Are people assuming that the alcohol ends up in the mother's milk? I'm
certainly not an expert on this topic, but it would seem to me that the
alcohol would be broken down before it would get to the baby. Are we
talking vampires here?
Michael Quanty
Psychology Professor
CBMTS Project Director
Thomas Nelson Community College
P.O. Box 9407
Hampton, Virginia 23670
Voice: 757.825.3500
Fax: 757.825.3807
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Adams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 11:23 AM
To: Tips
Subject: RE: beer and brest feeding?
David wrote:
> I know I will get numerous flames for this one- but a student in my
> developmental class claims that there is some nutritional value to mom
> having a single beer before breast feeding. Trying not to laugh, and
> having discussed the effects of alcohol on development- any truth to the
> beer claim?
Yes and no.
Yes in the sense that beer does contain many nutrients of value to
the
baby, some of which are less readily available from other common sources of
nutrition.
No in the sense that the alcohol is not terribly good for the baby.
There is, of course, a simple answer.
Non-alcoholic beer (which, in the better brands [imported] tastes
almost
identical to the alcoholic form) is readily available (it does have a very
small alcohol content--in the range of 0.5%--but not enough to have any
negative consequences for the child unless the mother drinks a couple
_gallons_ before breast feeding). The non-alcoholic version has the same
nutritional value as does the standard version and none of the drawbacks.
BTW, Beck's and Guiness both put out very good versions
(non-alcoholic
wines in quality versions--i.e., Cabernets, etc.--exist as well) that will
please the palate as well as the body (I'm a non-drinker who likes the taste
of dark beers and good wines so I've had a chance to explore them a bit
personally).
Tell your student to drop the Coors and grab a good Stout instead!
:)
Rick
--
Rick Adams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Social Sciences
Jackson Community College
2111 Emmons Rd.
Jackson, MI 49201
