Hi Theresa - I'm not a big fan of the majority of memes floating around either, but this one in particular is published by an IBCLC with a link to her website and keeps popping up.  It suggests that alcohol in a container of pumped breastmilk will be eliminated at the same rate it would be eliminated from the parent's body.  I'm wondering if this concept of breastmilk having an independent ability to "metabolize" has been confused with "evaporation" or "decay" as in radioactive drugs. However, I too have heard it casually mentioned that this information has been taught in the past in a popular lactation course.  Which has spurred me to explore whether I'm missing some facts that breastmilk has this ability.  

As far as the scenario of the "mom who's gone to a wedding and has a one-month old at home and is extremely engorged is going to have to do something if she's had more than a drink or two", I'd think that she could keep that milk as it is still likely to have a low level of alcohol in it - even more so if she times things carefully.  If there is a concern, she could always mix it with fresh milk to cut the possibility down even further.  

There certainly must be a point at which too much alcohol consumption could be risky for the baby (there's an example of this in Medications & Mothers' Milk 2017) so I think it is still important to clarify whether the information that simply storing the milk will eliminate the alcohol.  My guess is that it is incorrect . . .

Ellen

Ellen J. Rubin, MA, IBCLC, LLLL

 

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