Alcohol Doesn't Help Breastfeeding
Science Contradicts the Folklore, Say Researchers
Alcohol's Effects on Breastfeeding continued...
As prolactin levels rose, it took longer for the women to produce breast milk. Higher prolactin levels also accompanied feelings of drunkenness, researchers say.
As for cortisol, it wasn't significantly linked to how much breast milk was produced or how long that took. The data didn't show that the tests themselves were stressful.
Not surprisingly, the women reported feeling drunk, sedated, and not all that great (dysphoric) after drinking the alcohol. Blood alcohol levels peaked 43-51 minutes after downing the drink.
Sleep Shortfall Ties In
Sleep deprivation -- typical among new moms -- can also increase feelings of sedation and dysphoria, say the researchers.
"We hypothesize that sleep deprivation, which is common among mothers of young infants, contributed to the increased feelings of sedation and dysphoria observed on the day lactating women consumed alcohol," they write.
So where did the folklore go wrong? Increases in prolactin after drinking alcohol can make breasts feel full, but that doesn't necessarily mean more milk, say Mennella and colleagues.