Breastfeeding basics Breastfeeding basics - South West Health

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Ensure that your home and your car are safe
places for your baby to breathe.
If you drink alcohol, it is best to stop or limit
the amount you drink while breastfeeding.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol may decrease
your milk production and affect your baby’s
health. An occasional drink or regular light
drinking has not been shown to be harmful.
Light drinking means one ounce of hard liquor,
one bottle of beer, or one glass of wine a day.
If you drink heavily, either regularly or only
occasionally, you risk your health and the
health of your baby. You may want to talk with
someone about how to cut down or stop
drinking. Staff at Drug Dependency/Addiction
Services may be able to help. You can also talk
to your doctor or public health nurse about
programs in your community.
If you use street drugs or other drugs not
prescribed by your doctor, there is even more
risk to your health and the health of your baby.
It has been shown that your baby may even
become addicted to the drugs you use. You may
want to talk with someone about how to cut
down or stop using drugs. Staff at Drug
Dependency/Addiction Services may be able to
help. See the Getting Help section for contact
information (page 99). You can also talk to your
doctor or public health nurse about programs in
your community.
Also remember that it is harder to take care of
yourself and your baby while under the effects
of alcohol or other drugs.
If you need medicine while you are
breastfeeding, talk with your doctor. While
most prescription drugs and other medicines
are safe to take when you are breastfeeding,
small amounts are passed on to your baby
through your breast milk. Before you take
medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist, and
even your dentist the following questions:
• What is it?
• Why am I taking it?
• What will it do to me and my baby?
• What are the possible side effects?
• What is the smallest amount I can take?
• When is the best time to take it?
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• Is there a better choice I can safely take while
breastfeeding?
Call MotherRisk at 1-877-327-4636 if you still
have questions. MotherRisk is a program of the
Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Staff at
MotherRisk can answer your questions about
how substances you take while you are
pregnant or breastfeeding affect your baby.