If you just had your baby, it may have been a while since you got to sit back and relax with a nice glass of wine. So you may be wondering: can I have a glass of wine while breastfeeding, and how long should I wait before I nurse or pump? The short answer is that an occasional drink is fine for most breastfeeding moms when you plan around it. Here is what counts as a drink, how long alcohol stays in breast milk, what it does to your baby and your supply, and how to plan ahead for a night out.
Can I have a glass of wine while breastfeeding?
Yes, in moderation. The CDC says not drinking alcohol is the safest option for breastfeeding mothers. It also says moderate drinking, meaning up to one standard drink in a day, is not known to be harmful to the baby, especially if you wait at least 2 hours after that drink before you nurse. Having a glass of wine with dinner puts only a very small amount of alcohol in your breast milk.
Drinking while breastfeeding is different from drinking while pregnant. During pregnancy, alcohol in your blood reaches your baby directly. While breastfeeding, your baby only gets the small amount that passes into your milk, and you can time your feeds so there is little or none.
Drinking more than that is a different story. The CDC warns that more than moderate drinking could harm a baby’s development, growth, and sleep, and heavy drinking can lower your milk supply. Caring for a baby while you are drunk is not safe either.
What counts as a drink for a breastfeeding mother?
How much wine can you drink while breastfeeding? It depends on what is in the glass. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, one standard drink holds 14 grams of pure alcohol. That is about:
- Wine: a 5 oz glass of wine at 12% alcohol
- Beer: a 12 oz can of regular beer at 5% alcohol
- Liquor: a 1.5 oz shot of 80 proof spirits (40% alcohol), like vodka, tequila, or whiskey
A lot of real drinks are bigger than that. A bottle of wine holds about five standard drinks, and a restaurant pour is often 6 oz or more. A 12 oz craft beer at 9% is nearly two drinks. A cocktail made with two shots of liquor is two drinks, even if it tastes light.
| Drink | About how many standard drinks |
|---|---|
| 5 oz white or rosé wine (12%) | 1 |
| 5 oz red wine (14.5%) | 1.2 |
| 6 oz restaurant pour of red (14%) | 1.4 |
| 5 oz champagne or prosecco (12%) | 1 |
| 12 oz regular beer (5%) | 1 |
| 12 oz craft IPA (9%) | 1.8 |
| Cocktail with 2 shots of liquor | 2 |
| 750 ml bottle of wine (12%) | 5 |
Red wine, white wine, and champagne
Your body doesn’t care whether the wine is red or white. What matters is how much alcohol is in the glass. Many red wines run 13.5% to 15% alcohol, so a generous glass of red can count as one and a half drinks. Champagne and prosecco are usually around 12%, about the same as a standard glass of white. The alcohol percentage is printed on every label, so check it before you pour.
Beer and cocktails
Regular beer and light beer are on the low end. Craft beers, hard seltzers with higher alcohol, and mixed drinks are where the drinks add up without you noticing. If you are counting toward a feed, count the shots in a cocktail, not the glasses.
How long after a glass of wine can I breastfeed?
Alcohol in breast milk closely follows the alcohol in your blood. It is highest about 30 to 60 minutes after you drink, a bit later if you drank with food, and then it falls as your body clears it. The CDC says alcohol can generally be found in breast milk for about 2 to 3 hours per drink: about 4 to 5 hours after two drinks and 6 to 8 hours after three.
How fast you clear it depends on your body, mostly your weight, plus your metabolism and whether you ate. The National Library of Medicine’s LactMed database gives these estimates for when all the alcohol is out of your milk, counted from when you finish:
| Drinks | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 drink | 2 hr 30 min | 2 hr 15 min | 2 hr |
| 2 drinks | 5 hr | 4 hr 30 min | 4 hr |
| 3 drinks | 7 hr 30 min | 6 hr 45 min | 6 hr |
| 4 drinks | 10 hr | 9 hr | 8 hr |
Use the chart as a guide, not a guarantee. LactMed’s numbers are for a slightly smaller drink than a US standard drink, so a big pour or a strong red means waiting longer. If you still feel the drink, wait.
You may see breast milk alcohol test strips at the drugstore. They can give you peace of mind, but waiting by the clock is the simplest way to know the alcohol is gone.
One glass vs. two glasses of wine
After one glass of wine, waiting about 2 to 3 hours before you nurse is enough for most moms. Two glasses of wine roughly doubles the wait, to about 4 to 5 hours. Two drinks also puts you past what the CDC calls moderate drinking for a day, so plan for a bottle of pumped milk if your baby is likely to wake up before then.
What about pumping and dumping?
You may be asking, “What about the pump and dump?” Pumping and dumping means pumping your breast milk and pouring it out instead of storing it. It is a common myth that this clears alcohol from your milk. It doesn’t. As long as alcohol is in your blood it is in your milk, and it leaves your breast milk at the same pace it leaves your bloodstream. Pumping and dumping won’t make it go any faster, and the CDC and the NHS both say you don’t need to pump to clear it.
There are still good reasons to pump while you wait. If your breasts feel full and it is time for a feed, pumping keeps you comfortable and protects your supply. You can pour out that milk if it was pumped soon after drinking, then go back to nursing once enough time has passed.
Will drinking boost my breast milk supply?
No. Drinking alcohol does not boost your milk supply, and it can lower it. In one study, moms pumped about 9% less milk two hours after about a drink and a half than after a nonalcoholic drink. In others, babies drank 20 to 23% less milk in the 3 to 4 hours after their mothers had a drink, even though they nursed just as long. Larger amounts, around five drinks, can slow or block your letdown until the alcohol wears off.
