Few sips of red wine when pregnant?

[ShutUpAlex]

Did anybody have small amounts of wine when pregnant? I know a lot of people have one small glass a week, but I have found that 3 or 4 sips of red wine in the evening makes my morning sickness just completely vanish! However, those sips added up each day (or at least until the morning sickness is gone) may add up more than what I think.

Would I be u reasonable to do this?
Did anyone else find this helped? I’ve tried sickness bands, ginger everything etc but can’t shift the nausea.

@Ginuwine that says "can" occur not "have " occurred. I.e there is a possibility that it can occur with lower levels of alcohol than people who drink heavily but not that it has been shown to have occurred in those that drink at lower levels.

@swimlittlefishy thank you for your attempts to defend other women and to call out nonsense for what it is.

It also doesn’t specify what the lower levels are.

I also absolutely hate the "it is best not to..." phrasing. It's so patronising and inadequate.

@pigglepot

You're welcome It has to be done.

@swimlittlefishy

You that sure? No child has ever been damaged

By a sip of alcohol? Yes, I am 100% sure of that, There are NO real studies to show one or two drinks caused "it" (whatever you think "it" is). It's not biologically possible.

Why do you say with such confidence "it's not biologically possible" when there are whole research units looking into how one or two drinks at the wrong time may have caused the problems?

I mean, I admire your boldness but can't help but think why so unequivocal, when there's a whole bunch of scientists who haven't drawn their conclusions yet?

[quote pigglepot]@Ginuwine that says "can" occur not "have " occurred. I.e there is a possibility that it can occur with lower levels of alcohol than people who drink heavily but not that it has been shown to have occurred in those that drink at lower levels. [/quote]
That's my point entirely though. The research is still ongoing, and there are real indications that this has sadly happened for some women.

It all depends how desperate someone is to justify their drinking when things are so inconclusive.

If you and others want to take "can" as "will never occur" and say "it's biologically impossible" to justify a life decision, then crack on - it's one way of viewing things.

But while there's conjecture and uncertainty, then this is why the medical guidelines say "don't" - because the real scientists and doctors just aren't 100% sure yet until further research concludes things.

Why do you say with such confidence "it's not biologically possible" when there are whole research units looking into how one or two drinks at the wrong time may have caused the problems?

You are confusing yourself. You said any amount of alcohol is harmful, even a few SIPS. I said that its biologically impossible to cause harm with a few SIPS. Now you are talking about research into a few DRINKS. Different thing altogether.

And there has already been a lot of research into a few DRINKS anyway, which has shown no harm to be caused. The research clearly shows that harm is caused by heavy drinking, not by low level drinking.

Define your terms properly, and actually read the research before quoting it.

I did and it was fine

It all depends how desperate someone is to justify their drinking when things are so inconclusive

Can you stop with this lazy and offensive nonsense? I didn't drink in pregnancy at all, I have nothing to defend. You are being incredibly rude and undermining your own point with this.

If you and others want to take "can" as "will never occur" and say "it's biologically impossible" to justify a life decision, then crack on - it's one way of viewing things
Again, not justifying a life decision. We're talking about science. The way alcohol works in the human body means that you literally cannot harm a foetus with a very small amount of alcohol. Scientists know this. I know this. You should know this too.

But while there's conjecture and uncertainty, then this is why the medical guidelines say "don't" - because the real scientists and doctors just aren't 100% sure yet until further research concludes things
Real scientist and drs are quite sure, and the guidelines say do not drink at all because they know if they say its ok to drink a small amoutn, some people will think that means its ok to drink larger amounts.

This is all common knowledge. STOP trying to make other women feel guilty to make yourself feel big and clever.

@swimlittlefishy

Why do you say with such confidence "it's not biologically possible" when there are whole research units looking into how one or two drinks at the wrong time may have caused the problems?

You are confusing yourself. You said any amount of alcohol is harmful, even a few SIPS. I said that its biologically impossible to cause harm with a few SIPS. Now you are talking about research into a few DRINKS. Different thing altogether.

And there has already been a lot of research into a few DRINKS anyway, which has shown no harm to be caused. The research clearly shows that harm is caused by heavy drinking, not by low level drinking.

Define your terms properly, and actually read the research before quoting it.

This is semantics. How many sips quantify a drink? What's the number of sips which then means you've spilled over into one drink? A drink is a completely arbitrary measure. Anyways - who on earth pours out a thimbleful of wine and has two sips?

