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In today’s episode, I’m chatting with the amazing Julie Blandthorn about alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This can be a very confusing topic with so much competing information available and you may not know who to listen to. Julie is a clinical midwife consultant at the Women’s Alcohol and Drug Service at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne. She is a wealth of experience and information and I’m very grateful to have her on the show today. 

We’ll be discussing the effects of drinking alcohol in pregnancy and in breastfeeding. Recently, in 2020, the NHMRC guidelines have been updated to include that alcohol is no longer recommended in any amount during pregnancy. Studies have found even small amounts of alcohol can affect the baby’s developing brain and body. 

Alcohol affects the developing fetal brain much worse than heroin. 

However, it’s different in breastfeeding. Alcohol isn’t stored in the breastmilk. We used to be told to express out the tainted breast milk and we’d be all clear but once you start expressing, the alcohol flows straight back into the milk. Expressing will not reduce the alcohol levels in your breastmilk any quicker than if you didn’t express. 

Julie will provide safe strategies to breastfeeding your baby whilst having a drink of alcohol. She will also run through the effects of alcohol in the breastmilk on a baby. 

Julie explores her recommendations in-depth:  

• Eat before and while you’re drinking.
• Breastfeed before drinking alcohol. 
• Allow 2 hours for every standard drink to be alcohol-free. 
• It is better to breastfeed with a small amount of alcohol in the system than to feed the baby formula. 
• Know that when you do breastfeed your baby with alcohol in your system, your baby will be getting 20% less than normal. 
• Express and store milk prior to drinking. 
• Do not sleep with the baby in the bed if you’ve been drinking. 
• Download the Australian Breastfeeding Association App. 
• Have a safety plan to have someone who hasn’t been drinking to look after the baby. 

I found this episode to be full of useful and enlightening information and I know you will too!

LINKS:

Resources mentioned: 

• Australian Breastfeeding Association Alcohol App: ‎Feed Safe on the App Store (apple.com)
• Research Study: Association between prenatal alcohol exposure and craniofacial shape of children at 12 months of age — Monash Univers

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LINKS:

Preparing for birth Pelvic health checklist

Free 7 Day Trial Pregnancy Workouts

Free 7 Day Trial Postnatal Workouts

FitNest Mama Website

Instagram @kathbaquie.physio

1:1 Consultation with Physio Kath at Hatched House

** This podcast has general information only. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health or medical condition.