Beer has an old reputation as a milk booster. LactMed explains where that comes from: a sugar in barley and hops may raise prolactin, the milk-making hormone. But the alcohol in beer works against your supply, so it is not a good way to make more milk. If you are looking for some tips for boosting breast milk production, check out this post.
How does drinking while breastfeeding affect the baby?
After an occasional drink, your baby gets a very small dose, and timing your feeds brings that close to zero. When a baby does drink milk with alcohol in it, studies show a few short-term effects:
- Less milk. Babies take in less milk at the next feeds, then often make up for it by feeding more later.
- Choppier sleep. For 3 to 4 hours afterward, babies tend to sleep in more frequent, shorter stretches, and they may be fussier.
Regular heavy drinking is where the real concerns are. The CDC links more than moderate drinking to problems with a baby’s growth, development, and sleep, and LactMed notes that the long-term effects of daily drinking are not well understood.
Your own alcohol level matters as much as your milk. The NHS says never to share a bed or a sofa with your baby if you have had any alcohol, because it raises the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you plan to drink more than a glass, have a sober adult on hand to care for your baby.
How can I enjoy a glass of wine while breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience, but it can be very draining. Sometimes you just want to relax at the end of the day. If you choose to have a drink, a little planning lets you do that without worrying:
- Feed or pump first. Nursing or pumping right before you drink gives you the longest stretch before the next feed. LactMed notes that pumping within an hour before a drink may slightly lower the alcohol that reaches your milk.
- Eat something. Food slows how fast alcohol reaches your blood and lowers the peak.
- Stick to one standard drink. Measure a 5 oz pour, or choose a lower-alcohol wine or beer.
- Check the clock. Wait at least 2 hours after one drink, and use the chart above for more.
- Keep pumped milk on hand. If your baby wakes up hungry before the alcohol has cleared, a bottle of milk you pumped earlier keeps you on schedule. Here’s how to store breast milk so it is ready.
- Pump for comfort if you need to. If you get full while you wait, pump and pour it out.
- Never bed-share after drinking. Put your baby to sleep on their back in their own crib or bassinet.
Choosing a lower-alcohol wine
If you are a wine lover looking for the best wine for a breastfeeding mom, look at the alcohol percentage, not the grape. Wines around 8% to 11%, like many Rieslings, Moscato d’Asti, and Vinho Verde, give you a full glass with less alcohol than a 14.5% red. A wine spritzer stretches a small pour further. If you go wine tasting, small tasting pours still add up, so keep a rough count or use the spit bucket.
Non-alcoholic wine and beer
Non-alcoholic wine and beer can still have a trace of alcohol, usually less than 0.5%. LactMed says non-alcoholic beer and cocktails carry minimal risk of exposing your baby to alcohol when you have them in moderation. In one study, moms drank about 1.5 liters of non-alcoholic beer and almost no alcohol showed up in their milk. If you miss the ritual of a glass with dinner, non-alcoholic wine is the lowest-risk way to have it.
Drinking while breastfeeding at holidays, weddings, and nights out
Special occasions are when drinks tend to add up. A toast, a glass with dinner, and a refill can be three drinks over an evening. A few things help:
- Pump a bottle or two in the days before, so you aren’t watching the clock all night.
- Decide on your number before you go, and count the champagne toast.
- Alternate drinks with water or a non-alcoholic option.
- If you’ll be drinking more than a glass or two, arrange for a sober partner or family member to handle the baby overnight.
Drinking while breastfeeding: the rules in short
We hope we’ve answered your questions if you’ve been thinking, “How can I enjoy a glass of wine while breastfeeding?” Here is the short version:
- Not drinking is safest. Up to one standard drink a day is not known to harm a breastfed baby.
- Wait at least 2 hours after one drink, and about 2 to 3 hours for each drink after that.
- Pumping and dumping doesn’t remove alcohol. Time does.
- Alcohol doesn’t boost milk supply. It lowers how much milk your baby gets.
- Never bed-share or care for your baby alone after more than a drink or two.
Having a drink is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. If you’re looking for more helpful breastfeeding and pumping information, reach out to us at The Breastfeeding Shop. We’re here to help new moms care for their babies any way that we can.
Questions moms ask about wine and breastfeeding
How long after a glass of wine can I breastfeed?
Wait at least 2 hours after one 5 oz glass of wine before you nurse or pump milk for your baby. Alcohol can stay in breast milk for about 2 to 3 hours per drink, so a big pour or a strong red means waiting a little longer.
Can I have 2 glasses of wine while breastfeeding?
Two glasses is more than the one drink a day the CDC calls moderate. If you do have two, plan to wait about 4 to 5 hours before nursing, and have pumped milk ready in case your baby gets hungry first.
Do I need to pump and dump after drinking?
No. Pumping and dumping does not remove alcohol from your milk any faster. Alcohol leaves your milk as it leaves your blood. Only pump if you feel full and it’s time to feed, and pour out that milk if it was soon after drinking.
Can I drink red wine while breastfeeding?
Yes, with the same limits as any drink. Red wine is often 13.5% to 15% alcohol, so a full glass can count as more than one standard drink. Check the label and wait a bit longer than you would after a glass of white.
Is non-alcoholic wine safe while breastfeeding?
It is the lowest-risk option. Non-alcoholic wine can contain a trace of alcohol, usually under 0.5%, and LactMed says non-alcoholic drinks like these carry minimal risk to your baby in moderation.
Does a glass of wine help with letdown or milk supply?
No. Alcohol can make your letdown slower, and babies take in about 20% less milk in the hours after mom drinks. Beer’s reputation as a milk booster is a myth.
Sources
