It's 5 o'clock somewhere...

I read a lot of message boards, blogs etc....I used to read books. Real books--in print. Not just the kindle kind at night with a light while I'm feeding LM. But, I digress.

A popular topic on all of these boards etc, especially in the new mom crowd, is breastfeeding and alcohol. This is a topic that everyone as their opinions on---some based off experience, some based off of science, some based off of...well..I'm not sure. But, opinions are opinions and, like all things in this blog, what I'm about to say is my opinion and not meant to offend or brainwash anyone :-)

I enjoy an adult beverage...heck, I'm a teacher, of course I do! The nine months I was pregnant (yes, I even abstained during the dreaded 2ww) I didn't even have a sip of anything alcoholic---I did a lot of smelling of wines, but I didn't taste. It was HARD but not something that I was willing to play around with. I have too many students with FAS and while I know a drink or two wouldn't have hurt anything, it was just a choice I made (like giving up caffeine and subsequently, a nice personality in the mornings).

But, when LM was born and I knew I'd be breastfeeding, I needed to do some research on drinking and breastfeeding.  After reading some science based sites, listening to what my MBM's (message board moms) did/do/have done and talking with a doctor in my family, I had a plan.

When I choose to drink, I do it in a high-class way----while feeding my baby :-)  LM eats every 2-3 hours and by then the little bit of alcohol that is in my system is out.  I am aware of if I still have a "buzz" and never feed him in under the two hour window or if I feel buzzed still.  It's not ideal to time having a drink with the next time he wants to eat, but my drink of choice is usually a glass of wine in the early evening, so it works out.  Mostly. The rare occasion when I know that I'm going somewhere that I'll have a glass of wine (aka Memorial Day cookout) that I'd rather not time out...I just bring a bottle. I also have emergency formula/frozen milk stashed at a couple of friend/family member homes where it may ever arise that I need to feed him and cannot.

What to do and how to do it seems to be such a hot topic amongst new moms.  I can't say that what I do is "right" or 100% safe but it's what I've researched and chosen.  I have the support of TH and this helps me maintain the self-control needed. Would I love to have several glasses of wine some nights? Of course!!!! Any maybe when LM sleeps more consistently to start the night, I will. But there's time for that. 

It is important to realize that no Mom should make a decision about drinking/feeding without doing her own research.  Gathering your info from multiple sources allows you to make smart choices--and with your baby, the only choice you should make it a smart one. This is what I always say after I share my opinion on this topic on message boards--right after I share with them the visual of the time my wine cooler was really really cold and so I held it with the burp cloth while nursing :-D

And now, I'm going to go have a drink. Yes I know it's early afternoon---but it's our summer vacation, my baby is hungry and it's 5 o'clock somewhere :-)