount of this hormone, the child is able to easily get enough, milk will not linger in the breast. When drinking even a small amount of alcohol, the production of oxytocin slows down and the amount of milk produced decreases significantly.

Talk that a child fed with “beer” milk has a higher appetite is another myth.

Alcohol entering the baby's body through mother's milk actually increases the baby's appetite for some time. But the paradox is that the amount of milk a child eats is 23% less than when giving up beer.

All the beneficial properties of beer described above are categorically canceled out by its negative impact on the baby. You should know that the alcohol contained in beer passes into breast milk in the same amount as into the mother’s blood. One glass of beer corresponds to an alcohol content of 0.3 ppm.

The highest concentration of alcohol in the mother's blood and milk is achieved 30-40 minutes after drinking beer. If a woman drinks alcohol after hearty lunch, the time during which ethanol enters breast milk increases to 1-1.5 hours.

If a nursing woman drinks beer once, then a standard portion of beer (300 ml) will be “neutralized” 2.5-3 hours after drinking the strong drink. The complete removal of alcohol breakdown products depends on the amount of beer drunk, the woman’s weight and the alcohol content in the drink.

Alcohol entering the baby's bloodstream through breast milk breaks down in the baby's liver. Until three months of age, this organ is absolutely incapable of processing ethanol. Therefore, even occasional consumption of beer can lead to the most disastrous consequences, including a detailed outcome due to alcohol intoxication.

But even breastfed children older than 3 months can suffer serious complications due to the mother’s alcohol intake:

Even a single drink by a nursing mother of beer with a low alcohol content can cause lethargy, impaired reflexes, and unhealthy sleep in the child.

Video - smoking and alcohol during lactation

If a nursing mother experiences an irresistible urge to drink invigorating drink, then most often non-alcoholic beer acts as an alternative that is not dangerous for babies. The taste and smell are completely similar natural beer, but the alcohol content varies from 0 to 1.5-2%.

In addition to the fact that non-alcoholic beer may contain a small amount of ethanol, which has a negative impact on infant, he has quite a few other negative qualities. For the most part, they consist of harmful additives used in the production of non-alcoholic beer.

A safe analogue of beer, the product is far from harmless. It contains dyes, preservatives and flavors.

The most harmless consequence of a mother taking surrogate beer is allergic reaction for chemical additives. In addition, there may be problems with the stomach, which may not appear immediately, but after several years.

In Japan, special beer is produced for nursing mothers. It contains absolutely no alcohol, and the content of chemical additives is minimal.

A relatively safe dose that a woman with an infant can afford is 1 glass. But even in this case, it is better to insure yourself and take safety measures - before drinking beer, it is better to express milk for the upcoming feeding of the baby.

If you can't resist

Breastfeeding is a process that can last up to a year and a half. And it is quite possible that a woman will not be able to resist drinking a glass of delicious fresh beer.

Episodic eating light alcohol will not harm the child if you follow the following rules:

• time the feeding of the child to coincide with night sleep (the longest), give him the breast before drinking a glass of beer;
• if beer is consumed during the day, then you can feed the baby immediately after the mother drinks beer. Within half an hour, alcohol will not yet enter breast milk and the baby will not receive an unsafe dose of alcohol;
• the use of even non-alcoholic beer with a minimum strength in combination with medicines containing paracetamol is unacceptable, because it can have the most negative effect on the baby;
• Under no circumstances should you drink any type of beer before the child reaches the age of 3 months - his liver will not be able to cope with even a tiny dose of alcohol. In addition, the structure of the mammary gland of a woman who has a baby at the age of 1-2 months cannot delay the flow of ethanol into breast milk;
• If the amount of beer drunk by a nursing mother exceeds the “safe” dose, then the baby can be fed only after at least 12 hours. A day after the “beer party,” breast milk is guaranteed to be free of alcohol. Until this time, it is necessary to use only expressed milk to feed the baby.

Often, a nursing mother’s desire to drink beer is associated with a deficiency of vitamins and minerals in her body. In this case, you should consult your doctor about taking vitamin complexes, safe for the child.

