How did you manage to not drink during pregnancy?

[enkelt2]

Just that, really. I've never been pregnant. Out of all the things pregnant women do for their children, the one thing that impresses me the most is that they can manage to not drink! For such a long time!

I'm not an alcoholic but just cannot fathom not being able to get a beer or two every couple of days, whenever I want.

So for people who used to drink regularly before your pregnancy, do you just... go cold turkey out of sheer will power?? Or did pregnancy make you alcohol-adverse?

Genuinely curious.

I think you comments about not being able to fathom not drinking alcohol and being in awe of people who can is quite unusual

It didn’t even cross my mind that it would be an issue. But I was never a heavy drinker and could always take it or leave it.

in my second pregnancy I did actually crave beer, so I had a couple of zeros. Soon got over it.

I love a drink. I enjoy alcohol. But I could never have been able to enjoy putting alcohol into my unborn baby’s system so not drinking was so so easy. I did, however, have an immense craving for the smell of rose wine and used to keep a mini bottle in the house to open and sniff - never tempted to drink it though!!!

kids dont just turn you off alcohol during pregnancy, the idea of a boozy night out when you have to get up with a small person in the morning isn’t that appealing either!!

My daughter is 7 months old now but I honestly found it really easy to give everything up while pregnant (alcohol/caffeine/sushi/some cheeses etc). Not a single thing in the world was as important to me as growing a healthy baby, it really didn’t even feel like I was losing out because I was gaining so so much. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe until you get it!

I've not felt sick but I still don't fancy alcohol ever. I was worried I'd miss it so much but it hasn't bothered me hardly one bit

Missing my favourite things didn't cross my mind.
Foods,drinks, sports etc

You just simply do it for the baby and then you just get used to not drinking it no longer bothers you

I've never really liked the taste of alcohol tbh so it wasn't an issue for me. I just used to drink to fit in socially but I didn't do many big nights out after getting married anyway. I have barely drunk alcohol for 7 years now, because I've been pregnant or breastfeeding (for several years with each child).

No raw meat, alcohol or unpasteurised cheese. But I have caught my child’s vomit in my own hands. He once had an poo explosion in a snowsuit that was beyond beyond gross. I also went to a recorder concert last week for my younger one where the entire class played. So in the grand scheme of the things I have had to do for my child (and these are lighthearted examples) the not drinking was not remotely as painful.

The fact you feel as sick as a dog for the first 20wks helps! I didn’t drink at all for first 12wks, then I had one glass (125ml, measured) once a week. Kids are 20 and 16 now, certainly didn’t affect them (both super intelligent). I was so tired most of the time that a bath, a cuppa and an early night was preferable. I didn’t drink at all the last month as I just wanted to get into bed after work as my back was killing me!

I found it harder to give up soft cheeses actually. I didn't really miss drinking at all. All of the things you give up are worth it though, you just do whatever you have to for your child.

Also the acid reflux would deter you from drinking at some point anyway.

I found it hard with my eldest, but in fairness I was 19 and had very suddenly gone from clubbing and drinking heavily at least weekly (usually more) to nothing literally overnight. With my other 2 pregnancies I didn’t miss it because my life was very different compared to when I fell pregnant with my eldest, I rarely had nights out and often went months without having a night out, I don’t drink at home of an evening or anything so didn’t feel any different really.

The American academy of paediatrics disagree with you and advise against it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it’s a controversial area. However, for me, looking into medical research and guidelines, it was a risk I wasn’t willing to take. Also I could see the impact drinking dairy had on my kids so I’m probably very sensitive about what gets passed.

I found it really easy.

You don’t drink when you’re pregnant because you’re growing a baby and alcohol doesn’t play any part in it. It never occurred to me to even think about it once I knew I was pregnant.

Not British, which probably explains, but I still drank small amounts.

I didn't consider it a big deal, my doctor didn't consider it a big deal, my husband didn't, my environment didn't. And it made hiding it at work until a time of my choosing a hell of a lot easier!

The research says there's no known safe amount, because they are hardly going to run experiments on this, but the healthcare system I was in was pretty clear that small amounts were going to be just fine.

Heresy in the English-speaking world, I know.

Wait what, NO SOFT CHEESE EITHER?? 😭

You can have a single drink if you want once out of the first trimester so it wasnt hard. Lots of great alcohol free options now too.

A few times I could really have done with a drink! Especially when lockdown hit and the whole world seemed to be just awful. But I didn’t even come close to caving in.. it’s just not worth the risk

It was natural really, I just felt sick at the idea of alcohol and coffee, just didn't want it at all.

For me I just stopped. Never really thought about it & even once they born I was to tired to even consider it!

Im not a big drinker anyway so never really missed it! Not much thought to it.

I’m not sure I’ve ever ‘put myself second’ in my life, and I certainly didn’t when pregnant. It’s not a matter of being nobly self-sacrificing for someone else, if that someone else is literally living inside your body, and not separate for you.

As a pp said, morning sickness kills your desire to eat or drink almost anything. I subsisted largely on Hula Hoops for months.

The difference here is that the baby you’re growing inside of you doesn’t have a choice, it’s the mother’s job to make good choices to give that unborn baby a chance at health. If they then decide when they are old enough to drink/do drugs or whatever, they have a choice. I didn’t mind giving up alcohol, but I missed soft cheese and cured meats! Not a chance was that passing my lips with the risk of listeria.

when you know what these things can do to your unborn child, who you love and want to meet, you just get on with it.

It was worse not drinking coffee tbh

Coffee was harder tbh. My blood pressure is normally low and in pregnancy it was rock bottom, something like 40/80 after breakfast and a cup of coffee. I blacked out a few times. I still had coffee but had to limit it to the guidelines. I'm not sure how I kept my job, I was useless.

Didn't give it a second thought because my babies were more important to me.

The only person who asked me a similar question to yours was my brother who is an alcoholic....