to drink while TTC

What most people said, drank until I got a positive test. However I didn’t have any fertility problems. If I had I may have decided differently

yes - but this is excessive drinking. Of course they advise that though.

I haven't stopped, but I have made sure to stay within the NHS recommended limit, and haven't binged. A lot of fertility stuff is predetermined, and we're otherwise very healthy and active. It helps me feel like there's some normality in my life, and takes the emotional pressure off TTC. I've had one pregnancy which ended in a loss, and I stopped as soon as got BFP.

After 4 years of TTC/ fertility interventions, if I didn't drink every time I was in a 2WW I would have spent approximately 2 years tee total.

I abstained at the beginning, but now I won't until I have a positive test.

It has a big impact on sperm too - my healthy, slim DP had an odd craft beer with his dinner (only 1 or 2) and never drank to excess. His sperm quality (morphology and DNA fragmentation) massively improved when he stopped.

There is evidence that alcohol affects egg quality, hormone levels, conception rates and miscarriages. Which is why all my fertility consultants have advised both of us not to drink. It’s not rocket science.

There's no evidence that an occasional drink will harm your chances of TTC.

Yes but they are somewhat protected as primordial follicles and it is a crucial stage in the time when they begin to be prepped for ovulation and undergo Meiosis II ready to ovulate and be fertilised.

Read a book called 'expecting better'

The healthier your body is the better your chance of conceiving but You can definitely drink a little. My understanding is in the first two weeks (between conception and missed period) the embryo takes nothing from your blood it is just cells replicating themselves so the alcohol in your blood won't go to it, but IF you did an awful binge drink and made yourself extremely ill your body could go into a shock that would cause a miscarriage- so it's kind of 'all or nothing' at this stage, if you don't cause a miscarriage the baby will be fine if you stop drinking around first missed period time. I'm sure a huge proportion of babies are conceived when the mother has had a few wines.

This is just an anecdote but for reassurance I had a negative test on a Thursday when my period was due, drank champagne and cider all weekend thinking I wasn't pregnant then did another test on Tuesday as still no period and it was positive. Baby is totally fine xx

Ofc! I was on holiday during my TWW and drank everyday/ night and got pregnant that cycle.

With my daughter I did the same. Carried on with life as normal until I got a positive test

as a ‘healthy lifestyle’ thing if you’re having fertility issues sure, though it’s almost certainly more about excessive drinking than drinking at all. As a ‘risk to baby’ thing, in the very early stages it’s not a thing. There would be millions upon millions of foetal alcohol afflicted adults if it was.

I drank through the entirety of the 4 day Easter Bank Holiday weekend and found out the week later I was pregnant with my first child.
He's now 6'4 and going to college in September having got good GCSE grades.
I wouldn't put my life on hold 'just incase' especially if conceiving was taking some time.

I reckon it’s absolutely fine.

I had the occasional single drink throughout pregnancy. There's no evidence that this (as opposed to moderate-heavy drinking) causes any problems.

15 months of no drinking would be really hard for anyone. I’m also not much of a drinker (2 glasses of wine on a Friday kinda gal) and I wouldn’t go 15 months without.

As has already been mentioned, many babies are born after nights of heavy drinking and the vast majority are fine. What I did when I was TTC was to drink (mild to moderately) before ovulation (I tested for ovulation), then no drinking in the two week wait. I think this is completely safe as baby obviously not there before ovulation and alcohol leaves our bodies in hours.

Good luck with the TTC!

If you have endo and have been ttc for a year without success then you’re not in the same boat as the other posters here. Alcohol is not helpful for you on your journey.

I have had six Mc and also have endo and every expert (medical/holistic/you name it) has suggested no alcohol at all while ttc. We even had a Zita West clinic male fertility expert get DH to dramatically cut his alcohol intake down to just a couple of glasses of red wine a week (DS conceived and carried to term 3 months later).

Yep, perfect.

I of course didn't drink once I had BFP.

Didn't occur to me not to drink but then I haven't had any fertility issues.
Alcohol does impact on sperm quality so perhaps your partner should abstain too? Might make you feel more supported if you definitely don't want to drink

It’s fine.

But you are born with all your eggs.

@ncob I don’t have your health problems (or nothing diagnosed, I have been having gynaecology issues lately). However I did take longer to fall pregnant with my second (not in any way close to possible infertility I will stress), but when I did it was when I thought there was 0% of it happening - on the last day of my period. I know for certain that’s the day it happened as it was my birthday (😳) and he was measuring 2.5 weeks bigger on his 12 week scan (was actually 15 weeks!). Now having full irregular cycles where I’m back to ovulating at the end of my period but not TTC (may be peri).

Other than that, have a drink or 5. Or more. The fact is that the occasional few glasses of alcohol really don’t make a difference. Falling pregnant may or may be something that will need extra help, as long as you’re not constantly binging and not under any other medical advice or medication at the moment then just enjoy yourself every so often.

When I conceived at 17 (had termination) I was definitely drinking probably not hugely though, wasn’t TTC so a surprise pregnancy. Second time around at 22 (engaged) was half and half TTC so didn’t drink at all, got pregnant but had miscarriage at 4.5 months. Consultant said it was just one of those things that I miscarried.

A couple of women I know but including my ex landlady/also a friend drank whilst TTC. In fact when I met ex landlady for coffee she said both times she’d been at weddings and had smoked (only 1 or 2 cigarettes) and drank whilst there and said beforehand she’d not drank etc with no luck, the two times at weddings she said she was more relaxed and swore that’s what helped her conceive both times. Gave up alcohol immediately she got BFPs.

Also FYI it takes 3 months for lifestyle and dietary changes to show up in egg and sperm quality improvements.

Read “It starts with the egg”.

Alcohol is dreadful for egg quality so I haven’t drunk in 3 years ttc. All my fertility consultants have advised against it (IVF Dr and reproductive immunologist) I’ve also had 14 miscarriages so (understandably) more cautious than most. I would rather not have alcohol as some stupid reason to beat myself up about if ultimately I end up childless. Each to their own though.