Mum shares sad truth behind controversial breastfeeding picture

A Perth mum has defended a controversial snap of her drinking a glass of wine while breastfeeding her child that exploded on her Instagram.

A Perth mum has shared the sad truth behind a controversial snap she posted on Instagram.

Mum-of-two Lauren McLeod has gained a loyal following online for posting about her real and raw experiences with breastfeeding her two children.

The 29-year-old has often faced backlash for continuing to breastfeed her five-year-old son, Bowie, beyond what she says society considers the “normal” time frame.

In a recent post, Lauren was seen breastfeeding her two-year-old daughter Tigerlily while drinking a glass of wine.

National guidelines in Australia recommend women who are breastfeeding should not drink alcohol.

However, research shows that only about 5 to 6 per cent of the amount of alcohol in the mother’s bloodstream enters the baby’s bloodstream via breast milk.

Lauren has worked as a doula – a trained, non-medical companion for birthing people – for the past two years states this is something many people aren’t aware of, and as such women can be unfairly shamed for enjoying alcohol while breastfeeding due to stigma and misconceptions about the act.

“I think there is definitely misinformation about drinking while breastfeeding,” Lauren told news.com.au.

The mum posted a picture of her drinking a glass of wine while breastfeeding. Picture: Supplied

“Many people probably assume that alcohol goes straight into breastmilk and will make the baby ‘drunk’.

“Or they assume that a breastfeeding parent is going to get blind drunk and harm their child, which usually is absolutely not the case.

“I have definitely seen quite a few comments in parent-related groups on Facebook saying negative things about drinking while breastfeeding, which all have quite clearly come from a lack of education.”

Lauren claimed main concern when it comes to alcohol and breastfeeding is actually not what gets fed to the child.

“The worry is not the minuscule amount of alcohol that goes through to the breastmilk,” she said.

“It is the parent’s ability to care for their child while under the influence of alcohol.

“I always recommend having a ‘designated caregiver’ or a babysitter for your child or children if you are planning on enjoying more than one or two drinks, and never sharing a bed with your child if you have had a few drinks.

“A good rule of thumb when it comes to breastfeeding and alcohol is, if you can drive, you can breastfeed.

She uses her platform to educate and raise awareness. Picture: Supplied

“However, if you have had a few more drinks and your baby is still desperate for a breastfeed, the amount of alcohol in your breastmilk would still be so minimal that it is extremely unlikely that your baby would be affected in any way.”

After posting this picture, Lauren said many women reached out to thank her for raising awareness about the truth regarding breastfeeding and alcohol, as they had “no idea” it could be safe.

“I’ve received hundreds upon hundreds of comments and messages over the last couple of years when I have shared posts about breastfeeding and alcohol,” she revealed.

“They say that they feel much better about enjoying a drink or two while still breastfeeding their children.

“Many don’t realise how harmless it actually is when done responsibly.”

Lauren said when she first became a mother, she had no idea that breastfeeding mothers could still consume alcohol in moderation.

“I only drink on special occasions, such as birthdays, Christmas, and it’s usually only one or two,” she explained.

The mum works as a doula, which is a trained, non-medical companion for birthing people. Picture: Supplied

“Maybe a couple of times a year I will have more drinks, but only if my children are taken care of by my husband or my mum.

“When my first child was a baby and young toddler, I hardly drank at all because I didn’t know the correct information about alcohol and breastfeeding.

“I think the first time I drank after he was born was when he was almost a year old, and I didn’t breastfeed him for a number of hours after I had finished drinking. He fortunately took a bottle of expressed breastmilk.

“This was because I was afraid the alcohol would go through my breastmilk to him. I didn’t know then, what I know now.”

Indeopendent organisation Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) state it is important to wait at least two hours after each standard drink to ensure milk is alcohol free.

“If you drink alcohol, it enters your breastmilk from your blood. While there is alcohol in your blood, it is also in your breastmilk,” Acting CEO, Joanna Le, said.

“Infant brains, which continue to develop after birth, are more vulnerable to alcohol than adult brains. Exposure to alcohol through breastmilk has been linked to problems with infant growth, motor development, verbal IQ, and cognitive ability in early childhood.

“Even small amounts of alcohol can disrupt your baby’s sleep and make feeding more difficult due to reductions in milk supply and the flow of milk.

“If alcohol is in your bloodstream, it’s also in your breastmilk – and at the same concentration.

“That’s why it is important while breastfeeding to ensure that breastmilk is alcohol-free.”

Originally published as Mum shares sad truth behind controversial breastfeeding picture