Can you store breast milk after drinking?

Understanding Breast Milk Storage After Drinking
The question of whether you can store breast milk after drinking alcohol is a nuanced one, rooted in both safety and practicality. For breastfeeding mothers, understanding how alcohol affects breast milk and the best practices for storing milk is crucial for ensuring the health of their infants.
Alcohol and Breast Milk
When a breastfeeding mother consumes alcohol, it enters her bloodstream and subsequently her breast milk. The concentration of alcohol in breast milk is similar to that in the mother’s blood, peaking about 30 to 60 minutes after consumption. However, the body metabolizes alcohol over time, and it typically takes about two to three hours for a single drink to clear from breast milk, depending on various factors such as the mother’s weight and metabolism.
Storing Breast Milk After Drinking
If a mother has consumed alcohol and wishes to store her breast milk, it is essential to consider the timing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that if a mother has had a drink, she should wait at least two hours before breastfeeding or expressing milk to minimize the alcohol content in her milk. This means that if she expresses milk during this time, it may contain alcohol and should be treated with caution.
Best Practices for Storing Expressed Milk
When it comes to storing expressed breast milk, the CDC provides guidelines to ensure its safety and quality. Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, in a freezer for about six months, and in a deep freezer for up to a year. If milk has been expressed after drinking alcohol, it is advisable to label it with the time of expression and to discard any milk that may contain alcohol if it has not been stored for an appropriate duration.
Reusing Breast Milk
There are also concerns about reusing breast milk that has been previously expressed. If breast milk has been thawed, it should not be refrozen and should be used within 24 hours. If the milk was expressed after drinking, it is best to err on the side of caution and not use it until it has been confirmed that the alcohol has cleared.
Conclusion
In summary, while it is technically possible to store breast milk after drinking, it is crucial to consider the timing and the potential presence of alcohol in the milk. Mothers should wait a sufficient amount of time after drinking before expressing milk and should follow safe storage practices to ensure their baby’s health. By being informed and cautious, breastfeeding mothers can navigate the complexities of alcohol consumption and breast milk storage effectively.

How long after drinking can you keep breast milk?

Breastfeeding mothers who have consumed alcohol can wait 2 hours (per drink) before breastfeeding. This time will allow alcohol levels in her breast milk to go down. If the mother cannot wait to feed her infant, she can feed milk that was previously expressed when the mother was not drinking.

Can you put milk back in fridge after drinking?

And this is milk you worked hard to save, so of course it will be tempting to put the bottle back in the fridge! But here’s the problem – while putting the bottle in the fridge will slow down the growth of bacteria, it will not reverse any bacterial growth that happened while the milk was warm.

Is it OK to breastfeed after two drinks?

Based on metabolization math and recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you can breastfeed about two hours after you’ve finished one drink. If you’ve had two drinks, wait four to five hours. In other words, if there’s still alcohol in your system, there’s still alcohol in your breast milk.

Can alcohol pass to a baby in breast milk?

Alcohol can pass into your breastmilk and then into your baby when you feed them. An occasional drink is unlikely to harm your baby especially if you wait at least 2 hours after having a drink before feeding.. Regularly drinking above the recommended limits can be harmful for you and your baby.

Can you save breastmilk that has been drank from?

Leftover breast milk can still be used within 2 hours after the baby is finished feeding. After 2 hours, leftover breast milk should be thrown away. To avoid wasting unfed milk, consider storing, thawing, and warming it in smaller amounts.

How do I make sure alcohol is out of my breast milk?

If you do intend to have a social drink, you could try avoiding breastfeeding for 2 to 3 hours for every drink you have to avoid exposing your baby to any alcohol in your milk. This allows time for the alcohol to leave your breast milk.

How much alcohol will contaminate breast milk?

In general, less than 2 percent of the alcohol dose consumed by the mother reaches her milk and blood. Alcohol is not stored in breast milk, however, but its level parallels that found in the maternal blood. That means that as long as the mother has substantial blood alcohol levels, the milk also will contain alcohol.

What happens if you breastfeed after drinking?

When a person drinks, a small amount of alcohol passes through the blood into breast milk. Regular exposure to too much alcohol can affect a baby’s growth, development and sleep. The baby might seem drowsy and weak and have unhealthy weight gain. Alcohol also can affect the ability to safely care for a baby.

Can I put breast milk back in fridge after baby drinks from it?

Any remaining breast milk left in a bottle after your baby is finished with a feeding should be used within 2 hours—or, if quickly refrigerated, used for the next feeding. You can always thaw an extra container if needed. Refrigerate or chill milk right after it is expressed.

Can I keep half drank breast milk?

Ideally, your breast milk should be kept as cool as possible. Experts recommend you keep it covered with a clean, cool towel to make sure it doesn’t get contaminated. If your baby takes part of the breast milk, you should use the rest or throw it away within 2 hours.