Wine every night

@leopardprintanduggs i was very similar on Mat leave and would have a glass or two most nights. But once back at work it wasn’t quite as often. And now kids are older teenagers it’s like once a month I have a drink, life’s not as full on so it’s not so needed to relax. Don’t worry. You’ll get a lot of the shock horror ‘so much alcohol’ on here but if it’s temporary I wouldn’t worry.

@FrodoBiggins
Here you go

Damp Feb! For DJ survivors and Feb drink moderation fans! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/5265391-damp-feb-for-dj-survivors-and-feb-drink-moderation-fans

I think that you know it's an issue or you wouldn't be posting. I know a lot of people who were lightish social drinkers early in life but it's definitely more of an issue with age. I'd be lying if I said their health has not been affected.

How big is the glass of wine?? A couple of 250 ml glasses is a huge amount. A couple of 125ml glasses is fine.

I have a glass of wine most nights. I have a busy job and busy life so I look forward to flumping with a glass of wine at 9pm! I get about 4 glasses from a bottle.

If I start drinking tea I have way too much and need to pee all night!

Taxi

As an aside are you over the limit for driving? And at any point are you alone with baby? I speak as a mum who’s baby fell dangerously unwell in under an hour, there were no ambulances so I had to drive to an and e myself. Obviously it’s unlikely but you just never know and I vowed at that point to never be a position where I couldn’t drive in case something happened to my kids. My son had meningitis, at the hospital they said another half hour delay and he would have been dead.

Try reading this naked mind book, it gives you all the info on exactly what each amount of alcohol does to you then you can choose what consequences you want to take on. But really no alcohol free days isn’t great

OP doesn't want ideas to cut down. She's looking for people to agree that there's nothing wrong with her drinking habit.

I can't find this thread, are you able to link it? Cheers!

Its not hypocritical. They are two different substances with two different consequences.

Gosh, no way would I drink that much while feeding no matter what anyone says..

This is spot on. We now know almost no alcohol makes it through into the milk, the previous guidance was more to ensure no one was drunk and looking after a baby - that is where the danger lied.

I'm suprised at everyone's response 2 a glass of wine cooking and a glass with or after a meal. Yes it's not ideal and for your health less would be more. But there's probably something in everyone's diet this would apply to, chocolate/ crips / dessert / snacks.

If you're concerned - then cut down in some way and that will only be a positive. Non alcoholic wine is probably worse for you with how sweet it is, but things like Seedlip can make a nice non alcoholic cocktail equivalent.

Good luck getting through those early months xx

I was like you, a glass most nights after work, my go to now is a can of coke zero in the evenings, it’s the only time I drink something different than a coffee for breakfast and water all day

You are going down a bad path if you need a glass of wine every night to look forward to. I have seen some people start like that and get a lot worse.

I missed she is breastfeeding 😞 good grief

Yeah, i personally think its wrong to drink whilst breast feeding as much as it is when pregnant, but like i said, personal opinion.

As for if you're drinking too much or have a problem, i'd class you as yes, you do. You actively look forward to drinking every single night and feel like theres nothing to look forward to if you're not going to have a drink. Thats bordering alcohol dependency in my book.

Actually that is what the evidence now shows - any amount of alcohol increases risk (and obviously the more you consume, the greater the risk).

WHO:
www.who.int/europe/news-room/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

What would you do if something happened and you needed to drive to the hospital? I think it's important to stay sober in charge of children. Unless you have a partner, in which case you can take it in turns.

Yes I'm on there ☺️
It's really helpful and very non judgmental

Yes that's why I said 'moderation'. Some posters are saying that any amount of alcohol can cause cancer.

Join in on the Damp Feb thread- lots of us who are trying to tone it down a little without being too censorious

OP at the end of last year I was in a v similar boat, about two glasses a night, one while cooking and another after or with dinner. It's pretty common eg in France to drink a bit every night (although less likely to do so alone eg while cooking).

Decided to do a low alcohol January - I bought a big box of multiple flavoured kombucha which is nice if you don't like sweet drinks that much, it's almost vinegary but in a nice way, definitely tastes closer to alcohol than to fizzy pop. I now have one of them in a nice glass with ice and lime etc while cooking and another later, 3 or so days a week. If you make an effort to make it fancy it's still a good treat, and you can still have wine the other days. Or swap the "cooking" drink for non alc and still have your actual drink after - you've halved your intake. Another idea would be 2 wine spritzes (if you drink white or rosé), so use one glass worth of wine but have two nice drinks. Although maybe more of a summer idea!

A nice bath and a relax is a good alternative too.

If you do like non alcoholic options, the guardian just reviewed the best - https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/feb/04/best-low-alcohol-non-alcoholic-drinks?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I always thought wine in moderation had a protective effect on the body

Not several bottles a week 😂

I always thought wine in moderation had a protective effect on the body?

www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1197745/full

Other key factors for cancer are obesity, genetics and smoking.

OP - try drinking a substitute like Roses lime, dash of lemon and soda. Add a splash of bitters for flavour and serve in your usual wine glass.
I've just done Dry January drinking this and actually look forward to it. I've found the no alcohol wines far too sweet and they are probably full of crap.
Even if you have a glass of wine afterwards you will have cut down.

We did this in Covid for exactly the reasons you say - it sort of separately the monotony. No issues whatsoever stopping.

I would say though, if you have to make a concerted effort not to drink, that you probably need to have more nights of not drinking.