Drinking in pregnancy

@Overitmum l’d suggest not starting to criticise how other mums/mums to be do things right now… It won’t serve you well.

The number of people who get absolutely shit faced without knowing they’re pregnant is pretty high.

The odd glass of wine here and there is also not going to do anything to harm the baby.

I simply didn’t drink during pregnancy, but I really couldn’t give a rat’s ass if anyone else does! On the assumption you’re not planning to march over and read a mum to be the riot act for drinking a glass of wine, why would you waste your time caring about this?

I agree with you OP, don’t think you should drink at all while pregnant.

I heard a friend of a friend say at her wedding, the pregnant bride said she was gonna have one Prosecco because she could and I was like “but why, why have one when you could have none”

i’m sure I recently read an article who drank a small amount during her pregnancy and her child was diagnosed with FAS.

I do know of lots of people who drunk while pregnant though so it is very common

Alcohol causes problems in a delevoping baby when drank in excess. The problem is exactly how much is the tipping point is impossible to say and of course doing any research/trials on this would be very unethical so it’s easier and safer to say no alcohol. But realistically a single glass of wine a few times over the 9 months is absolutely not going to cause Fetal alcohol syndrome. I wouldn’t give a pregnant women having a wine at an event a second thought, if she was dancing on the tables pissed it may raise an eyebrow. I myself didn’t drink at all but that’s because unless I’m going to get a little bit tipsy I’d rather just have a soft drink.

But there is no ‘higher purpose’ - one drink isn’t going to impact the baby.

Abstaining 100% throughout pregnancy, even down to one solitary drink, isn’t abstaining ‘for a higher purpose’ as there’s no scientific evidence that single drink is going to impact the pregnancy.

People can just have a drink because they fancy a drink, having one doesn’t mean they have some kind of issue with alcohol or can’t restrain themselves.

I still didn't say women. I even gave another example of when it isn't medically advisable to drink, and the example could apply to men or women.

If someone couldn't abstain for a higher purpose then yes I'd say they were pretty sad. I feel the same about all the other stuff you're not meant to have.

I didn’t drink during either pregnancy but I would never say anything to a pregnant woman that was. Most of my friends at most would sit holding one drink but probably never finish it, a lot didn’t drink at all. I wouldn’t judge them. I would judge someone getting tipsy though but would never share that.

What I did find more surprising is that I avoided paracetamol throughout both pregnancies due to multiple studies stating its risks and yet no-one I spoke to seemed to know that and most thought paracetamol was fine in pregnancy. I had bad sciatica but muddled through but was offered it loads.

…? but if she’s pregnant, we can assume it’s going to be a woman… given you know… the pregnancy.

Someone having one drink isn’t having it ‘because they need alcohol’ - one drink won’t have an effect on them.

Believe it or not some people enjoy the taste of alcoholic drinks, and therefore might choose to drink one.

By your logic everyone who’s ever has a drink is a bit sad for not abstaining.

It’s fine to have a small drink when pregnant, every so often. It won’t harm the foetus.

The problem is that people tend to be poor judges of what constitutes a “small drink”. Hence the NHS advice.

It’s fine to have an odd drink in pregnancy. The rule is none, because people don’t know what 1 unit is, so easier to advise to abstain. I measured 125ml of wine a week and enjoyed that. I don’t drink much these days but back then I did miss a few wines on the weekend, but only ever had one. My french friend had a glass of wine or more sometimes every evening with dinner and didn’t understand why the UK recommended none. Not sure what France recommend but she took a sensible approach and all was fine.

I didn't say a woman. I said anyone. And i stand by it. Anyone who can't just not have alcohol is a bit sad. Why do you need booze to participate? I enjoy a drink, but quite often don't drink because I'm driving or because I have caring responsibilities.

Why is it quite sad for a woman to enjoy a solitary alcoholic drink because she enjoys it / wants to participate if eg at a wedding?

I don’t see the tragedy.

Agreed.

