Breastfeed or else

firstyearstudent · Jun 17, 2006

I am wondering what folks think about the pregnancy warning label on alcohol.

PANurseRN1 · Jun 17, 2006

Don't even try to suggest that alcohol and formula are equally risky. :uhoh3:

smk1, LPN · Jun 17, 2006

like i said, commercials for formula already state "breast milk is best" so what good would putting labels on formula cans do! plus, what's next? are we going to require soda companies to place a warning on their cans stating "water is best" "drinking soda may be hazardous to your health" etc...
besides, and i am just a man, but doesn't the MOTHER'S nutrition have alot to do with how nutritious her breast milk is? so a blanket statment like "breast milk is best" is not always true...making putting it on THAT mother's formula can a false statement that would cause her to believe that breast feeding is best in her situation; however, that may be untrue! right?

This whole post is just so right on the mark! :balloons:

tntrn, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2006

I am wondering what folks think about the pregnancy warning label on alcohol.

What I really think is that the people who drink while pregnant (especially in early pregnancy) don't really care and probably do not read the label anyway. Those who don't drink in pregnancy already know it's a danger and therefore abstain from alcohol. But this is different. Alcohol is a proven danger for the fetus. It's kind of like preaching to the choir.

However, I've been in OB nursing nearly 30 years and there was a time when we sent our 37 weekers home, the ones on prodromal labor, with the advice to have a beer or glass of wine. And there were the pretermers who had labor stopped on alcohol drips.

Ever read some of the warning labels out there? For example, on irons: do not iron garment while wearing it. On strollers: do not fold stroller while child is in it. And most, if not all of this, comes about due to lawsuits, where some dummy will try to iron a shirt while wearing it and then sues for getting burned. Probably wins, too, because there was no warning to tell them not to do it.

Altra, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2006

What I really think is that the people who drink while pregnant (especially in early pregnancy) don't really care and probably do not read the label anyway. Those who don't drink in pregnancy already know it's a danger and therefore abstain from alcohol. But this is different. Alcohol is a proven danger for the fetus. It's kind of like preaching to the choir.
However, I've been in OB nursing nearly 30 years and there was a time when we sent our 37 weekers home, the ones on prodromal labor, with the advice to have a beer or glass of wine. And there were the pretermers who had labor stopped on alcohol drips.

Absolutely true.

I'm showing my age here ... but does anyone remember the "Bewitched" TV series? It was already in re-runs when I watched it as an adolescent (I'm not *that* old :lol2: ). One of my favorite episodes, just because it captures such a snapshot of mid-60s culture, is when Darren comes home to a pregnant Samantha, who is stretching to dust a high piece of furniture, and says, "Remember honey, no bending or stretching ... how about I fix us both a drink before dinner?" :rotfl: Classic!

Now back to the thread on breastfeeding ...

firstyearstudent · Jun 17, 2006

"Alcohol is a proven danger for the fetus. It's kind of like preaching to the choir."

Is it? Excessive drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, but does having a glass of wine a night do anything? I don't know...

hospitalstaph · Jun 18, 2006

like i said, commercials for formula already state "breast milk is best" so what good would putting labels on formula cans do! plus, what's next? are we going to require soda companies to place a warning on their cans stating "water is best" "drinking soda may be hazardous to your health" etc...
besides, and i am just a man, but doesn't the MOTHER'S nutrition have alot to do with how nutritious her breast milk is? so a blanket statment like "breast milk is best" is not always true...making putting it on THAT mother's formula can a false statement that would cause her to believe that breast feeding is best in her situation; however, that may be untrue! right?

Poor nutrition of a breastfeeding mother is far more likely to affect her health not the quality of her milk. Malnourished mothers breastfeed all the time, but it is their health that suffers.

T

tntrn, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2006

[quote=firstyearstudent

Is it? Excessive drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, but does having a glass of wine a night do anything? I don't know...

My personal feeling is that it is not a danger, to have one drink once in a while. Yet, you have to play to the lowest common denominator and say No Alcohol.

