Guiness for strength! And breast feeding?!?

[MJMom]

My pediatrician told me that a beer or glass of wine once in awhile while breast feeding was fine and that it wouldn't effect the baby.  So, when I heard that beer, specifically Guiness, can actually increase milk production I thought, yeah right.  Until I tried it at lunch one day.

By that night my boobs were ENGORGED!!!  i mean just huge!  And there was more than LO could eat!  So I had to pump the excess off.  Which ended up being about 5 oz.  mind you that is what I normally pump when LO has a bottle feeding and the boobs are full.  And that was the excess!!!

So, I heard it was the hops in beer.  But is there something else magical about Guiness?  Can any Irish woman, or any one else for that matter shed some light?  I don't want to go crazy drinking guiness every night, but I am curious if I can get an extra pump a week from this!

[Samuel's mum]

It was something recommended quite often in the UK not so long ago - for high iron levels was the reason often given.

This link talks a bit about it:
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/supporterline/alcohol.php

Studies seem a bit mixed on this:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/alcohol.html
With long term regular use it appears that there may be effects on baby e.g. daily use effects weight gain and gross motor development.

I'm sure once in a while won't be harmful though.

[lisi's mum]

Wheat beer has the same effect, as does fizzy wine. Over here we can get alcohol free wheat beer (with a vivid imagination it could pass  ) which is often recommended as a way of upping supply.

Full of minerals too 

[Molly2]

Alisa

As an Irish women, I take my hat off to you for managing to get the guiness into you.  I am trying everything to increase my supply and I will try some guiness but I find it absolutely hideous and would really struggle even to get a half into me.

I have never heard of it being good for supply, but then again have only recently had a baby so maybe have not been party to this use for it in the past.  I know that women would drink it for iron/to put weight on (not something I've ever had to worry about!!) and my mother in law recently mentioned she drank a can a day after my DH was born (she was FF) as she had lost so much weight and was run down.

I'll be interested to hear does it work the same again for you or was it just a fluke?

Molly

[deckchariot]

I had heard it was the brewer's yeast in beer....hadn't heard anything about wine increasing milk supply though.  I lost a lot of blood after delivery, so my doctor was afraid that my milk wouldn't come in until over a week after delivery,  So I had a beer a day, and plenty of milk by day 3!!!  Now I just have an occasional beer, but it occurs to me that in preparation for growth spurts, perhaps I shall go back to Guiness (one of my favorites!)  cheers!

[MJMom]

Emma, thanks for those links!  My anecdotal evidence tells me though, the second link is wrong.  had a guiness last night after LO's last feeding.  Result?  This morning... HUGE!!!  GINORMOUS!!!   

I would also note that the UK site is much more liberal than the US site...  For living in a so-called free country, we are pretty darn repressed!

So, the non-alcoholic seems to work too?  Cool.  I may pick up some of that.

When my DH and I were in Ireland, we drank the Guiness like water.  In fact... I think we drank it instead of water! 

Michelle~ I knew I liked you for a reason!!  I'll cheers my next milk prep guiness to you in NY in your honor! 

[Mortish]

I use to drink a can of guinness a day when I was bf my ds....had a few issues with my milk supply and good old guiness sorted them out...that is for sure!!  My doctor recommended I have a can a day...at first when I had it I couldn't stand the taste...but after a bit you actually acquire a taste for it and i use to enjoy it.

Hmm, might have to go get myself a couple of cans of guinness...I still have low iron after the birth of dd...and although I don't have a milk supply problem, more is better, right

[Molly2]

well ladies,

you have me convinced with all those guiness tales!!  I had a budweiser last night as I'm more of a larger lover but didn't notice any differnence so am going to force a tin of guiness into me over the weekend (if possible).

Thanks Molly

PS I had 2 drinks last night at a friends house (after 10pm feed & my DD is STTN) and I am absolutely dying today.  Literally feel exhausted/dizzy dehydrated - you'd think I had 10 drinks!  I know that I haven't really drank in 1 year but isn't that reaction a bit extreme.  How have the rest of you found a drink or two effects you?

