Alcohol and safety while looking after children

Most parents and carers who drink alcohol don’t drink in a way that puts their children at an increased risk of harm.¹ But parental alcohol misuse does make it more difficult to provide safe and loving care for children, and is linked in some cases to neglect or abuse.²

Looking after a baby or young children if you drink alcohol

Alcohol misuse can make you less aware of what your child needs,³ and impair your judgement and reaction time⁴ – both of which are vitally important when taking care of a baby or young child. If there is an occasion that you think you might have a lot to drink – for example a family party – make sure there is a sober adult present who can look after any children.

Never co-sleep – having your baby in bed or on a sofa with you – after drinking any alcohol because of the risk of the baby accidentally being suffocated.⁵

The best way to keep the risk from alcohol low for you and your children is to stick to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines. That means, if you choose to drink, it’s safest for both men and women to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing.⁶

If you want to cut down on how much you drink, the MyDrinkaware app can help. We’ve got tips on cutting down together with your partner too, so you can make the most of the special time together with your new baby.

Being a parent can be incredibly tiring. But did you know that drinking alcohol can disrupt your sleep,⁷ just when you need it most?

Parents and carers who misuse alcohol can find it more difficult to provide safe and loving care for their children. This can lead to a range of consequences for children including neglect, and emotional and physical abuse. The NSPCC also highlights the psychological effect on children, and the impact parental alcohol misuse can have on a child’s brain development.⁸

Sudden infant death syndrome

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – sometimes known as "cot death" – is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby.⁹ And whilst most cot deaths remain unexplained tragedies with no link to alcohol, some research has shown a link with parental smoking and alcohol use in some cases.^10,11,12

As your children get older

What children see at home shapes how they will think about alcohol as an adult. So, just as children learn to walk and talk like their parents, they can ‘learn’ how to drink like them too.

Research shows that from a young age children learn about acceptable behaviour by observing and copying their parents.¹³ So, when it comes to drinking, it really is a case of leading by example.¹⁴

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option.¹⁵

Learn more about your drinking and get tools, tips and advice to cut down.

Want to keep track of how much you're drinking? Use our Unit and Calorie Calculator to work out the number of alcohol units and calories you consumed.