Alcoholic and breastfeeding

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

I am a regular but wish to remain annoynomous for this.

Family member is an alcoholic, received treatment, had stopped drinking became pregnant delivered a delighful baby about 6 weeks ago.

It is now clear she is drinking again but continues to breastfeed. Baby has very loose, very frequent stools but is gaining weight slowly - how much harm is she doing by continuing this farce and continuing to feed. Reference sites would be very helpful if anyone has them.

[hunkermunker]

How much is she drinking? Breastfed babies often have loose frequent stools and can be slow to gain weight, so that's not an indicator in itself that there's a problem.

Drinking and breastfeeding aren't incompatible, but being an aloholic and breastfeeding probably is - quite apart from the feeding issues, there are care issues too, I would say.

[handlemecarefully]

Bloody hell!

I'll leave this to the experts - but it can't be good can it?

[emkana]

Sorry sorry sorry - hijack -
hmc, there's a thread for you with your name, please look in active conversations please!

[aloha]

Drinking in what way? I think it's fantastic that she didn't drink while pregnant though. A huge achievement for an alcholic I would have thought.

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

HM I do appreciate babies breastfed babies can have loose and frequent however yesterday I saw baby produce a large volume green stool, then be fed and around 15 minutes later produce another large volume (up to the armpits) stool. Baby then changed and bathed and about 30mins later produced another. All very dark green, no mucous.

Another intrested party had asked me about frequent stools before and I had reassured on the basis that my children all produced a dirty nappy at each feed - I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this.

As to volume of drink perhaps 2/3 bottles of wine daily. Previoulsy she was a spirits drinker so I fear that she views wine as less damaging.

Thanks,

[waterfalls]

She has come along way to give up for so long, as she has started again I would suspect PND, try and encourage her to see someone

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

We think that she didn't drink whilst pregnant Aloha - I am now not convinced as I can't believe she has started again so quickly.

[aloha]

Oh, how distressing for you. 2/3 bottles of wine is pretty horrendous. Is there anyone in the family who could intervene - or the HV? She cannot be able to care for her baby properly in this state. Can anyone talk to her partner, for example?

[essbee]

Message withdrawn

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

x-post waterfalls - may be worth considering PND. Thanks

[aloha]

Could YOU talk to her? I think pussyfooting around probably isn't an option here.
Agree that PND could be an issue.

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

She was a senior health professional who resigned when her drinking became common knowledge. Her DH is a senior health professional. The HV is not really that interested as they present as a nice, middle-class, finanical stable family who live in a great part of town. Previous treatment was private so I am presuming no record on ger NHS records.

I am just so confused/angry/sorry and really at a loss as to how to deal with this without causing an enormous fuss- which I appreciate may be inevitable.

[hunkermunker]

Now that's awkward, but not insurmountable if the welfare of the baby is in question.

Does her DH know about her drinking, or does he indulge too?

Can you talk to either of them?

[handlemecarefully]

it can't be good for the baby developmentally. It simply can't....sorry you're in this awful position

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

Aloha you are right, ar*ing about is not an option but I suppose I would like some evidence/information to back up my stance.

DH remarked 'Yeah but you said drink/bf not an issue' Yes for me - i.e. two glasses perhaps in an evening and not when baby was only 6 bl**dy weeks old.

[handlemecarefully]

alcohol is a toxin....

[aloha]

How do you know about her drinking? I mean her drinking now, not her alcholism and treatment.

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

Her DH does not induldge.

It took him a long time before to accept she had a real problem. And if I am honest I think she had this baby to keep him 'happy' so to speak.

I just need to bite the bullet.

[handlemecarefully]

here's something

[RainbowWalker]

interesting reading hmc...

I wouldn't say after 2-3 bottles she's sober enough to stand let alone drive.

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

It had been raised tentatively by an other - she was staying overnight as DH was away. She had a bath, emtpy rucksack hidden behind bed in guestroom, post-bath bag had empty wine bottle in.

'An other' then revealed they had found two empty bottle in her car at the weekend. Some behavioural patterns are the same - random walks/visits to shops etc. It just adds up.

[Wishtoaskaquestion]

RW - I have seen her drink 1 litre of Gordons and appear a-okay previously. Her lack of drunkeness scares me to be honest as it suggests a big on-going problem, not that it has all got too much over the last week or two.

Off to read that link thanks HMC.

[RainbowWalker]

Wishtoaskaquestion re:biting the bullet....

what do you intend to do??

My next door neighbour's daughter had her 11th birthday alone at home with her dad today. Decided she couldn't face going to school so told my son she wouldn't be walking with him as usual. Her alcoholic mum died on Xmas eve last year...

I've spent almost a year wracked (sp?) with guilt that I didn't offer my neighbour enough support or encouragement to go to aa when she was at her lowest ebb...

do something for the sake of the baby - please! I would, if I could have last year back.

[handlemecarefully]

here is another

basically saying that experts disagree on the exact effects of breastfeeding and alcohol, but there does appear to be consensus that moderation is best

[handlemecarefully]

rainbowwalker that is so sad. I'm sure you couldn't have done anything to change the outcome