I find the policing of pregnant women to be very sinister.

Meh…

I really dislike the heavy drinking culture of the UK and barely drink these days. I barely drank during my pregnancy.

But I think this is over the top. The reality is that until fairly recently most women drank substantially more than they do now. The data on this is much more grey than the guidelines suggest and the idea that a single unit of alcohol consumed at a wedding or equivalent is going to do serious harm is frankly ridiculous.

I think there is a lot of scaremongering in women and that “we can’t be trusted” with our own bodies and limits hence this no alcohol rule. Alcohol as a rule is not good for you but one glass when you’re in your second or third trimester won’t do anything. It’s about balance. I’m 20 weeks and have had a few glasses of Prosecco in total. I had half a glass of fizz on Saturday and feel no guilt - had I drank a whole bottle and then had a Bloody Mary the next am… different story.

I don’t really understand how the public health messaging has gone from ‘1-2 glasses a week is ok’ 20 years ago, to so many women today being convinced if they so much as look at a flute of champagne during the entire length of their pregnancy, their baby is at risk of FASD.

Do whatever suits you best, I’ve never really fancied drinking during my pregnancies - but I find the scientific illiteracy of people thinking it’s a huge health hazard to have had the odd drink across the entire length of a pregnancy a bit frustrating.

And of course then the judgement that follows - that women are neglectful or alcoholics because they had a glass of something at Christmas.

Honestly I think its quite sad for anyone to be unable to just not drink alcohol for a while.

I had gastric surgery and was advised to avoid alcohol. The way people carried on was ridiculous. Like it was completely inconceivable that I'd just be alright avoiding it for a bit.

I drank on occasion during all my pregnancies not more then 1 and no spirits but I had a small glass of wine or half a lager occasionally. If your not bothered then great don't drink but I enjoy a drink so an occasional small drink was a good compromise

So have one drink in a nine month period and you’ve got an issue with alcohol?

There was no evidence whatsoever behind the change from 1-2 units once or twice a week after the first trimester.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2007/may/29/health.medicineandhealth

This was a good article from the time which quotes the "reasons" from the government

I’m with you OP. I remember same situation when I was pregnant, and thinking people really can’t stop for 9 months?! I love a g&t or glass of wine, but no way was I going to risk any harm to my unborn baby! Not worth it when I have the entire rest of my life to imbibe!

Well it's suggesting that people are too stupid to know the difference between an odd glass of wine or out on the lash every weekend

And is it nine months? Through pregnancy then the puritans will say not while breastfeeding so could be another year on top? Obviously you don't trust a woman to have a small drink once in a while and be sensible about it

If its so bad then why don't we have generations of alcohol damaged children?

I know nothing about effects on taking heroin during pregnancy except babies can be born addicted so can't comment on that

I had a large glass of prosecco Christmas eve last year while 6 months pregnant..I didn't finish it as I felt guilty. Even now it takes me all afternoon to drink 1 glass of wine

You do you. Leave other women to themselves. Aren't people judged enough without you adding to the mix.

YABU for judging other pregnant women when I doubt you have personally assessed the risks or know how much they are drinking. Obviously choosing not to drink yourself is fine and reasonable. I chose to have the occasional half glass of wine during both my pregnancies, I’m a doctor and well aware of the risk (or lack of risk) as the case may be so was completely comfortable in my decision. It’s not that I couldn’t go without for 9 months; I easily could have but I was also comfortable there was zero benefit to my baby in doing so. I did IVF and my IVF doctor also told me there is no reason to stop drinking during IVF. Women who never touched a drop of alcohol or coffee or whatever tend to get all up on their high horse over issues like this but there is absolutely no evidence that babies born in this generation are healthier than in previous generations where our parents had a glass of wine a week during pregnancy, drank a lot of coffee and were generally far less anxious than we tend to be currently.

Chill.

If you actually read any of these resources you mention, you will notice that no one got FASD from a glass of prosecco.