Alcohol Consumption During Breastfeeding: AAP Guidelines to Minimize Infant Exposure

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding alcohol entirely while breastfeeding, as ethanol transfers into milk and may affect infant development.

If Alcohol Is Consumed

• Wait 2 hours per standard drink before nursing (1 drink = 14 g ethanol ≈ 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1.5 oz spirits).
• Peak milk levels occur 30–60 minutes post-ingestion.
• Pumping and discarding ("pump and dump") does not accelerate elimination; only time lowers milk alcohol concentration.

No safe threshold is established; the safest choice is abstinence or strict adherence to the waiting guideline.