Is it possible to drink beer while breastfeeding? Today this question is heard on many programs about the health of your baby and is discussed on forums for young mothers. Oddly enough, the opinions of doctors and some nursing mothers are divided. The fact is that this alcoholic drink actually contains beneficial substances. However, the harm of such a drink lies in fusel oils, which neutralizes all the benefits.

In addition, doctors say that beer does not help increase lactation at all, and this is already a common self-hypnosis. Mothers, in turn, describe the miraculous effect of alcohol in small quantities. They tell how they have tried all the remedies and teas, but nothing helps. Then one of them drank a little beer, which led to a large flow of milk.

How can we explain this? It has been scientifically proven that this drink tends to accumulate in tissues, which leads to their stretching and swelling. Thus, the mother begins to feel a rush of milk, but feeding is difficult for the baby. Why? Beer retains fluid in the body, including mother's breast milk, which forces the baby to suck with all his might.

Is it possible to drink beer while breastfeeding? The answer is ambiguous. If a young mother consumes, for example, at least 250 ml unfiltered beer, then, undoubtedly, it gets into the milk, although after some time. If you drink non-alcoholic drink, then the permissible dosage is approximately 500 ml, nothing will threaten the baby’s health.

Of course, there are times when you want to drink, but you need to think about the child first. Any, even a small amount of alcohol is harmful to the baby. According to research results, it was found that the drink itself has an effect on milk production, but this can bring both benefit and harm.

Many mothers cannot imagine their life without alcohol. As for pregnancy, all sorts of bad habits should be excluded. After giving birth, it is usually necessary for at least 3 months to pass before breastfeeding and alcohol can be combined.

Maybe this is self-hypnosis?

Modern mothers both smoke and drink. Then they only wonder why their child is sick. It has been proven that during breastfeeding, the baby absorbs along with the milk everything that the mother ate and drank the day before. That is, if you do drink, then depending on the weight and amount you drink, you cannot feed the baby for some time.

Experienced mothers advise all other breastfeeding women to drink a little beer, they say, it helps you relax and the baby is well-fed. However, something completely different happens. You couldn’t resist allowing yourself a glass of alcoholic drink and soon decided to feed the baby. He seemed to have eaten (as it seems) and fell asleep. In fact, alcohol penetrates the body and, accordingly, into the milk. It feels good, you relax. Next, the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for milk production, slows down this process, and you feel that there is a lot of milk in your breasts. During breastfeeding, a baby who is trying to suck milk (but it doesn't come out well) finally stops doing it, never having had enough. Soon he falls asleep and sleeps soundly. This happens under the influence of alcohol that gets into the milk during feeding. It's good if you drank a little and the baby is more than 3 months old.

If you want to increase lactation, you don’t have to use a product whose benefits you doubt. Usually milk appears when you experience any positive emotions, take a hot shower, directing it to the back at chest level, or from a hot drink. Here, as in the famous proverb, all means are good. The main thing is that it is pleasant. This, by the way, can be achieved with an ordinary massage or watching a good movie. But alcohol in any form or quantity has never brought benefit to nursing mothers.

The point here is precisely in self-hypnosis, which relates to the psychological aspect. This is a kind of placebo method, that is, a person convinces himself that it is useful, necessary, necessary, but in reality - the opposite or no result at all.

Therefore, do not be deceived when on some forum one young mother advises you to drink your favorite alcoholic drink. And then you won’t have to look for reasons to drink a glass a day.

Beer and breast milk: are there any benefits?

Most often it happens like this: a mother gave birth, and then she was drawn to beer. Why? Although she is not an alcoholic, sometimes she really wants to drink. This is explained by the fact that real beer actually contains a substance that has beneficial properties. This is brewer's yeast. The smell of beer is bready, and the body of a young mother associates it with vitamins such as B1 and B2, as well as D2. In the first case, the vitamin improves metabolism and restores strength, and in the second, skin renewal occurs, which has a beneficial effect on appearance. Vitamin D2 is essential for strengthening teeth and rapid hair growth. In addition, the above microelements help the development of the child.

Therefore, as soon as you feel the urgent need to drink beer, reconsider your diet, it lacks these vitamins. Try increasing your intake of bran, whole grain bread, vegetables, meat products and, accordingly, fermented milk. It is very important to monitor your nutrition during feeding, as this is what you are feeding your baby.

