Spending nine months of pregnancy without a sip of wine or any other alcoholic beverage could seem like a lifetime for expectant mothers and would make them want to have one after birth! 

There are many myths around this subject and sources online that tell you to pump and dump.  With knowing when to consume a drink and the allowed quantity, breastfeeding moms can prevent pumping and dumping. 

Experts recommend:

• Having one standard drink directly after breastfeeding and then waiting for two hours after the last sip to feed the baby again.
• In the United States, one “standard” drink (or equivalent to one alcoholic beverage) contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in approximately: 
  • 354 mL of regular beer 
  • 148 mL of wine 
  • 44 mL of distilled spirits (gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey) 
• If the baby gets hungry before 2 hours have passed, it’s advisable to use pumped milk (considering that you should have stored pumped milk). So if you still did not start pumping and if the baby doesn’t have an established feeding routine yet (not having a stretch of 2 hours after a feed), it’s recommended to avoid drinking at this stage and wait until you have pumped milk. 
• Be aware that the bigger the consumed quantity is, the longer it takes for the alcohol to clear from the system: If the waiting time is 2 hours after one standard drink, it will go up to 4 hours after two standard drinks.  
• As long as there is alcohol in the bloodstream, alcohol will be present in the milk. 
• If you have had two drinks (the waiting time is 4 hours before breastfeeding again) and the breasts feel engorged 3 hours later, this is the only case when the milk should be pumped and dumped.   
• Many experts recommend not having more than 1-2 drinks per week. 

In conclusion:

• Time clears alcohol, not pumping  
• Nursing should only occur 2 hours after the alcohol intake of one standard drink to minimize its concentration in the ingested milk.