Te Hiku Hauora - Alcohol Harms - Alcohol and Breastfeeding

Alcohol and Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding offers vital nutrition and protection for pēpi, but alcohol can pass directly into breast milk and harm their growth and development. Staying alcohol-free while breastfeeding is the safest choice to give pēpi the best start in life.

Why Alcohol-Free Matters When Breastfeeding

A baby’s brain grows rapidly after birth and remains highly sensitive to alcohol.

When alcohol is present in a mother’s blood, it passes into breast milk and reaches the baby quickly. A baby’s small body cannot process alcohol like an adult’s, meaning it stays in their system longer and can cause greater harm.

Alcohol in breast milk can:

Interfere with brain growth and development
Disrupt feeding, sleeping, and behaviour
Lower milk supply
Affect physical growth and coordination

Remaining alcohol-free while breastfeeding protects pēpi from these risks and supports the best start in life. Every alcohol-free feed benefits their brain, body, and future developmen

“Pumping and dumping”

Why “pumping and dumping” doesn’t make breast milk safe

Some people believe that expressing and throwing away (“pumping and dumping”) breast milk after drinking alcohol will make it safe to feed their baby. This is not true.

Alcohol leaves breast milk only as it leaves your bloodstream. Expressing milk does not speed up this process. If there is alcohol in your blood, there will be alcohol in your breast milk - no matter how much you pump. The only way to make sure your breast milk is free from alcohol is to wait until all alcohol has naturally cleared from your body.

The safest choice for your pēpi is to avoid alcohol completely while breastfeeding.

Myth Vs Fact

Myth: A little bit won’t hurt.
Fact: Even small amounts of alcohol pass directly to your pēpi through the placenta or breast milk. This can affect their brain, body, and development. There’s no safe amount at any stage of pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Myth: It’s okay to drink in the second or third trimester because the baby is mostly developed.
Fact: Alcohol can harm brain development throughout pregnancy, and the brain continues to develop significantly during the later stages of gestation.

Myth: The placenta filters out alcohol.
Fact: The placenta does not filter out alcohol, it allows it to pass through to the baby.

Myth: Some types of alcohol are safer than others.
Fact: All types of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, and spirits, can be harmful to a developing baby.

Myth: "Pumping and dumping" helps eliminate alcohol from breast milk.
Fact: "Pumping and dumping" does not reduce alcohol levels in breast milk. Time is the only thing that reduces alcohol levels in both blood and breast milk.