Literature review for - Flourish Paediatrics

Alcohol and Breastfeeding
Sources of data
1. Reviews by Giglia. Current review is being updated and will be completed by the
end of October
2. AERF Educational guidelines (Giglia Binns)
3. NHMRC Guidelines (based on Giglia and Binns)
Breastfeeding from NHMRC Guidelines (National Health and Medical Research
Council 2009 )
The rationale for this guideline is based on a review of the evidence
• Internationally and in Australia it is recommended that infants are exclusively breastfed for
the first six months of life and that breastfeeding (in addition to complementary foods) is
extended into the second year of life.
• Although 75.6 per cent of Australian infants are exclusively breastfed on discharge from
hospital following birth, only 12 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed at 6 months of
age and only 19 per cent of infants are receiving any breastmilk at 12 months of age (Scott,
Binns et al. 2006). It is therefore important to have a policy that will not discourage women
from breastfeeding.
• Alcohol enters the breastmilk and may persist in the milk for several hours after alcohol
consumption (Giglia and Binns 2006). Alcohol adversely affects lactation, infant behaviour
(eg feeding, arousal) and psychomotor development of the breastfed baby (Giglia and Binns
2006)• Analysis of the 2001 National Health Survey found that, although most breastfeeding
women drink at low levels (up to two standard drinks per week), 17 per cent were drinking
more than 7 standard drinks per week. This proportion was significantly higher than in the
1995 survey (13 per cent) (Giglia and Binns 2008)
• Qualitative research has shown that breastfeeding mothers are generally unaware of the
effects of alcohol on breastfeeding performance and development of the infant (Giglia and
Binns 2007).
• Women who consumed alcohol at levels of more than two standard drinks per day were
almost twice as likely to discontinue breastfeeding before the infant was 6 months old than
women who drank below this level (Giglia and Binns 2008; Giglia, Binns et al. 2008)
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