How to drink beer correctly and what you can replace it with

So, here you need to take into account that you will be drinking exclusively non-alcoholic beer. But even it contains approximately 0.5-1.5% alcohol. If the child is not allergic to the components of this drink (for example, hops) and does not react to carbon dioxide, which is an integral component of beer, then 500 ml will not bring special harm neither mother nor baby.

As for the 6% alcohol content of this drink, the dose should be halved, that is, 250 ml. Do not forget that you cannot feed the baby for an hour, since ethyl alcohol has not yet been removed from the milk. By the way, after this time there is no need to express milk, there will be no alcohol in it.

Beer while breastfeeding: some tips.

1. The child should be fed before drinking alcohol and after 1-1.5 hours. This way you will protect him from alcohol entering his body.
2. Don't drink beer if you get drunk even from one sip. This is explained by the fact that there are not enough special enzymes for the absorption of alcohol, or there is individual intolerance.
3. Remember, the lower your weight, the slower the alcohol is eliminated. However, due to the fact that almost every seventh mother drinks alcohol (mostly beer or wine), doctors have drawn up rules to protect the child from the harmful effects of alcohol.
4. One of the main conditions is the age of the child. Until 3 months, his intestines are not able to filter good and bad substances. When breastfeeding, he absorbs absolutely everything. Therefore, set yourself a ban on alcohol at least in the first few months of his life.

You can always substitute beer. The same percentage of alcohol is contained in live kvass and kefir. This is much more useful, and the effect is the same. However, if there is a repeated need for alcohol, it means that a mechanism for the development of alcoholism has been launched, and when a person drinks systematically (especially a woman), this can become an incurable problem.

To increase lactation while breastfeeding, drink more water, juice, and tea.

The latter can be purchased at the pharmacy; it is based on herbs that promote milk production.

What to do if you really want to drink during lactation?

There are cases when a woman during breastfeeding for some reason cannot give up alcohol, for example, on her birthday. It is necessary to protect your baby from possible negative consequences. To combine beer and feeding, good option will express milk in advance for one or two feedings. When feeding, it is advisable to consume no more than 0.5 liters of beer, and the gas must first be released. Breastfeeding after alcohol is not recommended for 12-24 hours; it is better to use milk prepared in advance.

One more point: it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol (even beer) on an empty stomach. Always have something to eat and then drink alcohol. Otherwise, you will quickly get drunk, and the alcohol itself will be completely eliminated after many hours. A nursing mother cannot take such risks.

Thank you for your feedback

Comments

Megan92 () 2 weeks ago

Has anyone succeeded in ridding their husband of alcoholism? My drink never stops, I don’t know what to do anymore ((I was thinking about getting a divorce, but I don’t want to leave the child without a father, and I feel sorry for my husband, he’s a great person when he doesn’t drink

Daria () 2 weeks ago

I have already tried so many things, and only after reading this article, I was able to wean my husband off alcohol; now he doesn’t drink at all, even on holidays.

Megan92 () 13 days ago

Daria () 12 days ago

Megan92, that’s what I wrote in my first comment) I’ll duplicate it just in case - link to article.

Sonya 10 days ago

Isn't this a scam? Why do they sell on the Internet?

Yulek26 (Tver) 10 days ago

Sonya, what country do you live in? They sell it on the Internet because stores and pharmacies charge outrageous markups. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now they sell everything on the Internet - from clothes to TVs and furniture.

Editor's response 10 days ago

Sonya, hello. This drug is used to treat alcohol addiction really is not sold through pharmacy chains and retail stores in order to avoid inflated prices. Currently you can only order from official website. Be healthy!

Sonya 10 days ago

I apologize, I didn’t notice the information about cash on delivery at first. Then everything is fine if payment is made upon receipt.

Margo (Ulyanovsk) 8 days ago

Has anyone tried traditional methods to get rid of alcoholism? My father drinks, I can’t influence him in any way ((

Andrey () A week ago

Which ones folk remedies I haven’t tried it, my father-in-law still drinks

A mother who wants her baby to grow healthy at 1 year of age or longer feeds him with breast milk. During this period, a woman should monitor her diet.

