Is it safe for breastfeeding mothers to drink alcohol?



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For Erica Rothenstein, the breastfeeding of her 9-month-old daughter, Savannah, is a priority, so she restricts her consumption of alcohol

"I sometimes drink from time to time, [but] I would not go out and drink three, four, five glasses and then feed my baby, "Rothenstein told CBS News.

A new study suggests that she has the right idea. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, revealed that exposure of infants to alcohol through breast milk can affect their reasoning and reasoning abilities as they 're found. they develop in early childhood, even if the association was weak aged.

"There may be cognitive deficits in children aged 6 to 7 years old if the mother consumes alcohol during breastfeeding ", Dr. Elissa Rubin, Medical Director of Pediatrics happy and healthy in Mineola, New York, said. However, the effect may not be sustainable. "They do not see the same results between 10 and 11 years old" when the kids were retested, said Rubin, who was not involved in the study.

For the study, Australian researchers collected data over time. Children were evaluated every two years until the age of 11 years.

Mothers were asked about their alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking habits while they were pregnant and lactating. At each follow-up, children were tested on their vocabulary, nonverbal reasoning and cognitive processing.

The results showed that the results of children's reasoning tests were lowest for the mothers who drank the most. While the association was small, the researchers say that it could be significant for moms who regularly drink or drink alcohol.

The study found that smoking while breastfeeding does not change cognitive findings, but pediatricians still say A good idea to avoid it.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "not drinking alcohol is the safest option for breastfeeding mothers." However, the CDC notes that in general, moderate consumption of alcohol by nursing mothers – up to 1 standard glass per day – is not known to harm a drug. infant, especially if the mother waits at least 2 hours after drinking before breastfeeding. More alcohol than this can damage the baby's development, growth, and sleep patterns.

Rubin says she's telling new moms that a glass of casual wine is OK, provided they drink plenty of water and eat a full meal.

"If she feels any of the effects of alcohol in her system, then she should not breastfeed," she said. "She should pump this milk and throw it away because it's not safe for the baby. "

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Erica Rothenstein with her 9 month old daughter, Savannah.

CBS News

Nancy Hurst, Ph.D., Registered Nurse and Director of Women's Support Services at Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, agrees:

"They have a glass of wine or a beer, this should happen several hours before As you well know, the frequency of feeding in the early weeks is unpredictable and difficult to plan, "she told CBS News in a statement. email. "As they get bigger, it's a little easier to plan. We're mentioning one drink, not several."

Hurst, who was not involved in the research, said that the # The current study would not change this recommendation. 19659002] "There are so many variables that affect the development of an infant or a child," she said.

The study is limited in several important ways, including observational, which means that there is no way of knowing which led to the decline in cognitive test scores observed. In addition, the frequency and quantity of milk consumed by infants has not been recorded, nor the timing of alcohol consumption by the mother.

The authors of the study argue that more research is needed to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and breastfeeding.

As for Rothenstein, she said that the benefits of breastfeeding for her baby were worth the sacrifices.

"This is liquid gold, so I do not really want to throw it in. I am really aware of what I put in my body," she said. [ad_2]
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