Just Curious--home Test for Alcohol in Breast Milk

Updated on August 12, 2013
M.H. asks from Saint Paul, MN
10 answers

It's been almost 14 years since I've had a baby and although I have an infant niece I admit I am out of touch with the current products available to infants and their parents. I was just checking a registry to purchase a gift and saw that the new parents registered for multiples of a "Home Test for Alcohol in Breast Milk." That struck me as rather odd. Has anyone used this product and could you tell me if you found it useful? I pretty much just avoided alcohol while nursing, but it seems that the nursing mother would know she had alcohol in her breast milk if she had been drinking. So, I'm curious and it just struck me as something you wouldn't really need to spend money on. Can anyone enlighten me?

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So What Happened?

O.k, thanks, I hadn't thought of some of this and have now learned something new. It's still a product I don't think I would have spent money on. It wouldn't have worked for me anyhow since I didn't have the option of "pumping and dumping" or offering my youngest a bottle. He wouldn't take any bottle (breast milk or formula). FYI, I am very pro-breastfeeding, whenever possible, and nursed both of my kids, including the youngest exclusively for 14 months. It just struck me as an odd product to register for and I find the Kardashian connection amusing.

Featured Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Don't quote me on this but my daughter told me the Kardashians use them. Shocking I know. Ever since they have become popular with new moms, I assume new moms that don't get common sense is far more reliable.

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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Odd. Never heard of that.
I'm sure the research has been done to death and guidelines are easily found.
I'm thinking if you register for that, you might have some issues.

5 moms found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I use them, have for all three babies and love them.
While your body can metabolize one drink in one hour and your milk will be alcohol free one hour later, multiple drinks compound ans take longer to clear your milk, even if you pump and dump, especially while sleeping (hangover, anyone?). These strips test for trace amounts of alcohol, not enough to cause harm or sickness to the baby, but enough to cause restlessness, irritability and stomach upset.
I enjoy a drink or few occasionally. After pumping and dumping right before bed when drinking, I use these to decide whether I should pump and dump again in the morning or whether I can nurse. using these, I've discovered that more than 2 glasses of wine or hard alcohol and my milk still tests bad up to 8 hours later.
I'm thankful for this product and am a faithful customer, since they've saved my baby from milk that seemed fine, but wasn't perfectly clear.

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

Yeah, this is a product I really don't 'get'.

I nursed and drank during my nursing years, but I always served pumped milk if I had an alcoholic drink and I always pumped that 'alcoholic' serving of milk and just dumped it. Super simple.

I think I have to agree with One Perfect One... if you have to test, then you probably need to pump, right? Otherwise, it just seems a bit neurotic to me.

3 moms found this helpful
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J.N.

answers from Denver on

Those do sound useful... Alcohol leaves your breast milk and is metabolized the same way it leaves your blood stream. Pumping is really not necessary unless you are pumping to keep up your supply. If the alcohol is still in your blood it will reach your milk supply regardless of whether you have pumped or not. So yes, these tests do sound beneficial to a mom that wants to enjoy herself a little. Don't give nursing moms another reason to quit early!

3 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

My sister used it a couple of times. She knew when she could drink and have it out of her breast milk before she breast fed her baby, but she wanted to make doubly sure in case she needed to get some that she'd pumped. It seemed like all of our cousins were getting married right after her son was born.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

What a great idea! Wish I'd had one when I was breastfeeding.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Chattanooga on

I never really drank much when I was nursing my DD... Maybe one or two beers the entire time; and even that was only because my supply dropped when I went back to work, and I had been told that beer helps increase supply. Lol.

I can see where they would come in handy though... If Mom goes out and drinks, baby gets hungry, and mom isn't sure if the alcohol is out of her system yet. Great for special occasions, so Mom can celebrate as well.

I have several "mother of the year" family members who made the decision to breast feed, but were not willing to give up their party lifestyle. They typically pumped enough to feed the baby a bottle (or gave formula) while they were drinking, then nursed when they were clean. I imagine something like this would be very convenient for them...

I still think its better off all around for nursing moms to just avoid excessive alcohol... I feel that when you make the decision to have children, then you should be willing to give up certain aspects of your previous lifestyle if they will have a negative effect on your child.

1 mom found this helpful

T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Yes, I got some as a shower gift, but never used them. I figured I could wait another few months for a drink for the safety of my child.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Embarrassing to admit but I saw them on "Keeping up with the Kardashians" a couple of years ago.

1 mom found this helpful
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