To drink wine when pregnant (occasionally?)

[RedRoses718]

AIBU to have the odd glass of wine when pregnant?

My friend was pregnant with her first when I graduated. She had half a glass of champagne to celebrate with us. The only reason we didn't let her have the full one was she was driving back home alone.

@Cersei61

" Mead and wine were the chosen drinks of the day"

No, small beer was. About one or two percent.

@herculepoirot makes a very good point. I have a 5 month old baby and I haven't drunk since my last period which was May 2018. So over a year now and if I carry in breastfeeding I won't drink until I'm finished. That's my choice but I think that evidence points towards small amounts occasionally nor being a problem.

No, small beer was. About one or two percent.

This is true. Pregnant women weren’t walking around plastered in the Middle Ages. And for the most part, they aren’t now.

If you can limit yourself to one then why cant you limit yourself to zero?

If you can limit yourself to one then why cant you limit yourself to zero?

I could say the same about biscuits. We know maternal obesity is a risk to a child’s health, and we know biscuits cause obesity. Etc.

even one glass of booze a week could cause fetal alcohol syndrome in some women.

Is there any evidence at all for this, or are you just scaremongering?

I agree about the Evidencing Better book being really helpful though it is a few years out of date now so there may be further evidence.
There are plenty of European countries where women drink moderately during pregnancy without a spike in problems with babies. Obviously that's not binge drinking or 10 pints a night..

I hate being given arbitrary (well meaning) advice that isn't backed up with good quality, rigorous evidence - including that sleeping on your left side is better than sleeping on your right side.

There's no safe level of drink but there's no safe level of bananas, walking, chocolate, wifi, being near traffic etc either and you don't see people avoiding doing all of that. Some doctors say you can't have an orgasm during pregnancies after IVF despite there being (as far as i can tell) no research on the matter what so ever.

We each create a random list from all the info out there about what we will do or not do when pregnant or being a parent which we all have to grin and bear. (my favourite being a very middle class woman smoking within about 3 ft of her child but saying that the child wasn't allowed a single watsit because of the salt content).

The one thing i want to do is eat a really bloody steak but that seems to be something that there really is clear evidence that it's dangerous so i haven't and i'm desperate for one. I've not been bothered about booze or coffee through pregnancy but if it comes back i will defo treat myself to a nice gin and tonic without feeling guilty.

Well, OK. It may be the safest option to avoid alcohol during pregnancy but then, since alcohol isn't necessary at all, should you look after yourself just as well when not pregnant? Ditch the alcohol. And the fags. Class As. Cakes. Biscuits. And everything else that makes life just that little bit of fun.

You'll probably have a long life. And if you don't, it'll certainly feel like it

I hope all the ‘why take any risks’ people aren’t getting into cars. That carries far more risk.

If you think occasional, light drinking causes FAS then you have no grasp of the facts frankly.

But then people are terrible at assessing risk. That’s been proven time and again.

If you can limit yourself to one then why cant you limit yourself to zero?

See above. Because life is for living!

If you the ‘expecting better’ book recommended earlier you will see that there is neither any evidence that minimal drinking causes issues nor an established safe lower limit.
The NHS tends to be very paternalistic towards women and imagine that if they say 1 small glass of wine a week is okay then people will drink to excess. I’m reality there has been no evidence change to justify the change of advice.

My personal decision was that I drank minimally on a handful of occasions and enjoyed it. I didn’t and don’t feel guilty. I felt angry that other women were afraid to have a sip of champagne on Christmas Day because of poor information.

Personally I didn't, I was quite happy to give up alcohol for the duration of my pregnancies (and breastfeeding) for my own piece of mind.

Why do you want to, OP? It’s a metabolic poison. Surely your baby is worth not poisoning yourself for a mere 9 months out of your life?
If you have an addiction to alcohol, you can access help via your GP.

FFS. There’s always one, or as it turns out in this thread several sanctimonious arseholes who will tell you that if you have a glass of wine when you’re pregnant you’re an alcoholic and/or a terrible Mother.

OP, it’s fine. Your kid will not get foetal alcohol syndrome if you have a glass of wine with your dinnner. The only unreasonable thing you’ve done is ask this question on AIBU where you will get the morally superior raining judgement upon you from their pedestals of perfection.

If it helps, I’ve attached a pic of the summary from Expecting Better, I’d really recommend it for cutting through the scaremongering bullshit nonsense and actually critically analysing the studies and science behind them.

Yes I had the odd glass of wine (probably total max of 4-6 each pregnancy. Of course the kids are fine. It’s fine. Common sense.
Just another fecking stick to beat us with...

In some countries it’s considered a healthy thing to do.

I wouldn’t personally, I just never saw the point in it.

The thing that pisses me off about this is that there are women who will read the one drink a week causing fas line and take it at face value and then worry and fret for their whole pregnancy about the few drinks they had before they realised they were pregnant when it won't have done the slightest bit of harm.

Really gets my goat. 🐐

@herculepoirot2

"This is true. Pregnant women weren’t walking around plastered in the Middle Ages. And for the most part, they aren’t now."

Some are though.

Alcohol can and does cause damage in the womb. We don't know exactly how much.

Do people really expect the NHS to rubber stamp the consumption of a non-essential but known to be harmful substance during pregnancy? Don't be daft

*Also, can we stop with the “It’s 9 months hmm”

A. It’s 10*

No, it’s 9. 4 weeks is not a month.

In fact 40 weeks pregnant is LESS than 9 months because you don’t even actually conceive until day 14, so you are only pregnant weeks 2-40.

If you stop drinking when you find out you are pregnant, typically week 4, then you’re looking at 36 weeks of not drinking. Which is a little over 8 months.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t drink OP. As I understand it the research shows small amounts of alcohol are likely fine.

Anyway, as I said, the advice is also not to drink while trying to conceive, isn’t it?
Yes I agree, I was referring to people who weren’t ttc.

Ask your GP and midwife, they are best placed to make this call.

I can’t imagine not drinking whilst TTC. You have no idea how long it’s going to take and I can imagine that putting your life on hold (no sharing a bottle on a Saturday night watching a film and having an evening together, no drinks after work with colleagues or friends) just adds to the pressure. And no, I’m not an alcoholic.

In moderation some studies have shown it's beneficial.

I hope that all of those spouting made up 'facts' about a single glass of wine causing FAS are perfect in every other way! Someone who is slim aged 30 who drinks 1 small glass of wine per week during the second and third trimesters is statistically doing less harm to their baby than an obese mother or one who's over 35. Or one who lives near a busy road, or who has a family history of twins.

If you want the odd glass of wine then go ahead. You're getting some quite ignorant replies. One glass every so often will not harm your baby and might even help you relax/alleviate stress which is actually good for the baby. I didn't drink when pregnant as I couldn't stomach it but I'd have had a small glass with dinner once every so often if I wanted it, guilt free.