Can I drink regular or non-alcoholic beer? Opinions differed. Komarovsky believes that moderate and rare consumption of an intoxicating drink will not harm.

When consumed, beer accumulates in the tissues and stretches them. A woman who drinks a glass will feel as if milk has rushed to her breasts, but in reality the baby will have difficulty sucking at the breast and will not be full quickly.

After drinking 100 g of unfiltered beer, alcohol enters the woman’s bloodstream, and with her it passes into breast milk. You should not breastfeed your baby for the next 2-3 hours.

During the period of pregnancy expectant mother should completely give up alcohol. Up to 3 months It is extremely undesirable for a nursing woman to drink beer. From 3 months it is possible, but very rarely and no more than 0.5 liters per day.

How does beer affect a child’s condition?

Up to 3 months The baby has such an intestine that it quickly absorbs milk, and with it alcohol, if the mother drinks this intoxicating drink. After a dose of alcohol, a child’s motor skills become slow, he is apathetic and drowsy. Doesn't require food as often and sleeps more. There will be more gases in the intestines, causing colic, and the baby will cry.

Some children may develop allergies in the form of rashes and itching. Therefore, it is better for the mother not to drink any alcohol until the baby is 3 months old.

Alcohol passes through the mother's blood into her milk. The baby eats it and it affects him toxic effects. The baby’s internal organs are not developed enough to quickly break down and remove alcohol from the body. It turns out that the child is being poisoned by it.

Alcohol affects the baby’s body in the following way:

• upsets the nervous system;
• impairs motor skills;
• causes allergies;
• provokes disturbances in the functioning of the heart;
• convulsions occur and chronic diseases of internal organs form, immunity decreases;
• affects the brain.

The main health problems that may arise in a baby are listed, but if frequent use beer for a nursing mother, there are more of them.

Carefully! Some mothers believe that if they drank while feeding 1 child and everything was fine, the 2nd will be the same, but these are misconceptions. Problems can appear in infancy as well as adolescence.

Beer and breastfeeding

Like medicine, 10% of the alcohol consumed passes into mother's milk. If the mother drank champagne, the alcohol would pass from it into the milk within 10 minutes. After drinking beer or wine, alcohol enters the milk within 30 minutes, maximum 1 hour.

When will the breakdown products of ethanol, which is harmful to babies, leave the blood? If a woman weighs approximately 55 kg, then 2 or 3 hours will pass and the baby can be breastfed.

If a woman drank liqueur, cognac, vodka and other strong alcohol, the removal of ethanol from breast milk would take longer - approximately 13 hours.

Some women think that by expressing milk from the breast, they will neutralize it from alcohol. This is wrong. While it ferments in the blood, the milk will contain it.

Beer and breast milk: are there any benefits?

Where did the myth come from that beer improves lactation? After taking it, the woman feels a rush of milk and she thinks that it was the intoxicating drink that caused it. This is a myth. He is supported by irresponsible mothers with weak willpower. They cannot give up alcohol and justify their drinking by citing its benefits.

What's happening? Alcohol affects the fluid so much that it is retained, for example, in the chest. There will be the same amount of milk in it as usual, but due to the swelling it seems that there is more.

Carefully! The quality of milk becomes worse due to the alcohol it contains. Better for the child don't drink it.

Under the influence of alcohol, less of the hormone oxytocin is released in the breast tissue. When there is enough of it, it is easier for the baby to suckle at the breast and he gets enough nutrition faster. If there is a lack of the hormone, it is difficult for the baby to suck out enough milk. He gets tired and refuses to breastfeed.

Literally 2-3 hours will pass and he will ask for the breast again. Without knowing these features, the mother may think that the baby is capricious, but he really does not have enough milk. When the baby does not completely suck the nutritional fluid from the breast, the mother feels that it is full and this creates discomfort.

How to drink beer correctly and what can replace it?

If a mother is nursing a baby, it is best for her to drink a minimum of beer and other alcohol for the first 2 years. During pregnancy and the first 3 months. For the life of a baby, it is better to give up alcohol altogether. Alcohol is toxic and weak internal organs It is difficult for a baby to break it down and remove it from the body.

