2 posts tagged “breastfeeding”
As a mom of two boys who each breastfeed for over a year, I am certainly not opposed to drinking while nursing on occasion (and in moderation, of course), and the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees. Drinking a small amount while nursing is a totally acceptable (and sometimes necessary) indulgence for new (and not so new) moms.
That said, there is a myth in our culture that drinking beer, particularly Guiness, will help to increase milk supply for women with low-supply issues or bring in milk for women who are recently postpartum. Many women are unfortunately even told this by their health care provider, by their doula, or by a lactation consultant. I think this is a dangerous suggestion for new moms and moms with supply issues and I would love to see it stop circulating.
The logic behind this suggestion seems to be that new mothers are stressed and drinking will help them to relax, thus increasing both their supply and their milk let-down. While I do understand that being a new mother or a mother of a small baby can be stressful, and alcohol can be a method for relaxing, this is dangerous advise for women who are actually facing supply issues. For moms without supply concerns, go ahead and indulge, but for those who need to build their milk supply, staying away from alcohol is important.
Breastfeeding is an amazing process in which hormones in the mother’s body and suckling instincts in the newborn/infant combine to help first establish a milk supply and then maintain it at a level that should match the needs for the growing baby (or babies for mothers of multiples). When women nurse we see the hormones oxytocin and prolactin working together in the body to produce and sustain that milk supply.
A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania took the myth of beer to boost milk supply to the lab and the results were startling. Oxytocin levels fell about 78% in the women who drank and prolactin levels surged by 336% - moving both hormones in the opposite direction of what is seen in nursing mothers with healthy milk supplies.
Thus, when women drink alcohol, their oxytocin levels decrease and prolactin levels increase, which results in LESS milk production, not more. Yet, women report feeling that drinking a beer worked to increase their supply and they often report that their baby appeared to be getting more milk following drinking.
The University of Pennsylvania researchers found that while women were actually producing less milk, and their babies were therefore getting less milk, they felt increased fullness in their breasts, caused by the increase in prolactin levels. It is this feeling of fullness that is often experienced as an increase in milk. Coupled with this increased fullness in the breasts, babies were shown to suck more vigorously at the beginning of nursing sessions with the mothers who had consumed alcohol. This is likely actually caused by the decease in milk supply but it if often experienced as the baby drinking more.
For moms who do not have supply issues, this is not a huge problem as the hormone shifts are temporary and return to the pre-alcohol levels as the alcohol leaves the blood. Yet, for mothers with a supply issue and babies with weight gain concerns, this is a huge issue because babies suck harder (wasting calories) and take in about 20% less milk following a mother drinking. This decrease in breastmilk consumption can have very dangerous results for mothers who may have consumed the beer in the first place in an effort to increase supply and consumption levels.
If you are having supply issues and working to increase your production or if you are a new mother still establishing a healthy milk supply, please consider reading on kellymom.com for suggestions about safe food/herbal galactogogues (milk-makers) such as oatmeal, fengreek, blessed thistle, and alfalfa or information about the pros and cons of the prescription drugs that are available. Brooklyn also has a number of great lactation consultants that can also work with you on building your supply, improving your latch, effectively pumping, or use of a supplementary feeding system, if needed.
I am at home in rural Wisconsin visiting my family for a few weeks. My son is thrilled to be playing with the donkeys and sheep and my baby is happy to have so many extra adults around to hold him and play. My brother is soaking up as much information on babies as possible - he changed his first (cloth) diaper yesterday and he was a pro. Babywearing while farming, how to politely get people to give you gifts that fit your politics and principles, morning sickness, etc. - we have been chatting about it all.
