Loading ...FAQs
- What is milkscreen?
- Why was milkscreen created?
- Why should mothers test their breast milk for alcohol?
- When is a good time for a mother to test her breast milk?
- I don’t feel intoxicated – why use the test?
- How does milkscreen work?
- How sensitive is the test?
- How much alcohol is “safe”?
- What should a mother do if alcohol is detected in her breast milk?
- If the test is positive can a mother “pump and dump” until the reading is negative?
- Does the test indicate how much alcohol is in the breast milk?
- Where can I buy milkscreen and how much does it cost?
What is milkscreen?
milkscreen is a simple, two-minute test that detects for alcohol in breast milk. milkscreen lets mom know the volume of alcohol concentrated in her milk.
Why was milkscreen created?
milkscreen was created to help extend the life of breastfeeding. Many women wish to resume occasional low to moderate alcohol consumption after delivery, but often are concerned about the effects of alcohol in breast milk. Maternal self-confidence is critical to maintaining breastfeeding so we created milkscreen to help give mom the peace of mind that her breast milk does not contain a level of alcohol that may negatively impact baby.
Why should mothers test their breast milk for alcohol?
Studies have shown infants consuming breast milk with alcohol concentrations at approximately 30mg/dl, or 0.03%, and higher have exhibited distinctive changes in:
- Feeding behavior: baby consumes less if the milk contains alcohol.
- Sleeping: baby sleeps less and wakes more frequently.
The milkscreen test is set to show a color change at 0.02% to let Mom know if her milk contains a level of alcohol that may negatively impact baby.
When is a good time for a mother to test her breast milk?
Alcohol is secreted into breast milk at virtually the same levels it occurs in the blood which means that alcohol levels can continue to rise in milk for 30-90 minutes after the last alcohol drink. There is considerable variation from mother to mother, however. Alcohol concentrations in the breast milk depend on several factors including:
- Body weight
- Type of alcohol consumed
- Food intake
If a mother completes an initial test and then has another alcohol drink, she should retest her milk again 30-90 minutes after that last drink.
I don’t feel intoxicated – why use the test?
Because all mothers are unique! So, naturally the way each woman’s body process alcohol is unique, too. Again, it depends on several factors including:
- Body weight
- Type of alcohol consumed
- Food intake
A feeling of intoxication or non-intoxication is not an accurate indicator when determining the level at which alcohol is concentrated in the breast milk.
How does milkscreen work?
milkscreen consists of a plastic strip with a reactive test pad applied to one tip. Two minutes after saturation the tip will change colors if alcohol is concentrated at above 20 mg/dl (0.02%). If it does not change colors then no meaningful amount of alcohol is present.
How sensitive is the test?
milkscreen is sensitive to the presence of alcohol and will change colors when alcohol is concentrated in the breast milk at 20mg/dl (0.02%) and higher.
How much alcohol is “safe”?
Although there is no definitive research to dictate “safe”, we do know that the negative effects of alcohol begin to appear when an infant consumes milk containing alcohol at 30mg/dl (0.03%), and higher. Studies also show that about 2% of the alcohol a mother consumes will enter her bloodstream and milk. A newborn’s immature liver makes it very difficult to process even small amounts of alcohol and a three-month-old baby can metabolize alcohol at about half the rate an adults can.
What should a mother do if alcohol is detected in her breast milk?
If you receive a color change with the milkscreen indicating an alcohol concentration above 0.02% it is best to seek an alternate source of food for baby. With a positive test result, options include:
- Waiting an hour or more and then retesting the breast milk to see if it is concentrated at lower than 20mg/dl (0.02%) thus helping to avoid any potentially negative impacts on baby.
- Using stored, pre-pumped milk.
If the test is positive can a mother “pump and dump” until the reading is negative?
Pumping breast milk (i.e. the “pump and dump” method) does not eliminate alcohol from the breast milk. The only way to clear alcohol from the bloodstream and breast milk is to wait a period of time.
Does the test indicate how much alcohol is in the breast milk?
Yes. The milkscreen test is set to show when breast milk alcohol concentrations are above 20 mg/dl (0.02%). The negative effects of alcohol in breast milk begin to appear when an infant consumes milk containing alcohol at 30 mg/dl (0.03%) so we’ve set the milkscreen test to show a color change at 0.02% to let Mom know if her milk contains a level of alcohol that may negatively impact baby.
Where can I buy milkscreen and how much does it cost?
milkscreen is available at stores nationwide. It comes in packs that contain 3 test strips, 8 test strips or 20 test strips. The suggested retail price is $4.99, $9.99, and $19.99 respectively.