Sheila writes:

<< However, a friend who has adopted two children with Fetal Alchohol Syndrome
 insists that drinking while breastfeeding is just as dangerous to the
 infant's brain. What is the current belief about alcohol while nursing/human
 milk feeding/breastfeeding/lactating? >>

First, I changed the subject line, so it's more searchable in the future...:)
As far as FAS, all the babies I worked with who had FAS were born of true
alcoholic mothers, most of whom were undernourished as well. FAS is listed in
Merck as a condition that affects some babies of mothers who drank "large
amounts" of alcohol during pregnancy. In some women large amounts lead to
miscarriage, in others, it leads to FAS, which is a constellation of affects, impaired
brain development leading to mental retardation, malformed hearts and joints,
and abnormal appearance of the face and hands, in some babies. If your friend
has adopted children with FAS she is no doubt aware of the profound and lifelong
damage that alcohol abuse during pregancy can cause. We know no safe level of
alcohol consumption during pregnancy ( which is not to say there isn't one)
so it is recommended that pregnant women do not have any at all. As far as
breastfeeding is concerned however, Hale reports that the AAP considers "ethanol"
usually compatible with breastfeeding" if "the amount and duration are
limited". Mothers who have a beer , a glass of wine, etc, and feel "neurologically
normal" can breastfeed at any time. One study did show that "moderate drinkers"
( 2 or more drinks every day,)  may have children with psychomotor delays.
Hale 2004 goes on to suggest the mothers not breastfeeding during and for 2-3
hours after drinking alcohol. The Breastfeeding Answer Book reiterates the AAP
text, and also qualifies it for moms with this sentence..." An occasional drink
or regular light drinking ( one or fewer drinks per day) has not been found to
be harmful to the nursing baby."
Hope that helps.

Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC, Brooklyn, NY, USA

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