To have had one small glass of champagne last night (26w pregnant)

[bluemoon2468]

Basically, what I'm trying to establish is how many mums can actually say they didn't have a sip of alcohol during their entire pregnancy?

Last night I celebrated a friend's birthday with a very small glass of champagne, just less than half of a standard size champagne flute. This was my first drink since a couple of weeks before I conceived, aside from a few very occasional sips of other people's drinks here and there (e.g. tasting a cocktail DH made a few weeks ago with a small sip). I have no particular plans to drink again whilst pregnant, but I won't rule out another small drink at some point before I give birth if I fancy it.

I'm pretty comfortable with my decision, but am just wondering whether in reality most mothers engage in the occasional drink in pregnancy or stay strictly tee total?

I didn't drink throughout mine and haven't since giving birth except for a few sips. But I don't blame you for having a small glass. I hope you enjoyed.

Half a glass of champagne at 26 weeks is going to do no harm whatsoever.

They seem to get particularly upset about alcohol for some reason.

Culturally, alcohol has always been excessively moralised. Blame the puritans.

I worked in a winery - had to taste 10+ wines every morning and more through out the day. Would use a spittoon but it was one of the hardest things I've had to do as I had severe sickness but didn't want to disclose pregnancy... was a bit of a nightmare for a few months (not to mention navigating knock off drinks...)
I don't judge people on minimal/minor alcohol consumption.

Op you'll be told on here that you are clearly an alcoholic for not being able to go 9 months without a sip of alcohol..

Fwiw I think you are not being unreasonable at all, hardly like you were necking back shots!

I had a glass of prosseco at my best friends wedding when I was 5 months pregnant then I had a glass of Buck's Fizz at Christmas when I was 9 months pregnant.

Many do. Many don't.

Of course it is not good to drink throughout pregnancy, but there is a difference between a very occasional small glass and drinking to excess.

I had a small glass of fizz at Xmas when I was pregnant the first time and some very low alcohol stuff. I haven't had anything so far this time unless you count the small amount of wine I put in the risotto.

I am glad that you can ignore some of the selfish mother comments (whilst often ignoring things that they do that isn't wonderful) - this is mn's remember... surprised you haven't been locked up for a single glass of wine.

@AdriannaP it must be so wonderful to be as perfect as you are.

I fought way too hard to have my twins to do it.

I don't honestly think 1/2 glass of champagne would be harmful or the odd sip here and there but I just don't know why you would. It's not a great sacrifice is it to not drink for a few months.

In pregnancy you should eat and drink the best you can, no caffeine, alcohol, minimal sugar and junk food and lots of fruit and vegetables to give your little one the best chance in life.

@Beebie2

Some really interesting points and I completely agree with the susceptible time period, and heroin bit. But in terms of a baby being exposed to 3 times more that is not accurate. If someone drank a shot of vodka that was 40% their blood alcohol concentration would be about 0.02% depending on the individual (weight, genetics etc). So the baby is exposed to that concentration. And while the baby cannot metabolise the alcohol themselves, elimination is based on the mothers metabolism because alcohol will pass back from the foetus into the maternal circulation as the mother metabolises the alcohol in her blood. It takes slightly long to clear the alcohol from the amniotic fluid completely but still the baby is exposed to a tiny tiny amount. So while it's true someone could drink heavily on certain days and have limited physical effects on the foetus, drinking very lightly on just one day still wouldn't have an adverse effect.

Of course the problems come with how much is "very lightly". And I've seen plenty of people who genuinely think one glass of wine (250ml, so 1/3rd of a bottle, 4 times a week is drinking very lightly and of course it isn't at all). For those people it is absolutely safer not to drink at all than risk having too much. But for those people who, when they say they had 50ml of champagne, genuinely mean they had 50ml of champagne rather than using it as a front for their alcohol problem, there is no risk.

Why is it grim to watch a pregnant woman drink alcohol? Why would you even know or care what's in her glass?

