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Original poster

Did you give up alcohol before TTC?

20 replies

AfterEightAnyTime · 24/01/2021 19:01

Hi,

I'm 36 and my DW and I are thinking of starting the TTC process this year. Wanted to get Covid out the way, but yeah..... not getting any younger

Aiming to start in the spring time I think (actually will be almost 37 by then)

I have been taking vitamins for over a year when we were first talking about it and my fertility checks came back good around the same time. Will probably repeat those tests though, as I know things can quickly decline in your mid 30's onwards.

Anyway, back to the original question. I like a glass of wine... or two over the weekend and it's my only vice. We probably get through 2 -3 bottles over that time.

Would you just knock this on the head in the run up? Never drink to get drunk, just love wine and unwinding at the weekend 🙂

I will be teetotal through pregnancy. I wouldn't mind giving up now really, but I have heard so many stories - friends and friends of friends - who cut out everything, including alcohol and struggle with fertility through IVF for years, then very sadly decide to give up, live life as they did pre baby planning and bang, they're pregnant!

I do wonder if it's a stress thing.

So, if you do drink, did you/would you give up before TTC?

TIA

OP posts:

Rockettrain · 24/01/2021 19:04

If maybe cut back slightly and ensure you are within the guidelines - 3 bottles a week between you is probably a bit too much. Women are only meant to have 14 units and you’re probably just over that although depends on the wine?

But I think it’s important to keep some pleasures in life and I wouldn’t cut it out altogether unless you think there’s some specific reason you wouldn’t be able to get pregnant.

Heyahun · 24/01/2021 19:05

Tbh I think your massively overthinking the whole thing!! Just start trying and see what happens! By all means stop drinking if you like! I didn’t - main thing is being off all birth control !

If just go for it now if I was you - what are you waiting for? :)

DuzzyFuck · 24/01/2021 19:06

We're TTC and no I haven't given up wine. I've cut back and just have a couple of glasses at the weekend where previously it might have been a night or two during the week too.

If you're trying for a while it's a long time to deny yourself of all simple pleasures.

Good luck x

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TheBeesKnee · 24/01/2021 19:08

When I first started TTC I cut out alcohol and stopped drinking coffee. Then as the months dragged on I had to start drinking coffee again to function at work. Then I only drank during my period.

Anyway, 2+ years later my period has gone missing and I got really rather drunk this weekend, and justified it to myself that on the off-chance I was pregnant, it would probably be fine given the amount of women who fall pregnant without realising and live their life as usual for the first few weeks.

HOWEVER, I will go back to being sober when we start IVF. I think the guidelines are pretty strict and they are there to improve your chances of 1. falling pregnant and 2. having a baby.

When you say you want to start in spring, does that mean you're going to speak to a clinic in spring or that treatment is scheduled for spring?

Original poster

AfterEightAnyTime · 24/01/2021 19:10

@Rockettrain, yes, that's probably a good shout. I think we are unconsciously cutting down slightly over the past few weeks. Had quite a heavy Christmas though

@Heyahun, haha! Birth control isn't really necessary in our relationship Because we have to go through some kind of fertility treatment, it gives us almost too much time to think about things tbh!

OP posts:

wildraisins · 24/01/2021 19:25

I'm 32 and TTC. It will be our first so no idea how long it will take or anything!

I'm like you and I like a drink or two at the weekend, nothing over the top or getting drunk but just to unwind. I am still drinking a little, but of course I'll stop completely if/when I get pregnant. I know that sometimes it takes a really long time to get pregnant and don't see the point in denying myself when it could take months and months either way.

When I do get pregnant I'll know early as I take pregnancy tests around the time of my period, so there's very little chance of me going for months not knowing I'm pregnant and drinking.

It's minimal risk and I think as long as you are generally healthy and not getting absolutely smashed, you should be fine.

OhToBeASeahorse · 24/01/2021 19:31

Fuck no. Drink til its pink!

AlexaPlayWhiteNoise · 24/01/2021 20:15

Just take your vitamins, have a healthy diet, do a bit of exercise and bang like shit house door in a storm

SmidgenofaPigeon · 24/01/2021 20:29

Nope, didn’t give any wine up at all, I didn’t know how long it’d take and thought that was no way to live I’m 35.

