A.A. asks from Columbus, GA on May 07, 2007
Beer Increasing Milk Production
I have heard that drinking a beer will help boost breast milk production. Does anyone have any experience with this, and does the beer have any effect on the milk?
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S.P. answers from Baton Rouge on May 08, 2007
best thing to produce more milk is to breast feed more. I never hear of beer but I tried the tea's, cabbage leaves, etc....every old wife tale I had heard of......then the lactation specialist told me the only thing that really worked is to breast feed more. blessings
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N.D. answers from Albany on May 08, 2007
The nurse in the hospital told me that as well. Yes it does work. just dont over do it. I did one beer. its not enough to really come out of your breast milk. but remember that after u drink the beer... pump that milk out. what little is there needs to come out before u breastfeed. between that and the baby sucking it comes in nicely. I had trouble getting mine to come in on both sons. Also... just a side note. watch taking allergy meds and antihistamines, it dries it up. I didnt know that with my 1st son so it never really went full effect with him. but my second it was all coming out. I hope this helps sweety!
M.F. answers from Atlanta on May 07, 2007
I understand that not to be true infact if you drink you nedd to express that milk a few times after alchol or the baby will get it in the breast milk as well. I think you need to consider more fluid intake for yourself also rubbing the breast while feeding is s'pose to help with milk flow and some ladies have tried some tea that you can purchase even like at kroger or publix in the health food isle for breast feeding to help the milk. You may want to call la lech or the lacation nurse at the hospital you had the baby. I'd stay away from the beer. Call even the doctor's office that you take the baby to and see what they suggest.
N.L. answers from Atlanta on May 08, 2007
I am nursing, and I love beer and have noticed it increases my milk. Don't over drink, and I wouldn't recommend drinking much when the baby is so little.
I didn't drink a drop while I was pregnant, but milk is filtered more than food in the placenta, and the baby is developing more on their own now. There is no difference in my son's behavior if I have a beer or not, while there may be trace amounts if you drink one beer, there are trace amounts of alcohol in many things (even bananas!).
I say, relax mama, drink a beer!
J.D. answers from Atlanta on May 08, 2007
I went to a breastfeeding class prior to giving birth, and we were told the beer thing is a myth. Plus, the alcohol will pass through to your child. As someone already stated, the more you breastfeed, the more milk you will produce. I've gone to La Leche meetings, and they are a great resource, as well.
C.H. answers from Augusta on May 08, 2007
Not sure who gave you that advice but drinking alcohol isn't for someone who is breastfeeding. You wouldn't and shouldn't drink it while pregnant and shouldn't do it while your baby is relying on you for his food supply.The best think to do if ur not producing enough milk is do as the other mothers suggested and call the hospital or ur childs doctor and ask a number to a lactaction consultant rather than relying on old wives tales.
B.M. answers from Atlanta on May 08, 2007
Try Rootbeer. It helped me when I was nursing. Plus it is caffine free if you are worried about caffine.
Good luck
C.W. answers from Athens on May 08, 2007
I have had experience with this. When I was nursing my oldest daughter (who is now 21), my boyfriend and I went to Six Flags for a day. I was only able to pump once that day, and for the next few days, I had almost no milk. The second day, my dad brought me a beer, and I almost immediately had enough milk for my daughter. I can't remember any effects it had on my daughter, unless it was to make her sleep a little better. And she has no ill effects now. I highly recommend it. I don't know if it is the alcohol or other ingredients in the beer that made it work, or if drinking a non-alcholic beer would work. But it would be worth a try before trying the one with alchol.
K.C. answers from Atlanta on May 14, 2007
I would not advocate drinking beer while nursing. My ex mother-in-law told me that she did when she was nursing my ex husband. He has an issue now with drinking--whether or not it stemmed from that. I will say that his growth was always stunted (even when everyone else in his family had great height). He also had learning problems in school. This may all have been a coinsidence, but I wouldn't tempt fate!
I also teach special education kids, and it can be pretty clear at times when paretns drank while pregnant--don't know if that's the same as with drinking while nursing or not.
Good luck!
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