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Acetaldehyde, the toxic metabolite of alcohol, does not
appear to pass into breast milk [2].
The American Academy of Pediatrics
has classified alcohol (ethanol) as a drug "Usually Compatible With
Breastfeeding" [3]. The American Academy of Family
Physicians considers an occasional alcoholic drink compatible with breastfeeding [4].
Nonetheless, the acceptable lower limit of alcohol in breast milk has not been
established.
Reported adverse effects of alcohol on the nursing infant have included disruption of sleep patterns [5,6], hypoglycemia [7],
and reduced breast milk intake[8,9]
In 1989 a study of 400 infants concluded that ethanol ingested through breast milk has a slight but
significant detrimental effect on infant motor development but not mental development [10].
A more recent study of 915 18-month-old toddlers did not find a deficit in
motor skills associated with ethanol ingested through breast milk[11].
Women who wish to drink socially may reduce exposure to their infants by storing milk
before drinking and /or waiting for complete alcohol elimination from the breast
milk.
The calculator "Estimated Time Until
Zero Level of Alcohol in Breast Milk" may be used to estimate the time it would take to eliminate alcohol
in the breast milk after consuming a given number of alcoholic drinks.
REFERENCES
1. Lawton ME. Alcohol in breast milk.Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol.1985 Feb;25(1):71-3.
PUBMED
2. Kesaniemi YA.Ethanol and acetaldehyde in the milk and peripheral
blood of lactating women after ethanol administration.J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw.1974 Jan;81(1):84-6.
PUBMED
3 .Transfer of drugs and other chemicals into human milk. Pediatrics.
2001;108:776-89.
4.The American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP Policy Statement on Breastfeeding.
http://www.aafp.org/x6633.xml. Accessed 10-5-05
5.Mennella JA and Garcia-Gomez PL
Sleep disturbances after acute exposure to alcohol in mothers' milk. Alcohol.2001;25(3):153-8.
PUBMED
6.Mennella JA and Gerrish CJ .Effects of exposure to alcohol in mother's milk on infant
sleep. Pediatrics. 1998
May;101(5):E2.
PUBMED
7. Lamminpaa A. Alcohol intoxication in childhood and adolescence. Alcohol
Alcohol 1995;30:5-12.
PUBMED
8. Mennella JA. Regulation of milk intake after exposure to alcohol in
mothers' milk. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001;25(4):590-3.
PUBMED
9. Mennella JA, Beauchamp GK. The transfer of alcohol to human milk. Effects
on flavor and the infant’s behavior. N Engl J Med 1991;325:981-5.
PUBMED
10. Little RE, et al. Alcohol, breastfeeding, and development at 18 months.Pediatrics.2002
;109(5):E72-2.
PUBMED
11.Little RE, et al. Maternal alcohol use during breast-feeding and infant
mental and motor development at one year.N Engl J
Med.1989 17;321(7):425-30.
PUBMED
Created: 10/5/2005
Update: 10/5/2005
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