In the event it took a month, but we sadly lost that one. Pregnant again now (took 3 months this time) but early days and hoping it sticks. I changed nothing apart from being careful with timings to give us the best chance in the fertile window, and took vitamins.

Original poster

AfterEightAnyTime · 25/01/2021 08:19

@AlexaPlayWhiteNoise, again, unfortunately that won't work for us, although we could always hope for a miracle!

@SmidgenofaPigeon, I'm sorry for your loss. Keeping everything crossed for you that this one sticks

OP posts:

YouBoggleMyMind · 25/01/2021 08:36

The only thing that you may need to consider is if you are doing something like IVF, the clinic may request that you do not drink alcohol (both of you) during your treatment. As long as you're not binge drinking all the time, I think you'll be fine.

LouJ85 · 25/01/2021 08:53

Nope, not at all. I barely drank much anyway though, 1-2 glasses wine a weekend, if that. I'm 35, I came off the pill in June and fell pregnant in July. Our baby is due in 12 weeks
So, it's not all doom and gloom past 35

mindutopia · 25/01/2021 09:51

Nope, I carried on drinking right up until I got a positive test with all of mine. Actually with youngest, I was certain I was pregnant from 5 dpo (very nauseous very suddenly). But I tested at 12 dpo and it was completely negative. I was really depressed. That was a Friday and we had friends coming to stay for the weekend. I'm pretty sure I knocked back about 4 bottles of prosecco over the course of that weekend. I continued to feel ill and tested again a few days late and it was blazing positive.

Life is hard enough at the moment, and TTC can be too. I would keep enjoying those little pleasures while you can. If you were doing coke at the weekends, yes, I'd knock that on the head, but a few glasses of wine on a Friday and Saturday evening is a lovely adult thing to hold onto while you can.

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 25/01/2021 10:05

I didn't give up but wasn't drinking loads, and did cut back what I was drinking at home (although that was partly because I needed to anyway after lockdown drinking!). I actually got pregnant after the heaviest night I've had all year, so go figure! I wouldn't stress about it, that'll cause more problems than the odd glass of wine.

Original poster

AfterEightAnyTime · 25/01/2021 10:40

I have to say, I'm quite surprised by these replies. I thought most would say they abstained in the run up.

I suppose in our situation (same sex) when you know that we will need some form of fertility treatment, it feels a bit like you're getting ready for a marathon! You can't just make the decision to try and then get an early night....unfortunately

I was advised to try IUI after my last test results, but I was 35 and I'm now worried that my results won't be as good - bad even - so if that is the case, we will be going straight to IVF. I think even if my results have dropped just a little, we'll probably opt for that rather than trying IUI where chances of success are a fair bit lower.

Do they advise you don't drink because alcohol interferes with the medication?

OP posts:

dreaming174 · 25/01/2021 11:01

Yes I did the first time, we were both super healthy for a few months before to give it our best shot. But I also felt like my body was in the best condition for those first few months as a result. I was really glad I ate so healthy to give myself the best start in pregnancy.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 25/01/2021 11:04

Wishing you the best of luck OP x

OrangeGinLemonFanta · 25/01/2021 11:06

It makes it a bit different that you're a same sex couple! You'll be trying for set periods, I was TTCing for about 18 months with both children so I wasn't going to give up drinking but if I was undergoing IVF I would definitely have a few weeks off the booze before I started to get myself in tiptop shape. IVF is physically demanding, you don't want to be doing the injections with a hangover.

AlexaPlayWhiteNoise · 25/01/2021 11:09

@AfterEightAnyTime

I have to say, I'm quite surprised by these replies. I thought most would say they abstained in the run up.

Do they advise you don't drink because alcohol interferes with the medication?

Tbf, I don't drink much in the first place, one or two glasses of wine a week if that. And TTC can take a long time.

If you're having investigations or fertility treatments then it's different. I had to get my weight down more than anything. So it was a case of cutting out biscuits rather than wine. If I was drinking more then I probably would cut it down prior to TTC and then out whilst having the treatment.

Original poster

AfterEightAnyTime · 25/01/2021 11:53

@OrangeGinLemonFanta, that's a depressing image!

I suppose cutting down for now makes the most sense.

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