I am a 2nd year nursing student from the University of North
Dakota in Grand Forks.  I have read a lot of your responses on the
topic of women who breastfeed after drinking.  All of the articles
that I read seemed to be saying the same thing, alcohol consumption is
permissable if it is in moderation (meaning 1-2 drinks per day).
I looked up some literature and found some very interesting
information. Apparently there is a belief in the breastfeeding world
that alcohol enhances milk let-down in breastfeeding women.
Lawrence (1999) states that ingesting only 1-1.5g/Kg of alcohol
shows a partial decrease in milk let-down this ratio would equal between
2.6 and 4 fluid ounces of alcohol in a 176 lb woman.  Lawrence
further states that ingesting 1.5-2g/Kg of alcohol completely
blocks milk let-down.
> > >
  These same figures were listed in a case study at Wayne State
University by Heil and Subramanian (2000).  There experiment
showed that alcohol consumption blocked the release of oxytocin from the
hypothalamus.  The old school of thought stated that alcohol
blocked the release of prolactin from the anterior pituitary
which affected milk production.
> > >
  Baumslag & Michels (1995) share the same view as most of the
lactnet entries concerning alcohol and breastfeeding.  I have very
little knowledge about breastfeeding, however I do know a couple
in town that had a baby boy in October.  The mother was not given any
reasons as to why she should drink very  moderately or what effects the
alcohol could do to her breastfeeding.  I thought that this was
some very interesting information that showed as little as 2 drinks in
some people would impair the nutrition and development of a nursing
child.

 Thanx, Jeff Sliper student nurse

  Baumslag & Michels. (1995).  Milk, Money, and Madness: The
    culture and Politics of Breastfeeding.  Westport, CT:
    Greenwood Publishing Group

  Lawrence & Lawrence. (1999).  Breastfedding: a Guide for the
    Medical Professional (5th ed.).  St. Louis, MI: Mosby

  Heil & Subramanian. (2000). Chronic alcohol exposure and
    lactation Extended observations.  Alcohol 21 (3), 127-132.


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