Drinking in pregnancy. The message still isn't registering

[kissmethere]

Just read an article about the effects of alcohol in pregnancy. Children left with lasting effects of their mothers drinking habits and the mothers are saying they had no idea this would happen. Seriously?
I drank Guinness during my first pregnancy 18 years ago, very small amount at the end, adhering to the old wives tale that it was full of iron and malt. I knew back then that there was no way spirits or beer or loads of Guinness or much more should be consumed as it was bad for the baby. That was 18 years ago! I knew a woman when I was growing up who's son had permanent bone and facial damage as his mum was an alcoholic and fell over when she was pregnant with him, they had to operate on him while in the womb.
My point is how is it that some women still think alcohol in pregnancy is ok or claim they didn't know what damage it can do to the baby. What help are they getting if they truly know they have an addiction?

It's astonishing how many people adhere to the 'well my mum did it and I'm ok' school of reasoning in relation to... oh, loads of things, which works a treat with drinking and smoking in pregnancy because the vast majority of babies who've been exposed prenatally to alcohol and tobacco show no obvious signs of harm.

I don't know anyone who drinks more than the guideline limit of the odd small glass every week or so ie 1-2 units at a time, while pregnant.

I've read on here many, many times women saying that all the studies show that a couple of glasses of wine is fine.

Really?

I don't understand why anyone with more than two brain cells would drink alcohol whilst pregnant.

YABU - I think you're confusing extreme examples of alcoholism with any alcohol passing the lips of a pregnant woman.

The smoking one is what gets me every time - I had a friend who had three very astmatic children, but refused to believe it was anything to do with her smoking whilst pregnant and in the house when they were born.

I say 'had' a friend, because I couldn't remain friends with someone who had such blatant disregard for her children's health.

I understand some people find it difficult to stop smoking, I was a smoker when first pregnant with my DS, but I did stop because I wanted him to be healthy.

Everyone has the choice, if you choose to drink or smoke, no matter how much, that is still your choice and you have to accept that some damage MAY be possible. That's not to say it always will be, but there is always the potential.

Always best just not to have it, it's 9 months FFS, not 9 years!

Having an occasional glass of wine doesn't mean you are an alcoholic...

Just wanted to point that out.

I did. I had a glass of wine every few weeks in the second and third trimesters with both children. There is rather a large difference between falling over drunk because of alcoholism and 175mls of Sauvignon Blanc every few weeks. Calm down

This is what the NHS says, it does not say 'You can have' it says it recommends you don't, but if you do, keep it to a minimum to MINIMISE the risk.

The Department of Health recommends that if you're pregnant you should avoid alcohol altogether. And if you do opt to have a drink, it recommends that you stick to one or two units of alcohol (equivalent to one small glass of wine) once or twice a week to minimise the risk to your baby.

The women who drink enough to cause damage to their babies are generally alcoholics, or have other addictions and social issues too - it isn't a case of "whoops I didn't know a bottle of vodka a day would harm the baby" but "I need a bottle of vodka a day and am struggling to take care of myself, my pregnancy is beyond what I can cope with at the moment".

A few drinks a week isn't causing problems.

Wow do those judgey pants go any higher? Foetal alcohol syndrome is not caused by the odd glass of wine. Get over yourself.

Totally agree with Anything. Where is our information coming from, OP?

Also... I just think all the sweeteners and preservatives and crap in junk food and drinks are far worse for your body than the odd glass of red... So I can't get too worked up about it, myself.

You seem to be conflating alcoholism with occasional social drinking, OP. May I just point out that the brand new guidance from the RCOG clearly states that small amounts beyond the first trimester are very unlikely to do any damage. They are sticking to the 1 to 2 units rule. Here it is www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi-alcohol-and-pregnancy.pdf

As a pregnant midwife myself, I feel very comfortable having an occasional small glass of wine. All the recent evidence suggests this has no ill effect beyond the first trimester. Then again, I only have one brain cell.

Exactly BMO

There's no point coming on here and lecturing educated, healthy living mums about 1 tiny glass of wine a week, when the real issue is the combination of heavy drinking, very poor diet, chaotic lifestyle, drugs etc etc.

NB Re: sweeteners &c. I am referring to the small amounts ingested versus small amounts of alcohol. Not comparing this to the consequences of an alcoholic's intake on a baby.

BUE from your own link, the following:
^There is no proven safe amount of alcohol that you can drink during pregnancy. It is also often
difficult to work out just how much you are drinking, especially if you have a drink at home. The only
way to be certain that your baby is not harmed by alcohol is not to drink at all during pregnancy or
while breastfeeding.^

I'll stick to abstaining on the grounds I wouldn't want to take that risk.

Yes, like Bue and fairylights I clearly also only have a single brain cell, no doubt due to my raging pregnancy alcohol consumption (the odd glass of wine in the second and third trimester).

I think it's when I hear someone say I didn't know it would do any damage. I think they are deluding themselves into how much alcohol they are consuming. A little bit is ok. But no it's not a little bit is it? It's wine and a "few " halves and a brandy. I mean come on!
When I was pregnant I was party girl and I didn't know I was pregnant til 10 weeks. I stopped. I wasn't easy but I KNEW I had to as alcohol is not good for the baby. I knew back then it's not new news '

Hah! 10 years ago my midwife URGED me to have a small glass of wine at night because I was too tense! (I didn't, but hey).

I think you're aiming your message at the wrong audience here, OP.

Of course the official advice is no alcohol at all while pregnant as that's the totally safest advice for the terminally stupid.

Most of us with a few brain cells understand that the odd glass won't do baby or mum any lasting harm.

Everyone does know excessive drinking and smoking in pregnancy causes harm but not everyone either has the inclination or ability to control either.

They still do know though.

The problem is that no one knows what level of alcohol consumption is detrimental for each baby as they all respond differently. Babies livers are not functioning fully in the uterus so alcohol isn't broken down the same way as it is in an adult.

175ml a couple of times a week might not sound much but it is above the recommended maximum of 1-2 units.

Why anyone would want to take a risk with an unborn child just for their own selfish pleasure really does astound me.

I've seen cases of FAS in children who's monther didn't drink 'excessively' and certainly wasn't abusing alcohol. The damage was still done though...

One thing that really gets my goat is anti-vaxers who smoke and drink in pregnancy

" A little bit is ok. But no it's not a little bit is it? It's wine and a "few " halves and a brandy. I mean come on! "

Well, yes, in my case, it was a little bit. I was, surprisingly enough at the ripe old age of 37, actually able to distinguish between "a small glass of wine" and "a load of booze". Though obviously some public health guidelines assume that we're all drunken flibbertigibbets who'll down entire bottles of cheap cava every day if we're told we can have a single unit.

OP, who have you heard say "I didn't know it would do any damage"? Do you have friends who continued to drink very heavily throughout their pregnancy and had a baby with FAS as a result?

The message will never register with alcoholics. They utterly destroy everything they touch. Alcohol will always come first. Always.