Rather than quote any one person, I'd like to just clarify something.

Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach directly into the bloodstream
bypassing the liver.  It is then metabolised by the liver.  Adults
metabolize about 1 oz of alcohol in 3 hours.  Alcohol appears in the
breastmilk in the same amount as in the blood, but does metabolize out.
(All confirmed by my addictions colleagues).  Hale notes that when the
mother's blood ethanol is in the range of 300 mg/dl (about the amount
from one standard drink of spirits, wine or beer), there can be an
effect on the baby.  He also notes decreased milk consumption by babies
following maternal alcohol ingestion and decreased MER if alcohol
ingestion is higher than one drink.  "Moderate" drinking is 1-2 per day.
His recommendation is also 2-3 hours post ingestion before
breastfeeding, or when the mother is neurologically normal.

Note that the infant too will absorb alcohol directly from it's stomach
and it's liver is significantly more immature.

Most other drugs are absorbed from the intestine to the blood, which
then passes through the liver, where the drug is partially metabolized.
This is called the "first pass effect" and is one of the reasons that
oral medications have significantly different dosages compared to
parenteral ones.   

Judith

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