Wine whilst pregnant?

[radiomumma]

Hi, long time member but I have name changed because many people (myself included I suppose) see this as a taboo subject.
I am in the beginning of my second trimester with my second child.
I wouldn't consider myself a big drinker but I do appreciate a nice glass of wine on a lovely sunny afternoon!
I have read loads about not drinking in the first trimester as this can be a damaging time for babies development. So far I haven't touched a drop (and didn't in my first pregnancy if that matters)
This afternoon I am really craving a nice cold glass of white wine. I have researched and researched about light drinking in pregnancy but honestly find the results to be 50.50.
I am aware that the official advice is to abstain completely but it is that really necessary? I've seen a lot online about this being a heavy handed approach due to the general lack of trust in pregnant women to do the 'right' thing (but that's another thread altogether!)
Of course I have read about the devastating affects of Fetal Alcohol syndrome but on the flip side of the coin is that many women have enjoyed the odd glass of wine and their babies have been absolutely fine.
So, my question is AIBU to enjoy a glass of wine whilst pregnant? TIA x

@MamaDane I also wouldn’t give my newborn coffee, or sweets, or any salt at all. Or like, bread tbh. Am I to live on colostrum...?

This has come up so many times on here I'm afraid - a quick search will.give you 1000s of opinions.

Im 30 weeks. I had less than half a glass of prosecco with my dinner last night. About 2 weeks ago I had about the same of white wine. So very small amounts very occasionally.

@radiomumma

Back all those years ago the slogan was "Guinness is good for you" and pregnant women were not discouraged from drinking. It was later accepted that it had no medical benefit

Lots of people will tell you they did and it was fine, but that's simply anecdotal and an example of confirmation bias. Realistically nobody can tell you it will be fine for you because there is a lack of scientific evidence re. small amounts.

It's not just a lottery, it's a choice between no risk at all (no alcohol) and possibly introducing a risk (small amount of alcohol). A lottery would be if there was a risk of baby getting FAS even if you didn't drink any, which is obviously not the case.

I really don't understand why anyone would prioritise a glass of wine over their baby's health. But as PP have said if you've done your research you can decide what to do.

I don't think a small amount occasionally would do any harm. But I don't know.

Nobody likes wine more than me and I know I drink too much of it, but I didn't touch a drop during my pregnancies. TBH I just never fancied it (or coffee for that matter).

[quote Pogmella]@MamaDane I also wouldn’t give my newborn coffee, or sweets, or any salt at all. Or like, bread tbh. Am I to live on colostrum...?[/quote]
Don't be obtuse, obviously the only thing a newborn should have is milk, my point was however that why give them something that is literal poison. Why expose them to something only adults should have?
It's very well known that drinking before your brain has finished developing (as a young adult) is particularly harmful, so why expose any alcohol to a child, baby or fetus?

It’s just not worth it to me. I am 33w pregnant and have cut out things I like. It’s the sacrifice you make for your child. I love Pepsi Max but I’ve stopped drinking it because of the caffeine content. 40w of my life is not that long.

@Durgasarrow thank you. I agree about the tea! I agree, it's the not knowing about what safe 'alcohol limit' is? The safe limit appears to change depending on which country you are in, how can that be when we are all human? Sorry I was thinking out loud there. I wish I could say that to the busy body's too haha.

@Antipodeancousin thank you. I too find the evidence conflicting but it's great that you came to your own decision. I found it opened my eyes spending 9+ months off of the alcohol in my previous pregnancy, it makes you realise how embedded it is with socialising in general (for the most part)

@Pogmella thank you! I did read about how depending on an individual's metabolic rate that the amount of alcohol consumed by the baby differs. I completely agree with it's how we intake the alcohol too. I'm a 'sipper' I must admit (too many shots in my 20s put me off of fast drinking for life!) Thanks again 

@JizzPigeon22 I just do I'm afraid! The only way I could relate it is to when I'm on a diet but I really fancy that peace of cake...

@MamaDane thank you. Whilst I understand your reasoning I can't agree that having a glass of wine whilst pregnant is the same to feeding a new born baby wine. My pregnant body will metabolise and filter much of the alcohol before it reaches baby (or so I have read)

@letsmaketea thank you. I agree! Having children is one big risk assessment as far as I can see haha. We risk ourselves crossing the road everyday, however these risks are minimal and a part of everyday life. Drinking wine in pregnancy is also a risk... it's just trying to decipher how much of a risk I suppose.

The difficulty with not following the rules imv is how you'd cope with the guilt if baby has some sort of problem, just not worth the risk imv.

In my first two pregnancies I wasn't bothered at all, so didn't drink. In this one I've craved wine all the way through, which is ridiculous because I don't even drink it normally

I did the same as you and had a good read about it, and decided it wasn't worth the guilt factor or the 'what if?', so I haven't bothered. Instead I've had a fair bit of the non alcoholic variety. Sainsbury's have quite a decent choice if you wanted to have a look there? I'm no connoisseur so you may not want my recommendation, but they do an in house alcohol free prosecco type wine which I've liked!

@OhToBeASeahorse thank you for sharing. Your limits are to what I would be looking at during my pregnancy (very small)

@Thelittleweasel I read about Guinness being advised in pregnancy (was it something about the iron?) I also read how only 30 odd years ago moderate drinking of wine was prescribed to 'relax' mother. Oh how times have changed. Don't get me started on cigarettes!