A small glass of champagne will have done no harm whatsoever to your baby. Like previous posters have said, getting in a car is probably more of a risk to your pregnancy than a little glass of wine.

For the person who asked, the vote is currently 24% YABU and 76% YANBU!

So lovely to hear from most of you! Having the odd drink seems like pretty standard practice 😊 And I've had a good laugh at anyone who has suggested I have an alcohol problem 😆 Oh mumsnet 🙈

What I failed to mention is that the champagne accompanied a takeaway, and after dinner we shared some (many) chocolates 🤪

@NoWordForFluffy

What's wrong with not offering an alcoholic drink to a pregnant person?

It's up to the pregnant woman to choose if she drinks, not the person offering the drinks round.

Oh right. Well I think it's an individual choice to risk assess and drink when pregnant and I wouldn't judge anyone who chose to (not excessively).

But I actually thought the general thought was that a pregnant woman would choose not to drink alcohol, so not offering alcohol would be the polite thing to do. I don't think it's fair to judge someone who doesn't offer a pregnant lady alcohol.

It's never polite to not offer alcohol if other guests are being offered.

I think the occasional small glass of wine is fine so no judgement from me

It's definitely not the done thing in my family/social circle, though I see people say they do it on Mumsnet.

I didn't, it's just nine months. Same as I wouldn't smoke. I don't think it's the same as getting in a car - that's an external risk, whereas drinking can impair your body, which houses/feeds/nurtures the baby.

Having said that, I don't think there's anything wrong with a glass, and while I wouldn't I don't think I would bat an eye if someone else did.

I think one small glass of fizz at 26 weeks will not do much harm TBH! A little of everything in moderation is the key here really isnt it? Relax and enjoy your pregnancy!

Don't think you are unreasonable but I personally wouldn't (and haven't) ever drink anything whilst pregnant but each to their own 🤷🏼‍♀️ I very much doubt one glass would hurt.
My baby was diagnosed with a heart defect at the 20 week scan and I've done everything by the book (not drank, eating anything I shouldn't, smoked or even been around smokers etc) but yet I still felt guilty and blamed myself that I must have caused it. Because of that I'm glad that I haven't ever had so much as one drink because then I'd always worry or feel guilty it was because of that! If that makes any sense at all...

Yanbu. I am planning on having a small glass on my birthday when I will be about 6 months. I haven't had any so far but I really don't think the occasional drink will do any harm.

that's an external risk, whereas drinking can impair your body, which houses/feeds/nurtures the baby

I don’t understand this reasoning. External risks turn into internal risks if your body gets hit in a car crash. That’ll ‘impair’ alright.

Drank bottles of the stuff, but that was in the 60's so it didn 't count.

Yep, my Mum smoked when she was pregnant with me — and reminded me yesterday how she couldn't smoke as much as she would have liked as she felt so sick

Good old 1967, when it was all so much ..... well, like the PP observed, it didn't count. I'm sure it probably stunted my growth but at 8lb 3oz, she was probably relieved

I didn't but only because I'm not a big drinker anyway so didn't miss it. Makes me laugh people berating you for it when they're probably stuffing themselves with processed shite. You sound sensible, OP.

I have never drank in my pregnacy well apart from when I didn’t realise I was pregnant. I wouldn’t do it as it’s not something I craved and I just don’t think it’s a habit you should practise whilst pregnant. It probably won’t harm your baby but then people will have a glass on and so on.. not that I’m a big drinker anyway.

I had a glass a couple of times in last trimester with a meal. I felt fine about it- no guilt. Lots of pregnant mums I knew often had a small wine and noone judged at all. Seems to be a huge variance.

Some things are super important to people and others less so. My boss at work obsessively told me that she never let her children touch a pouch or food she had not prepared, but she didn't breastfeed. For some people they would feel strongly about the latter but not the former.

We all pick our battles!