A mother who does not want her child to be poisoned by alcohol does not drink it. If a mother sometimes drinks beer for company, then she should know the subtleties:

1. In thin mothers, alcohol is eliminated from the body longer, in fat mothers faster.
2. 150 g of beer or wine will be eliminated from the body faster than the same amount of vodka or other strong alcohol.
3. Before drinking, you need to eat a hearty meal. Then the alcohol will be absorbed and enter the bloodstream more slowly than if mommy drank it in the morning before breakfast or at any time of the day when she was hungry.

If you really want beer, it is best to drink 150-250 g of it. The maximum that a nursing mother can consume per day is 0.5 liters of the drink. After this, you cannot feed the baby milk for 2 or 3 hours. The alcohol will be removed from the blood, the mother will become sober and then the milk will be safe for the baby.

Kvass is most similar to beer. This is a fermentation product and also contains up to 3% alcohol. Similarly, you can drink 0.5 liters of kvass and it is better not to abuse it.

Why does a nursing mother want beer?

Some women loved beer even before pregnancy and childbirth. It is natural that they are sometimes drawn to drink it, especially when their husband, one of their relatives, or friends drinks. Other women drank beer extremely rarely, on major holidays. Why were they so drawn to him after giving birth?

Scientists were looking for answers to these questions and noticed that women are primarily attracted to the delicious smell of bread. Beer contains vitamins: B1, C B2, D2. This composition helps improve the condition of the skin and improves metabolism.

Vitamin D2 helps improve the condition of hair, nails, and teeth. These vitamins also have a beneficial effect on the child’s body, but until the baby is 3 months old, it is better to abstain from beer. Pregnant women should also not drink it.

The fact that a woman really wants beer indicates that her body lacks certain vitamins and microelements. They can be obtained from the following products:

• bran;
• vegetables;
• bread;
• vegetables;
• meat, liver;
• various fermented milk.

In early childhood, a baby eats only mother's milk. Therefore, the mother should eat a varied diet so that there is a lot of milk and the baby has enough nutrition.

Rules for drinking beer during pregnancy

If the mother knows that some kind of celebration is planned and she wants to drink alcohol, she needs to take care of food for the baby in advance.

The rules are:

• a responsible mother expresses milk so that there is enough for at least 2 feedings;
• If the mother has not stored milk for the baby in advance, then she should not feed the baby for 2, or better yet, 3 hours after drinking beer. If the breast is full, toxic milk should be expressed and poured out, but not given to the baby.

Attention! When the dose of 3-6% alcohol is less than 0.5 liters, alcohol will quickly leave the blood of even a thin mother. It is best to limit yourself and drink no more than 150-250 g of drink per day.

Effect of non-alcoholic beer

The maximum a nursing mother should afford is 0.5 l soft drink . Then there will be a small dose of alcohol in the blood and it will not harm the baby. No need to buy a drink at tin can, it contains a lot of preservatives. It is better to give preference to bottled.

When breastfeeding, you are allowed to drink 500 milliliters of non-alcoholic beer. In this case, no harm will be caused to the life and health of the baby.

Alcohol is prohibited for nursing mothers. But there are rumors among parents that drinking beer has a positive effect on lactation and does not harm the child’s health. Is there any truth to this? Let's find out whether it is possible to drink beer while breastfeeding (BF) and what are the pros and cons of drinking an intoxicating drink for the body of the mother and baby.

Does beer pass into breast milk?

All substances from food, drinks or medications that a breastfeeding woman consumes pass into the milk. Beer though low alcohol drink, contains ethyl alcohol. After being taken by a nursing mother, it first enters the circulatory system, then into breast milk and into the baby’s body. The impact of ethanol on the health of the baby cannot be called positive.

After the appointment beer drink On an empty stomach, the alcohol content in milk reaches its maximum after 40 minutes. If consumed with food – after 60–90 minutes. The elimination period for one serving of ethanol (330 ml of beer) is 2.5–4 hours depending on the strength foamy drink and the woman's weight. Removal and decomposition of toxins from more alcohol will take longer.

Can I use it?

Disputes about the dangers and benefits of beer during breastfeeding are ongoing even among specialists. Some doctors claim that 200–300 ml of a foamy drink 1–2 times a week will not cause negative consequences for the body of the mother and child.