Certainly, in the last three or four weeks of pregnancy, it's not going to do harm, but again....

PANurseRN1 · Jun 18, 2006

L&DSomeday wrote:

Poor nutrition of a breastfeeding mother is far more likely to affect her health not the quality of her milk. Malnourished mothers breastfeed all the time, but it is their health that suffers.

Eventually, it will affect the quality of the breast milk. You can't keep robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Jolie, BSN · Jun 18, 2006

"Alcohol is a proven danger for the fetus. It's kind of like preaching to the choir."
Is it? Excessive drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, but does having a glass of wine a night do anything? I don't know...

There is no safe established level of alcohol intake during pregnancy, which is why the only acceptable advice to give to an expectant mother is simply not to drink any amount at any time. In reality, some mothers and babies can probably tolerate a small amount of alcohol intake without any adverse effects, while others can't. Alcohol tolerance is affected by a number of factors, including height, weight, health of the mother, efficiency of liver function, amount consumed over time, food intake, concurrent use of drugs, gestation of pregnancy, etc.

When mom takes a drink of alcohol, some of it crosses the placenta and circulates thru the baby's bloodstream. The fetal liver is busy producing RBCs and is not very efficient in detoxifying alcohol (or any other harmful substance). So the alcohol remains in baby's blood stream longer than it remains in mom's, creating the potential for organ damage and other anomolies associated with FAS.

jb2u, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2006

Poor nutrition of a breastfeeding mother is far more likely to affect her health not the quality of her milk. Malnourished mothers breastfeed all the time, but it is their health that suffers.
T

i agree it is far more likely to affect HER health, BUT.....according to what i learned in nursing school (textbook) the mother SHOULD...increase her caloric intake by 500 cal, her protein intake must be adequate and is ESSENTIAL since protein is an important component of breast milk, she should increase her nonprotein calories so as to not use her valuable protein calories, calcium should be at least 1000 mg/day and if not should be supplemented, and her liquid intake is vital. if she does not intake enough fluid her milk volume could decrease! and i've been told that they should watch their caffeine intake and i don't know about you, but most people love caffeine.

in a society that puts so much emphasis on being thin, i can easily see how a new mother would be eager to get off those pounds by not eating enough. and now we are going to tell her to INCREASE her caloric intake! yes, i do believe that the mother's nutrition plays a role in whether it is better than formula feeding. and yes some mothers do consider alcohol part of their nutrition! again, i DO believe that overall breast milk is better, but formula is an EXCELLENT substitute!

still just a man with an opinion,

jay

hospitalstaph · Jun 18, 2006

i agree it is far more likely to affect HER health, BUT.....according to what i learned in nursing school (textbook) the mother SHOULD...increase her caloric intake by 500 cal, her protein intake must be adequate and is ESSENTIAL since protein is an important component of breast milk, she should increase her nonprotein calories so as to not use her valuable protein calories, calcium should be at least 1000 mg/day and if not should be supplemented, and her liquid intake is vital. if she does not intake enough fluid her milk volume could decrease! and i've been told that they should watch their caffeine intake and i don't know about you, but most people love caffeine.
in a society that puts so much emphasis on being thin, i can easily see how a new mother would be eager to get off those pounds by not eating enough. and now we are going to tell her to INCREASE her caloric intake! yes, i do believe that the mother's nutrition plays a role in whether it is better than formula feeding. and yes some mothers do consider alcohol part of their nutrition! again, i DO believe that overall breast milk is better, but formula is an EXCELLENT substitute!
still just a man with an opinion,
jay

Well, Jay, I understand what you are saying. And when you meet an American that truly needs to increase their caloric intake by 500 cal, let me know. With the amounts that we eat anymore we could decrease by 500 cal and still be way ahead of the game:lol2: ! For that reason, I find the standard "increase your diet by 500 cals" to be a tad bit strange. Perhaps a better recommendation would be to follow the FDA food guide pyramid, take a daily muti-vitamin, and drink to thirst. Sound nutrition is just plain a good idea anyway.

Just a girl:)

T