>alcohol does inhibit the milk ejection reflex.<

I agree with whatever Jack Newman has posted or will post on this topic. I
think moderate social drinking is fine and prohibitions on nursing for any
time after (short of the drunken mother) quite silly. But let me add an
anecdote. Three months of cracked nipples was the cause of very inhibited
let-down: I screamed and cried as Philip went to the breast, on a daily
basis, and he had to chew like mad to get the milk flow going. Until a
friend suggested a small glass of sherry as he lay on my lap before picking
him up to feed. I don't know about you, but that good old smooth muscle
relaxant hit the spot and my milk let down like that. If you are very tense
physically, expecting agonising pain, normal oxytocin impulses can't seem
to overcome the muscle tension. There were reasons why nursing mothers and
wetnurses were prescribed alcohol for centuries. (Apart from its uses as a
sedative.)

Now I don't recommend that mothers have an ounce or two of sherry before
every feed. I didn't know then what I do now, about a few studies showing
minor effects on motor development. But was Philip harmed by this very
immoderate intake of alcohol? spoke at 8 months, taught himself to read at
3, 6' tall, just finished a history honours degree... I don't think so.

And yes, my pain was gone in two days once I realised the importance of
getting that chin into the breast and keeping the baby's head-neck angle
adequate for breathing and swallowing.

Before we get neurotic about the quantities in breastmilk if a mother has a
glass of wine with her meals, perhaps we could consider how much alcohol
babies were blithely fed for decades in gripe waters, anti-histamine mixes,
colic mixes, and the rest. And perhaps we should worry about the
auto-brewery syndrome in artificially-fed children, who can be infected
with yeasts that metabolise sugars into alcohol and have significant blood
levels. (Breastfeeding Matters 1989 edition p. 19 so no one needs ask me
for the reference!)

Maureen Minchin, IBCLC, 5 St, George's Rd., Armadale Vic 3143 Australia
tel/fax till maybe end January or mid Feb: 61.3.95094929 or 95000648
tel/fax after that: will let you know
Address (date depends on renovations; will post): Christ Church Vicarage,
14 Acland St., St.Kilda, Vic. 3182 Australia