Woman arrested for breastfeeding baby while drunk, charged with child abuse and neglect
While we continue to chat about the medical pros and cons of drinking while pregnant, most moms seem to be more resolute in the decision to not breastfeed after they've been drinking tons of alcohol.
Stacey Anvarinia from Grand Forks, North Dakota was arrested in February and charged with child abuse and neglect for breastfeeding her baby in front of police officers while "extremely intoxicated."
Officers were called to Anvarinia's home to investigate a domestic disturbance. While police were there, she started nursing her infant. According to the police report, they told her that breastfeeding while drunk is not good for her baby. Medical studies have reported that "breastfed babies of women who alcoholic beverages on a daily basis are slower in acquiring motor skills (such as crawling and walking) than babies who had not been exposed to alcohol."
First, let's differentiate between drinking a few glasses of wine and then breastfeeding versus being blitzed while breastfeeding.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfeeding moms "avoid the use of alcoholic beverages" since the alcohol gets directly into the breastmilk. The AAP also says that moms should wait at least two hours before breastfeeding after having drinks with alcohol. Dr. Jack Newman, a member of the La Leche League's Health Advisory Council has said, "Reasonable alcohol intake should not be discouraged at all."
Last month, a four-month-old baby boy in Russia died, apparently after being breastfed by his drunk mom. The mom had a severe alcohol problem and breastfed the baby several times after drinking drank half a liter of pure alcohol mixed with water. The mom was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
But breastfeeding while drunk? A different story altogether. A mom would end up having to "pump and dump" many times before the alcohol has left her bloodstream.
What's your take on drinking alcohol while breastfeeding a baby? Is it a form of child abuse/neglect?
