Understanding the full picture around breastfeeding and alcohol is difficult. Advice has changed over the decades, and at the moment is inconsistent across sources. In this post we are going to outline the current knowledge so that you can feel more informed and more empowered in these decisions.
Does alcohol enter breast milk?
Yes. Alcohol passes into breast milk from blood. Concentrations in breast milk peak around 30-60 minutes after drinking.
How much alcohol is my baby exposed to via breast milk?
The alcohol levels in breast milk are similar to the alcohol level in your blood after drinking. Some studies suggest alcohol is slightly higher in breast milk because it contains more water. For example, if a mum weighing 70kg consumes 1 large glass of wine, her blood alcohol level will increase to around 0.04% after approximately 1 hour. Milk alcohol concentrations will be similar.
However, when multiple drinks are consumed this percentage increases, and if babies are feeding regularly when peak milk alcohol concentrations are present they will be exposed to more. Additionally, it is understood that babies’ livers, especially in the first weeks of life, detoxify alcohol at a much slower rate than adults.
Does alcohol remain in breast milk?
Alcohol levels in milk decline gradually as your liver processes the alcohol in your blood. The levels drop in your blood and breast milk at the same rate.
Around 2 hours after consuming one drink, your milk will be alcohol free. This time frame depends on your weight and of course differs when consuming more than one drink.
Should I pump and dump?
Pumping and dumping will not impact milk alcohol levels. However, it can be helpful to maintain supply and to relieve fullness if you are skipping breast feeds while drinking.
What are the safety implications of drinking while breastfeeding?
It is not advisable to drink excessively when caring for a baby. Special considerations must be made when drinking alcohol, i.e. avoid co-sleeping or falling asleep with a baby on a chair / sofa when under the influence of alcohol. This can increase the risk of SIDS and is not considered safe sleeping.
Further infant health impacts associated with drinking alcohol and breastfeeding are discussed later, in our review of the evidence.
What is the current advice regarding drinking while breastfeeding?
Advice varies significantly across sources:
- The HSE advise to avoid drinking alcohol during the first month of your baby’s life, and later to follow low risk drinking guidelines.
- The NHS doesn’t advise avoiding drinking for any period of time. They state that an occasional drink is unlikely to cause baby any harm, especially if you wait at least 2 hours after having a drink before feeding.
- The Centers for Disease Control advise that not drinking alcohol during breastfeeding is the safest option, however, moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day) is not known to be harmful for the baby.
Let’s look at the research
Some studies have looked into alcohol consumption during breastfeeding. Much of it is observational, meaning mothers were asked to report their breastfeeding and alcohol consumption in hindsight. Few studies exist that involve alcohol interventions, which is understandable given the ethical implications.
When considering the research, we should keep in mind that definitions can vary between groups. For example, the concentration of alcohol in one standard drink is 10g in Australia and 13.5g in the US. Further, asking people to recall behaviours (especially those that may lead to judgement) can introduce errors.
Does alcohol impact breastfeeding patterns?
According to a narrative review published in 2019, there is a negative relationship between alcohol consumption and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. There doesn’t seem to be as significant an impact on breastfeeding initiation or on non-exclusive breastfeeding.
The reasons for the above findings are not well understood. It could be that breastfeeding mothers who want to resume drinking are less likely to breastfeed exclusively. Or, it could be that drinking alcohol negatively impacts the breastfeeding process.
Does alcohol interfere with the breastfeeding process?
According to a US study it does. This group investigated the impact of drinking alcohol on the hormones involved in the breastfeeding process and subsequent breastfeeding performance. They recruited 17 women who each participated in 2 sessions – during one they received alcohol and in the other they received a control drink.
They found that oxytocin levels were lower on the day women consumed alcohol in the majority of women. These women also had lower milk yields, pumping an average of 13% less milk after consuming alcohol.
They also found a significant impact on prolactin levels, which were higher on the day women consumed alcohol. When prolactin levels were higher, the group observed a delay in milk ejection that was proportional – i.e. the more prolactin the longer the delay.
