To ask to much you drink when in charge of your child?

[meow1989]

Just wondered as to what everyone's idea of a sensible limit is?

If DH is drinking a couple of beers I'll tend not to, but tonight fancied a glass of prosecco (home measure so about 200ml). Had poured myself another but then put it back as I didn't have dinner (big lunch) and we have a 7 month old DS.

My thinking is if I need to I'll be able drive if I absolutely needed to and I'll wake easily if DS does (still in our room, sleeps through except for dummy wakes, only cosleep in morning after 6.30 bottle).

DH doesn't necessarily think like this and didn't see anything wrong with us both having a second (absolutely amicable brief conversation as to why I put mine back) so I'm just curious as to what everyone else sets as their limit?

How much not to much in title 🙄

Nothing at all. DH drinks a fair bit most nights so I don't drink anything.

(I'm not saying everyone should do that by the way, that's just me!)

None.

I really wish they would make a blanket zero tolerance on ANY alcohol before driving.

Nothing. Never got into the habit of drinking at home as was always a single parent and could predict the daily mail headlines if something awful ever happened my DC and I’d even had a sip of wine.

I always made sure I could drive. When they babies that meant just one. Now I might have two drinks but definitely not more as I’m on my own and a total light weight

I'm only pregnant with my first, so can't speak from experience but my husband is pretty adamant that only one of us will drink at a time in case of emergency's.
You need to do whatever you feel comfortable with

If I do have a drink, I generally only have a small glass of wine with dinner. My daughter still wakes a couple of times in the night too. If I specifically wanted a little more to drink, my husband would have no more than a small glass. Probably being over cautious, but I would rather be over cautious than under cautious

I'd not fuss about being unable to drive as would call a taxi if needed (in fact I don't drive after any alcohol at all) but I'd want to be 100% confident that one of us was able to respond quickly and appropriately to the DC, whether they wet the bed or were taken ill. For me that's probably a small glass of wine: DH would be fine after 3 or 4 cans or 2 pints of lager.

I actually agree with the zero alcohol driving and never do drink at all if I'm driving, but I know I could on one glass if absolutely necessary

My husband can have two or three over a few hours and be ok to drive and care for kids, if I have one I'm not ok for anything so I just have a few sips.

I’ll happily drink 2-3 glasses of wine or a couple of beers. It seems silly to constantly avoid drinking in case of an emergency. In a genuine emergency I’d call an ambulance, if it was urgent but not an emergency I’d call a taxi.

Not saying I drink every night but I have a few at the weekend and think nothing of it. As long as I’m not actually drunk and still able to parent.

Nothing, never been much of a drinker other than a couple of years as a teenager, will very occasionally have 1 drink if out and DH isnt drinking so he can be 'in charge'.

I would feel really uncomfortable with not having at least 1 adult completely alcohol free looking after DD, just in case she woke up poorly and needed taking somewhere.

99.9% of the time - nothing.
One drink up to the driving limit would be my maximum. I would like to know I could drive if a sudden a&e trip was required!

It's not just about being able to drive in an emergency though, it's about quick decision making, having a clear head, quick thinking, reaction time and adding adrenaline or shock (in a worst case scenario) to alcohol isn't the best.

We're not big drinkers but on a Friday night we'll sit and have one or two glasses. They aren't big either we never finish the bottle in one night. If I want to drink more say with a friend he'll stop after one and vice versa. I would never drive even after one so we'd just have to get a taxi if we needed to.
I also only drink when baby is healthy so no illnesses and not if I'd been giving her calpol for anything.

I always wonder how people think parents without cars cope.

It seems silly to constantly avoid drinking in case of an emergency. In a genuine emergency I’d call an ambulance, if it was urgent but not an emergency I’d call a taxi.

Not so silly when the A&E nurse smells alcohol on you and SS are called and you have to explain your entire existence to them until they’re satisfied you aren’t going to drop your child off a bridge or lose them down the back of the sofa despite being a feckless drunk single mother.

I think to many people it’s not the fact that they might need to get in a car, but it’s a good yard stick for making sure you can still make sensible judgments

Nothing save a glass at Christmas and New Year. I want to set a high standard and good example.
The children’s grandfather was a serious alcoholic, since alcoholism can be genetic I avoid introducing it as a coping mechanism, you don’t need to drink to wind down or have fun.

*I would like to know I could drive if a sudden a&e trip was required!•
I’d just call a cab if needed.

On occasion, we'll both be ratted way over the limit. As would everyone I know.

Only once they're asleep, (they're both good sleepers and always have been) and not if either is poorly.

However much we feel like. I don’t mean we get riotously drunk, but we live in a city and don’t own a car so being able to drive is never a consideration.

Last year I had two mouthfuls of champagne as part of a toast to someone and that was the the only alcohol I had. I rarely drink these days and, am pregnant so won’t be for a while, but think my tolerance would be so low that I wouldn’t trust myself to look after my children properly if I had a glass of wine. I’m sure that will change when they are a little older and less dependant upon me though.

I greatly doubt the A&E nurse will call SS because you had two glasses of wine on a Saturday then took a sick child to hospital in a taxi. Apart from it being VERY unlikely it’s also scaremongering. SS don’t get involved because you’ve dared to have a couple of glasses of wine ffs.