Women are generally advised not to drink during pregnancy or breastfeeding, but a new research states the opposite.
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A study conducted jointly by National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and the Deakin University's Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development which states that it's alright to have drink moderately while breastfeeding.
Researchers analysed the data by the Triple B Pregnancy Cohort, a study of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and development outcomes in infants aged 12 months, reported Daily Mail.
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Maternal substance use and demographics were evaluated at eight weeks and 12 months post-partum. An assessment of the infant feeding, breastfeeding duration, sleeping as well as development were also carried out by the researchers.
The amount of alcohol consumed by most of the women participated in the study was equal to a glass of wine. Various strategies were used by these women like waiting for a few hours after drinking, or waiting till the feeding was over and even try to lessen the alcohol being passed onto infants through the breast milk.
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"Whilst lactating women are drinking, intake levels are typically quite low, and most women use multiple strategies to minimise alcohol being passed on to infants. The results suggest that these strategies are likely to be effective in preventing potential harm to infants," said lead researcher Delyse Hutchinson, Senior Research Fellow at Deakin University and a Visiting Fellow at NDARC, as quoted by Daily Mail.
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A controversial finding by this study states that the alcohol intake is not related to the breastfeeding duration, infant feeding and sleeping behaviour at eight weeks. It was also found to be irrelevant to most infant developmental outcomes at eight weeks and at 12 months.
"This Australian study shows for the first time that low level drinking during breastfeeding is not linked to negative impacts on infants up to 12 months of age," Hutchinson revealed.
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A noteworthy link found between mothers drinking at eight weeks post-partum and their baby was that it had more favourable results for social development at 12 months when compared to those mothers who avoided drinking.
"Whilst this study certainly does not in any way condone excessive alcohol consumption in new mums, it does suggest that those that have the occasional drink whilst using strategies to prevent alcohol reaching the infant, can do so without fear of causing harm," Hutchinson explained.