Lastly, they found that drinking alcohol significantly increased women’s cortisol levels. However, the cortisol levels had no impact on breastfeeding performance and did not seem related to concentrations of oxytocin or prolactin.
Does alcohol change breast milk?
As mentioned above, the alcohol concentrations in breast milk reflect the concentrations in blood. One study reported that excessive concentrations lead to slightly higher concentrations in breast milk than blood due to milk’s higher water content.
Another study involved an intervention with 12 women and found a change in breast milk odour after alcohol consumption. The odour difference was most noticeable 30-60 minutes after consumption, paralleling the peak in milk alcohol levels.
The same group also found an increase in the amount of breast milk consumed by babies after mothers consumed alcohol. They asked mums to pump after drinking and fed babies with expressed milk via a bottle. The reason for increased milk consumption after alcohol was not known – but could possibly be due to a change in taste and/or odour of the milk.
Does drinking alcohol while breastfeeding impact baby?
Short term impacts:
In a small randomised controlled trial, one group of mothers consumed alcohol and another did not. Their babies were fed 100ml of breast milk after 30 minutes and were subsequently observed by researchers who did not know what the intervention involved. The study reported that when alcohol was consumed, babies spent more time in quiet alert and crying states and less time in quiet sleep.
One study found a significant impact on babies sleep after consuming expressed breast milk containing alcohol. The dose provided was based on what the average milk alcohol concentrations would be after a mum consumed 1 drink. They found that babies slept less in the following 3 hours, specifically, they spent less time in active sleep. They also found that when no more alcohol was consumed, these babies compensated by being in active sleep more over the following 20 hours.
Long term impacts:
Some studies have researched the link between alcohol consumption during breastfeeding and infant development. Negative associations have been found between reported alcohol consumption and infant motor development and reasoning scores. However, these findings were not repeated in later studies by the same groups. More research is needed in this area to fully understand the potential long term effects of drinking while breastfeeding.
References
CDC. (2025). Breastfeeding special circumstances – Alcohol. Retrieved 12/3/26 from https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/vaccine-medication-drugs/alcohol.html#:~:text=Safety%20concerns-,Not%20drinking%20alcohol%20is%20the%20safest%20option%20for%20breastfeeding%20mothers,a%20single%20drink%20before%20nursing.
Gibson, L., & Porter, M. (2018). Drinking or Smoking While Breastfeeding and Later Cognition in Children. Pediatrics, 142(2). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4266
Gibson, L., & Porter, M. (2020). Drinking or smoking while breastfeeding and later developmental health outcomes in children. BMC Research Notes, 13(1), 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05072-8
Greiner, T. (2019). Alcohol and Breastfeeding, a review of the issues. World Nutrition.
Ho, E., Collantes, A., Kapur, B. M., Moretti, M., & Koren, G. (2001). Alcohol and Breast Feeding: Calculation of Time to Zero Level in Milk. Biology of the Neonate, 80(3), 219-222. https://doi.org/10.1159/000047146
HSE. (2022). Alcohol and breastfeeding. Retrieved 12/3/25 from https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/breastfeeding/health-lifestyle/alcohol-and-breastfeeding/
Lawton, M. E. (1985). Alcohol in breast milk. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 25(1), 71-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828x.1985.tb00609.x
Mennella, J. A., & Garcia-Gomez, P. L. (2001). Sleep disturbances after acute exposure to alcohol in mothers’ milk. Alcohol, 25(3), 153-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0741-8329(01)00175-6
Mennella Julie, A., & Beauchamp Gary, K. (1991). The Transfer of Alcohol to Human Milk. New England Journal of Medicine, 325(14), 981-985. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199110033251401
NHS. (2022). Breastfeeding and drinking alcohol. Retrieved 12/3/26 from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-and-lifestyle/alcohol/#:~:text=Alcohol%20can%20pass%20into%20your,for%20you%20and%20your%20baby.
Schuetze, P., Eiden, R. D., & Chan, A. W. K. (2002). The Effects of Alcohol in Breast Milk on Infant Behavioral State and Mother-Infant Feeding Interactions. Infancy, 3(3), 349-363. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327078IN0303_4