[*Carrie*]

I went on the search for fenugreek today and got sold brewers yeast instead!! The lady in the health food shop says that's what she sells a lot to lactating mothers and that midwives recommend it?? I'm not sure I wholly believe her because I don't think I've read about it here but I'm going to get some advice on it. This would be in line with Guinness being a galactagogue (I love that word   ) too. If it does work I would love to have the odd guinness - I used to drink it as a student. I've been staying away from alcohol a bit because I have a sneaking suspicion it does the opposite for me - i.e. reduce my supply  When I have had it I've been surprised by how quickly it has affected me - one glass of champagne or 2 glasses of wine and I feel quite tiddly!!!

Enjoy your Guinnesses and keep us posted!

Carrie

[lisi's mum]

I remember getting totally squiffy on a single glass of wine after dd was born - and I was one who as a student would happily polish off a bottle by myself 

I figure having dd was about the best thing I could have done for my liver 

[MJMom]

No... Molly, I don't think that reaction is extreme.  That's about on par.  And I've not even ventured above 1 drink.  It scares me.  Mind you, I used to be a martini drinker until I got pregnant.  It was nothing for me to put away 5 or 6 martinis.  Now that one guiness kicks me on my butt.

Just make sure you hydrate hydrate hydrate!!!! 

[RachelC]

I just want to throw a gentle reminder out there about the dangers of breastfeeding and alcohol consumption, not that I think any of you are getting carried away.  Just something to keep in the back of your minds....  You can also see back to the links on Emma's post (the second one on the thread).

From http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/alcohol.html

Guidelines

    * Current research says that occasional use of alcohol (1-2 drinks) is not harmful to the nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs classifies alcohol (ethanol) as a “Maternal Medication Usually Compatible With Breastfeeding.”
    * Many experts recommend against drinking more than 1-2 drinks per week.
    * It is recommended that nursing moms avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking (Hale 2002).
    * There is no need to pump & dump milk after drinking alcohol, other than for mom's comfort -- pumping & dumping does not speed the elimination of alcohol from the milk.
    * Alcohol does not increase milk production, and has been shown to inhibit let-down and decrease milk production (see below).
    * If you're away from your baby, try to pump as often as baby usually nurses (this is to maintain milk supply, not because of the alcohol). At the very least, pump or hand express whenever you feel uncomfortably full - this will help you to avoid plugged ducts and mastitis.

In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom's blood and milk approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same time period, mom's body weight and percentage of body fat, etc.). Alcohol does not accumulate in breastmilk, but leaves the milk as it leaves the blood; so when your blood alcohol levels are back down, so are your milk alcohol levels.

Always keep in mind the baby's age when considering the effect of alcohol. A newborn has a very immature liver, so minute amounts of alcohol would be more of a burden. Up until around 3 months of age, infants detoxify alcohol at around half the rate of an adult. An older baby or toddler can metabolize the alcohol more quickly.

 
Effects of alcohol on breastfeeding and the breastfed baby

    * Alcohol does not increase milk production. In fact, babies nurse more frequently but take in less milk in the 3-4 hours after mom has had a drink, and one study showed a 23% decrease in milk volume with one drink (Mennella & Beauchamp 1991, 1993; Mennella 1997, 1999).
    * 2+ drinks may inhibit let-down (Coiro et al 1992; Cobo 1974).
    * One study showed changes in the infant's sleep-wake patterning after short-term exposure to small amounts of alcohol in breastmilk -- infants whose mothers were light drinkers slept less (Mennella & Gerrish 1998).
    * Daily consumption of alcohol has been shown in the research to increase the risk for slow weight gain in the infant.
    * Daily consumption of alcohol (1+ drinks daily) has been associated with a decrease in gross motor development (Little et al 1989).

[MJMom]

Thanks RachelC!  I would hate for any one to over do it!  I just assume all other nursing moms are one beer wonders like I am! 

[Mortish]

Yep...definitely one only if u are going to do this....

[deckchariot]

one is also my limit....and I'll raise a glass to my new bw & guiness friends tonight