I'm a breastfeeding mother and I drink alcohol. I enjoy a glass of sauvignon blanc while relaxing on a patio with my mommy friends and our babies. Occasionally I order a glass with lunch. I even went on a winery tour in New Zealand while in my first trimester and I tasted the wine. Gasp! Why do I feel guilty admitting that?
I feel guilty because there is a growing climate of judgment around mothers who drink, especially while breastfeeding. A mother was thrown in jail and charged with endangering the welfare of her child because she breastfed after enjoying a beer at bar in Arkansas. France launched a zero-alcohol campaign showing fetuses swimming in red wine or a beer bottle. An LCBO campaign featuring a naked pregnant woman implied you don't love your body or your baby if you have a glass of wine.
Rather than supporting a woman's right to make informed choices in coordination with her doctor, these examples suggest women who are breastfeeding or pregnant should never drink alcohol.