The famous pediatrician E. Komarovsky, whose opinion is trusted by millions of young parents, believes that there is no reason to ban beer during breastfeeding. A low-alcohol drink made from natural ingredients, a glass of which a woman drinks to relax or during a special event, will not harm anyone. The main thing is to know and observe moderation.

Most doctors are confident that beer is not beneficial during breastfeeding. Medical studies have not proven positive influence foamy drink to stimulate lactation. You can relax and relieve stress using safer ways for your little one’s health than drinking alcohol.

Harm

Frequent or excessive consumption of beer by a woman during lactation leads to serious consequences for the baby:

• problems with gastrointestinal tract(colic, indigestion);
• delayed motor development;
• liver pathologies;
• underweight;
• development of hypoglemia (low blood sugar levels);
• sleep disorders.

The listed disadvantages of drinking beer for the child’s body cancel out all the benefits that a nursing mother can receive from the drink. Can a mother risk her baby’s health for her own pleasure?

Dubious benefit

Myths about the benefits of beer during breastfeeding have arisen due to the fact that brewer's yeast is used in its production. They are rich in B vitamins and microelements that enhance milk production. Therefore, some doctors advise nursing women to use them for milk lactation.

During the beer production process, most useful substances is lost from the yeast, but as a result of fermentation alcohol and fusel oils. To satisfy the necessary need for vitamins and minerals by drinking beer, you need to drink several liters at a time. But the amount of alcohol obtained with it will cancel out all the advantages and cause irreparable harm to the child.

Until the baby is 3 months old, a nursing mother cannot drink alcoholic beverages even in the minimum permissible doses! Alcohol intoxication a newborn child can lead to irreversible consequences.

The sound sleep that parents observe in their baby after the mother drinks beer is unhealthy. In a child’s brain, under the influence of alcohol, redox processes slow down and respiratory function is inhibited.

The statement that beer improves lactation is self-hypnosis. Breastfeeding women may actually feel a rush of milk in their breasts after drinking a foamy drink. This is caused by the property of alcohol to accumulate fluid in tissues and dilate blood vessels.

The alcohol contained in beer reduces the synthesis of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the formation of milk in the mammary glands, and therefore cannot have a positive effect on lactation. This fact has been scientifically proven, and it makes no sense to dispute it to justify the weakness of a nursing woman.

Can I substitute non-alcoholic?

An excellent solution to satisfy a nursing woman's desire for a refreshing and relaxing drink would be to drink non-alcoholic beer. In terms of the amount of vitamins and microelements, its composition is similar to regular beer, but the alcohol content is minimal.

Nevertheless, a small percentage of ethyl alcohol is present in it (up to 1.5%). If you drink a non-alcoholic beer drink without restrictions, you will accumulate a sufficient dose of alcohol that can harm the child’s health.

Studies have shown that up to a year, the child’s body does not produce the enzyme that breaks down ethanol. Even minimum dose, passed through mother's milk, will lead to unpredictable health consequences.

Non-alcoholic beer sold on store shelves contains food additives, which help speed up the fermentation process and increase shelf life. Addition chemicals carries into the drink real threat for the body of a nursing woman and baby.

Rules of use

The International Pediatric Association recommends that mothers continue breastfeeding until their baby is 2 years old. But often it is the restrictions on alcohol consumption that prompt many women to interrupt breastfeeding earlier than the recommended period. Therefore, if it is impossible to resist drinking alcohol, you can occasionally drink beer. The main thing is to do it correctly. To ensure the safety of your baby, you need to follow several recommendations.

1. Do not exceed maximum permissible dose 330 ml per day. Non-alcoholic beer can be a little larger - up to 500 ml.
2. Don't drink more than twice, maximum three times per week.
3. Choose live, unfiltered beer for consumption, avoid canned beer.
4. Before drinking, you should breastfeed the child, so that the next feeding occurs 3-4 hours later (the time during which ethanol is removed from milk).
5. If you plan to take higher doses of beer, you should not breastfeed your baby. You need to express milk in advance and give it after drinking alcohol.

While breastfeeding, the mother can drink a little beer if she really wants to. If you follow simple rules, the risk to your baby's health will be minimal. Relaxations in the ban on alcohol will help extend the period of breastfeeding and will not cause premature cessation of lactation.