@farandfew thank you. I agree, no one can tell me what to do but I do find reading 'real life' experiences very helpful when helping to
form an opinion for myself.

@Medievalist thank you. I wish my body would completely go off of wine during pregnancy, you are very fortunate, I'm jealous!

@BeingATwatItsABingThing thank you. Of course that's the flip side of the coin isn't it. It's only 40 weeks, that's what I keep telling myself. I think I said up thread, I didn't touch a drop of alcohol during my first pregnancy but this time around I am really craving a small glass of wine. Some people crave ice cream and burgers but I am craving wine.

I had small amounts during my pregnancy: my son was born almost a year ago.

I regret it. As previous posters have pointed out - I don’t know what cognitive issues he might develop later and whether not drinking any alcohol at all might have prevented those.

Although no longer pregnant, I am now completely teetotal myself. I’ve read a lot about it and alcohol is obviously a toxin. I right even want to drink it myself now, let alone would consider exposing a foetus to it.

I would not do it personally. Can you not purchase a nice mock tail drink or something OP. Just learn to adjust that wine is off limits for the moment.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing thank you. Of course that's the flip side of the coin isn't it. It's only 40 weeks, that's what I keep telling myself. I think I said up thread, I didn't touch a drop of alcohol during my first pregnancy but this time around I am really craving a small glass of wine. Some people crave ice cream and burgers but I am craving wine.

People crave what their body needs. I crave ice and this is common for people with low iron. I’m now on iron tablets and my craving for ice has reduced. Work out what it is that your body needs and find yourself a good source of that.

Just get alcohol free, theres loads of nice ones. Not worth it for one glass.

You'll be fine just have small glass or add some soda water to make a spritzer.

It's just not worth the risk. I love a glass or more of wine but abstained totally during my three pregnancies. My lovely SIL appeared in the postnatal ward the day DS was born, pulled the curtains round my bed and produced a bottle of champagne, God it was worth the wait

One small glass won't harm anyone, enjoy it.

@Bluemoooon thank you. I've said upthread, the guilt would be a terrible thing for anyone to go through so I agree.

@Fldn33r thank you, you have described me! I hardly ever drink, before I was pregnant wine rarely crossed my mind but now I am really craving the taste. It's so strange isn't it? I've read a little about non alcoholic wines (I found a good thread on here actually) so I will give them a try. I have a Sainsbury's local to me so I will go and pick up a bottle of the non alcoholic Prosecco (sounds fab!) Thanks again.

@Piglet89 thank you for sharing.

@Bananabread8 thank you. Yes, funnily enough the sun has gone in and my craving for wine has dwindled (I can thank Mumsnet for keeping me busy!) I will certainly go and stock up on some non alcoholic options until I make a firm decision.

@Crinkle77 thank you.

@20viona thank you.

@DramaAlpaca thank you. And wow your SIL sounds amazing! (I will get my SIL to take notes haha)

@BeingATwatItsABingThing thank you! I never looked at it like that but what you have said makes complete sense. I wonder what it is in the wine that my body is craving/needs? Could it be the sugar maybe? This is very interesting! Thank you very much, I will definitely bear this in mind as I really think it could help me. And I never knew that about ice! Thanks again.

It's very personal. I had a glass of wine with a meal on five occasions in each pregnancy, all after the 20 week scan. But there's no point if you won't enjoy it because of guilt and second guessing yourself.

The "you wouldn't give it to a newborn" argument always makes me laugh. DD had silent reflux and was prescribed ranitidine, as were several other babies I know. It has about the same strength as wine and the leaflet comes with a warning that anyone with a drinking problem should ask their doctor for an alternative. I'm sure DD had more alcohol in her system when we were syringing that into her several times a day than when I sipped a glass over a long meal when pregnant!

It's a very personal choice OP, and these threads do cause controversy, as well as the posting of multiple anecdotes which are fairly meaningless in the grand scheme of things. While the available research hasn't proved any ill effects with small amounts, it hasn't ruled them out either. The crucial difference between alcohol and the many many other things that pregnant women ingest on a daily basis that also haven't been technically proved to be 'safe' is that alcohol at higher doses is a known teratogen. The stage of pregnancy at which it is ingested also makes no difference as the baby's brain continues to develop throughout pregnancy and is therefore susceptible to damage, or subtle alterations to development that can affect learning and behaviour. The available data are actually very messy so the effects are really unknown.

@AHF1975 great post. Agree.

Personally I didn't take the risk but I don't think a small amount would do any damage. The guidance just a few years ago was that a glass or so a week was fine. I know a few mums who would have large glasses because it was "allowed", I think it had to change for this reason.

The way I look at it is, if I'm tipsy then the baby is tipsy. I wouldn't want my child to have enough alcohol to make them a little bit drunk so I decided to avoid it in pregnancy (I'm a lightweight and I feel the effects even after a small glass)

@radiomumma

Just a quick google brought up this link:

www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine#6

Try and find other foods or drinks that provide these benefits and see if it helps.

It's up to you. Obviously any alcohol in your blood is shared with your baby. It's not something I ever would have been comfortable with.