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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to have one small beer at 5 weeks pregnant?

398 replies

BlackberryQ · 26/08/2017 16:36

It's a lovely wedding celebration outside on a hot day. How much harm could it do?

I'm on the fence and you can talk me out of it if it's really a bad idea!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 20:57

And around and around we go. I'll leave you to it. I'd say the OP is 3 sheets to the wind now anyway. Joking. Sort of. Maybe. Lets see. The plot thickens.

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 20:58

Drink if you want or follow advice and don't. It's really that simple

True. But it's better if people decide using actual facts and not just "because the guidelines say no".
Choose Science, ladies!

Neuromutant · 26/08/2017 20:59

@RebornSlippy I would be interested in seeing the peer reviewed, independent evidence for low alcohol intake e.g. one small beer at five weeks having an adverse effect on placental development, but I'm sure you are happy to provide references - please?

KarateKitten · 26/08/2017 20:59

Paw I think some people just revel in being pregnant and looooove all the rules because it makes them feel like they are doing something proactive during this long, boring, impatient 9 months. The excitement from some pregnant people about what they can't have, and pointing it out to waiters and telling all their friends why they can't have smoked salmon blah blah blah. I totally get it, just by #4 could simply not be arsed with it all. But it's quite understandable all the bullshit spouted during pregnancy.

sparechange · 26/08/2017 21:00

reborn
There was a recent thread in the pregnancy topic about sex during pregnancy

Can you please pop over there and give them some of the same vitriol you're spouting here?
Because there is evidence that sex during early pregnancy can cause miscarriages in some women. There is also evidence it can increase the risk of bleeding in pregnancy which can in turn lead to the placenta detaching and therefore causing miscarriage (where a sub-chorionic haematoma is present, which is anything up to 10% of pregnancies)

Obviously anyone who can't go without orgasms for 9 months must have an addiction problem, it's such a short period time, why would you even take the risk, why not alleviate all risk etc etc

sunglassally · 26/08/2017 21:01

Reborn,

Agreed, but OP was talking about having a drink at a Wedding, where EVERYONE is watching, waiting, to pounce.

They may not say anything, but you can bet your ass they are thinking bad thoughts!

That is the problem. Women do have it tough sometimes by being judged when pg. The other part of the process is probably getting hammered. No worries there though.

DailyMaui · 26/08/2017 21:03

Bloody hell - I didn't actually know I was pregnant for the first four months of my first pregnancy. I only found out after I'd just been on holiday to France where I drank wine everyday (not loads but from 1 to 4 glasses, and ate everything I shouldn't: pate, soft cheese etc) At my first gynae appt I was so worried. He said to me " you will be fine, what do you think happens in France and everywhere else in the world?"

I had the occasional wine throughout both my pregnancies (I actually CRAVED it during the 2nd - that was fun. Not.) My children are fine. Better than fine. I went by a study that was done at Ninewells hospital which was all about wine in moderation with food. I also - shock horror - had wine and fizz when I breastfed. Not tons, but the occasional glass. So did my best friend. All good here.

Have a small beer. Ignore the hysteria.

pizzapine · 26/08/2017 21:04

@pigeondujour how do you know it is the same person ? Please tell us precious user names, so that we can all read and make any such assumptions for ones self

pizzapine · 26/08/2017 21:05

@pigeondujour *previous user names. Apologies for typos

pizzapine · 26/08/2017 21:06

@DailyMaui Agree with u 100%

DermotOLogical · 26/08/2017 21:21

Reborn do you ever do anything?

The baby will not get FAS from half a beer fgs.

Your risk evaluation is awful. I bet you avoid city centres after terrorist attacks.

DailyMaui · 26/08/2017 21:24

Reborn - I had two miscarriages. I did nothing wrong. The fetus wasn't viable. End of.

It took me a long time to get to that. I wish I had sooner. Lay off now yeah?

RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 21:38

@Neuromutant that's a very specific list of requests you have there! Why, if I was a paranoid sort of person, I'd think you didn't believe I've read this research.

Now it doesn't mention 'small beer' or "5 weeks" specifically, but it is pretty much what you wanted to see. I've even posted the conclusion to save you reading if you don't want to.

British Medical Journal:
jech.bmj.com/content/68/6/542

Conclusion
This analysis of prospectively collected data of a British cohort has demonstrated that low levels of maternal alcohol consumption, in particular in the first trimester, have a negative association with fetal growth and gestational age and greatly increase the odds of babies being born SGA and preterm. Pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant should be advised to abstain from drinking, as even those women who adhered to the UK guidelines of 1–2 units once or twice a week in the first trimester were at risk of having babies with reduced birth weight and born preterm when compared to mothers who abstained from alcohol.

helpme85 · 26/08/2017 21:41

Dangerous in first trimester all organs develop in first trimester

I really really wouldn't has to be optimal health

RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 21:42

@sparechange WTF? I don't know what your problem is but you're bringing it to the wrong door. Vitriol? Really? The OP asked for an opinion, I gave mine.

