Can I Drink Beer While Breastfeeding?

Many people enjoy a beer as they unwind after a long day. If you're a new parent, you may wonder if drinking a beer while breastfeeding is safe for your baby.

Experts agree that breastfeeding parents can safely consume a beer if it’s done carefully. “Drinking beer in moderation is safe while breastfeeding,” says Krystyn Parks, MS, RD, IBCLC, pediatric dietitian and lactation consultant. Parks explains that alcohol does pass into breast milk, but consuming a single drink per day while nursing isn't known to harm babies.

That said, it's important to be mindful of quantity and timing when you consume alcohol while breastfeeding. Let’s take a deeper dive into drinking beer if you're nursing, including how to do it safely, how it might affect milk supply, and other precautions.

How Much Beer Is Safe While Breastfeeding

When you breastfeed, your milk will have roughly the same level of alcohol that's in your blood. So the amount you drink, and when you drink it, matters.

Moderation is the name of the game, says Jessica Madden, MD, pediatrician, neonatologist, IBCLC, and medical director at Aeroflow Breastpumps. She explains that breastfeeding parents shouldn’t consume more than one alcoholic beverage per day. For beer, that would be about one 12 oz. serving that’s about 5% alcohol.

In addition, Dr. Madden—along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)—recommends waiting two hours to nurse after you’ve consumed alcohol.

“Waiting at least two hours after consuming one drink before breastfeeding is suggested, as alcohol can be found in breast milk, and levels are generally highest 30 to 60 minutes after consuming alcohol,” explains Dr. Madden.

How Beer Affects Your Baby

The main concern with drinking alcohol—whether it's liquor, wine, or beer—is how it might affect babies. Again, reasonable amounts of alcohol shouldn't be a problem, especially if you wait about two hours to nurse your baby. But if you drink more than that, there may be risks.

Babies whose parents consumed heavy amounts of alcohol while nursing them may be at higher risk for:

• Excessive sleepiness
• Fluid retention (swelling)
• Hormone imbalances
• Poor academic performance later in childhood
  

Effects of Beer on Milk Supply

Besides the fact that many people enjoy an occasional beer, there are no advantages to consuming it if you're nursing. “In general, there are no overall health benefits to drinking beer while breastfeeding,” says Dr. Madden.

You may have heard people say that some components of beer may be galactagogues—ingredients that boost your milk supply. That's a myth. “Anecdotally, barley and hops are thought to boost milk supply,” says Parks, but there's no research to back this up.

As Parks points out, alcohol can have the opposite effect and inhibit your milk ejection reflex (the mechanism that allows milk to be released from your breasts). If this is impaired, your baby may not get enough milk.

“Milk supply, on the most basic level, is supply and demand, so the less the baby is taking, the less the parent will be making,” explains Parks. However, Parks says that it’s unlikely having one alcoholic beverage will have lasting effects on your milk ejection reflex.

Tips for Drinking Beer While Breastfeeding

Certain drugs and medications are best to avoid completely while breastfeeding, but beer isn't one of them. It’s generally fine to pop open a cold beer and enjoy it with a friend, but take the following precautions:

• Time your drinking and feedings: Breastfeed your baby right before having your beer, drink the beer, and then resume breastfeeding two (or more) hours after that.
• Have a caregiver ready if needed: Have alternative help lined up before you engage in any drinking that might exceed a single, well-timed beer.
• Check-in with a pediatrician: Be in touch with your child's health care provider before drinking alcohol while breastfeeding. If you have a medically vulnerable baby or a premature baby, you may have to take extra precautions.