Alcohol consumption while breastfeeding may alter babies’ brain – Experts

On Apr 23, 2023

Maternal experts have warned that Breastfeeding mothers who drink alcohol are exposing their babies to the risk of impaired brain development.

Speaking exclusively with newsmen, a Consultant Gynaecologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Awka, Anambra, Dr. Stanley Egbogu, said that because breastfeeding has many health benefits for babies, including a lower risk of asthma, allergies and infections – new mothers who struggle to stop drinking while breastfeeding should receive extra support to quit.

He said, “What we advise is that they should abstain from alcohol. That is the baseline. Normally, if a woman has not been taking alcohol, she will most likely not take it during pregnancy. So, you have a situation where most women may have been taking alcohol before getting pregnant.

“Alcohol affects every organ of the baby and might lead to a baby having a small head – microcephaly. It affects the heart, kidney, and liver of the baby.

“Also, while folklore says that drinking alcohol improves milk production, studies show that alcohol actually decreases milk production and that the presence of alcohol in breast milk causes babies to drink about 20 per cent less breast milk.

“If you choose to drink, avoid breastfeeding until the alcohol has completely cleared from your breast milk. If you plan to drink alcohol, consider having a drink just after breastfeeding so that the alcohol begins to clear from your breast milk during the natural interval between breastfeeding sessions.

“Remember, breastfeeding is the optimal way to feed a newborn and is recommended until a baby is at least of age. If you choose to drink, plan carefully to avoid exposing your baby to alcohol”, Mayo Clinic online stated.

However, they also noted that alcohol does not serve any good to pregnant and nursing mothers, and maintained that no level of alcohol in the breast is considered safe for a baby to suckle.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised against maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and states that there is no known safe level of consumption.

Evidence also showed that women who consume alcohol during pregnancy are more likely to drink while breastfeeding, while many women who choose to abstain from drinking during pregnancy report drinking again shortly after giving birth.

“Women should refrain from consuming alcohol during breastfeeding until more research can help recommend safe maternal practices in early infancy.

“We hope our work will increase public awareness of safe maternal practices’’, the report stated.

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