I didn't see that thread, but since you asked, in my opinion there are no contraindications to continuing with your sex life during a normally progressing pregnancy. If you want obviously.

Jeez.

RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 21:45

@Dermot Yeah, that's me. You've got my number. Fool.

RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 21:46

@DailyMaui I never 'laid' on you in the first place. Read my posts again. Jesus.

RebornSlippy · 26/08/2017 21:48

I think this is what they call shooting the messenger.

OP asks advice. I give her mine as I would to any pregnant woman sitting across from me.

I'm not the fucking enemy. Drink your hearts out. You body, your baby, your choice.

I'm one poster in a big pool with one opinion. If you don't put any stock into what I and guidelines say, why are you so fucking bothered about it?

PencilsInSpace · 26/08/2017 21:49

I'm only half way through the thread.

I most definitely would have had a small beer in your situation if I fancied one OP. I hope you had a lovely day and congratulations on your pregnancy Flowers

No 'safe' level of acohol in pregnancy has been identified

I've noticed this wording a few times in scientific publications. Is it a new thing does anybody know? As far as I can tell it's a US thing and I tend to go Hmm whenever I see it. The other examples I have seen are:

'no safe level of second hand smoke'
'no safe level of formaldehyde' (this one is wheeled out in relation to ecigs. I'm not going to expand on this example here because it's differently motivated from the others and a bit more complex, but it serves the same purpose).

Posters upthread have illustrated the uselessness of it as a scientific statement. It means 'we haven't been able to prove a negative'. What it does do, very effectively, is scare people and manipulate their behaviour. There are lots of people who would say the ends justify the means and if putting out scary sounding headlines like that reduces the number of children born with FAS or reduces the number of people smoking then it's all good.

There are three big downsides:

  1. It causes people huge anxiety about risks so small they are immeasurable. People turn themselves inside out over a sherry trifle or because they had a few glasses before they knew they were pregnant. people cut off family members because they smoke, even outdoors.

  2. It makes it much harder for people to assess their actual risk. If you're already past 'safe' having had a small beer or wine, and no other guidance is given, why not carry on? Where's the guidance to tell you the sensible time to stop? It reduces risk to a binary no alcohol/alcohol. Similarly, how do you make a case for your partner to smoke outdoors if you have a simple no SHS / SHS binary? Why should he be made to smoke outdoors if there is no safe level of SHS and you can't avoid walking past smokers in the big open air anyway?

  3. people inevitably see through this BS sooner or later and they then come to mistrust other, much more important health advice.

Original poster
BlackberryQ · 26/08/2017 22:00

Wow!! Finally got to read the thread. I didn't even get through the bottle in my hand because I was drinking so slow it went warm and rank!

I agree about there being risk in everything and it's weird because I'm never a coffee person but I can't get enough in the last week! Probably risky but I'm only having two cups of instant a day.

I missed having that buzz of a drink on a hot day celebration but feeling quite smug now listening outside our tent to everyone fucked off their faces and me snuggled up to my dd. Also I had some really nice elderflower stuff that looked like fizz Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
BlackberryQ · 26/08/2017 22:05

And my dh just brought me a cup of tea to the tent. Bliss

OP posts:
SunnyCoco · 26/08/2017 22:44

Yes it's personal choice - your body , your baby etc and I would not judge you

If it was me I would not, as I have had recurrent miscarriages and am absolutely desperate for a healthy successful pregnancy. I admit I don't understand the science to understand whether there is indeed a risk, but I would never forgive myself if I drank and then miscarried again. I know this is irrational as the science says the drink wouldn't cause it, but repeated miscarriage makes us irrational and anxious I'm afraid x

JigglyTuff · 26/08/2017 22:47

Glad you've had a lovely day OP.

Although are you sure you're not off your tits? Because according to some posters here, you have a massive drink problem.

You might want to have a word with MN because if I were you, I'd be really pissed off about some of the accusations that have been flying about this evening.

gingergenius · 26/08/2017 22:52

Drinking is not recommended but pregnancy is not often confirmed until much later, by which time many pregnant mums have already down a few.

One will likely not make a difference but if you're craving and want more I'd be worried. When I was pregnant, 1 unit per day was ok but things are different now.

Just be careful, and good luck with your pregnancy x

Strokethefurrywall · 26/08/2017 23:04

At 5 weeks pregnant I would and did with my second pregnancy. Felt too sick with my first.

Was booked to go on a weekend to Toronto with some girlfriends, OBGYN told me to crack on if I fancied a few drinks, the embryo isn't even sharing a blood supply at that point - enjoyed a few vineyards, lots of food and club nights.

Whatever you feel comfortable with is fine, as long as you're not absolutely twatted.