'Bachelor' star's breastfeeding photo causes online debate: Is it safe to drink alcohol while breastfeeding?

A “Bachelor” alum is on the receiving end of some unsolicited parenting advice after posting a breastfeeding photo to Instagram.

Bekah Martinez, who appeared on Arie Luyendyk’s season of “The Bachelor,” is making a name for herself online as a podcast host and bad-ass new mom to daughter, Ruth.

The 24-year-old recently received backlash after sharing a photo of herself breastfeeding her daughter while holding a glass of wine.

ALSO SEE: Woman pregnant with quadruplets sparks debate over gender-based selective abortion

“Sunset vibes from this weekend. I was waiting patiently for her to finish nursing before beginning my (single!) glass of wine,” she captioned the photo.

Despite the clarification, Martinez was immediately criticized by commenters who were unhappy the new mom was drinking.

“Why are you always drinking and breastfeeding?” one follower asked.

Another declared Martinez’s post “some modern day liberal sh-t.”

“In my opinion, NO mother should ever drink and breastfeed,” the critic added. “Yes, I will judge the hell out of you for that. That’s horrible. Do y’all need a drink that damn bad? Your child is only an infant for a very short time if you can’t refrain from drinking - that’s a problem.”

ALSO SEE: Avoid 'very dangerous' 'measles parties' at all costs: Health officials

Despite the backlash, many applauded Martinez’s post, saying that drinking in moderation is safe for breastfeeding mothers.

“Girl, drink that wine WHILE she nurses, don’t wait!” Instagram user Leah Davis wrote. “Also there are so many myths to breastfeeding and drinking...If you’re safe to drive, you’re safe to feed.”

“Fun fact: the best time to have a drink is while you’re nursing,” another follower wrote. “By the time the alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream, babe has likely finished feeding. This gives the largest window of time for the alcohol to filter out. It’s wild you even have to justify yourself. Beautiful photo. Cheers!”

Is it safe to drink while breastfeeding?

According to La Leche, an international breast-feeding advocacy group, there is little evidence to suggest moderate alcohol consumption negatively impacts a breastfeeding child, since very little alcohol is transmitted through feeding.

The official stance of the organization is for breastfeeding mothers looking to have more than one alcoholic beverage per day to rely on previously expressed milk out of caution.

The American Academy of Pediatrics official breastfeeding policy states that breastfeeding mothers should limit their alcohol intake to the occasion beverage, and consume no more than 0.5 g of alcohol per kilogram of body weight. This roughly equates to 8 oz of wine or 2 beers for a 130 pound woman, with breastfeeding taking place approximately two hours after alcohol consumption to minimize the amount of alcohol passed from mother to baby.

The bottom line? Do what you think is best for you and your baby. If you’d like the occasional aperitif it’s totally safe. A bottle of wine? Not so much.

Cheers, Bekah!

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA!Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Check out Yahoo Canada’s podcast, Make It Reign — our hot takes on all things royals in a non-stuffy way — on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.