It's all baby language designed to justify behaviour. Define for me your terms properly (how many sips equals a drink?) and then I'll engage.

Can you link please to the research into a few DRINKS (your capitalisation) which clearly shows that low level drinking causes no harm?

I'd like to read the research please as per your instruction.

@swimlittlefishy

I never was discussing what you did in pregnancy. So why did you think my comment was at you?

This is so weird, people need to take the heat out of this a bit.

This is semantics. How many sips quantify a drink? What's the number of sips which then means you've spilled over into one drink? A drink is a completely arbitrary measure. Anyways - who on earth pours out a thimbleful of wine and has two sips?

Of course it is not! One sip is vastly different from one drink, if you don't know that you really need to take your seat and let the grown ups talk.
One drink is not arbitrary at all in this context, its one standard unit.

I never was discussing what you did in pregnancy. So why did you think my comment was at you?

You said people arguing against you were defending/justifying their own choices. I am arguing against you. How can you claim that your comment was not directed at me, and anyone else supporting my points?

You don't know the terms here, you don't know the difference between a sip and a drink, you don't understand measurements, and you can't keep up with who you are talking about and to. You need to leave these kinds of conversations alone, you're brought a teaspoon to a knife fight.

@swimlittlefishy

I can claim that my comment wasn't directed at you....because it wasn't. It's not personal.

You claim "I don't know the terms'. Ok. That's your opinion.

Perhaps I know human nature though. Yes there is a difference between one sip and one drink. I'm dumb, but i'm not that dumb not to get this.

My argument however is that those who advocate a 'sip' aren't then outlining how many sips take place. How big is a 'sip' - is it 10-20 mls? If you had four or five sips, are you then at 100mls which is getting close to a small measure?

Furthermore, I haven't brought a teaspoon, because I'm not here to fight. Please put away your 'knife'. It's not about that.

You need to leave these kinds of conversations alone, you're brought a teaspoon to a knife fight.

I hope you're actually wearing the little thread monitor badge MNHQ seem to have issued you with?
The utter NERVE of you...

But while there's conjecture and uncertainty, then this is why the medical guidelines say "don't" - because the real scientists and doctors just aren't 100% sure yet until further research concludes things

No it isn't. It's for the reason I gave further upthread - you can't ethically do a study on this, so you can't categorically say that even one glass of wine in 9 months is safe. Research will be on anecdote, not asking some women to drink a bit, some to drink more, and some to drink a lot. The latter is simply not going to happen.

Christian societies have always viewed alcohol with a moral lens. Add that to society’s infantilising and policing of the pregnant body, plus the narrative that no one has any self control and it’s easy to see how the pretty well insignificant risk of minimal drinking is magnified by cultural factors

Extremely well put. It's a pity so many women fall for it.

@poppycat10

Christian societies have always viewed alcohol with a moral lens. Add that to society’s infantilising and policing of the pregnant body, plus the narrative that no one has any self control and it’s easy to see how the pretty well insignificant risk of minimal drinking is magnified by cultural factors

Extremely well put. It's a pity so many women fall for it.

Do you think women who are concerned about risk...

....who decide to elimitate it completely by giving up a small sacrifice for nine months...

are "gullible" in any way, and have fallen for "it"?

My sister in law loves her drink. She gave up for nine months. She's back on it with a two year old. She's ok. She's not gullible.

One drink is not arbitrary at all in this context, its one standard unit.

It’s not though, is it, you will struggle to find one unit of alcohol in one ‘serving’. Unless I suppose you take a shot? But I think that’s unlikely.

The variation in percentage, the variation of serving size for each drink and the way each body metabolises the ethanol at a differing rate depending on water/fat stores it’s impossible to apply a blanket amount hence their need to say ‘no alcohol at all’.

The OP said a few sips of wine, that could be an amount she knows (measured out) or doesn’t know (few sips out of DPs glass) nobody will ever know so we can’t say it’s the right thing to do for her, only she can.

If you know you’ve correctly measured one unit and drink it at a pace that ensures its metabolised correctly then yes you’re probably going to be fine.

I don’t think it’s about people being gullible either, Poppy it’s just women trying to do their best for their family. If someone doesn’t want to take a risk, and there is one, however small it is will depend on the above I’ve mentioned, then that’s fine. So is assessing the risk to be so small you’re happy to accept it.

Are nhs examples of units, certainly not one drink.

We were talking about research studies where drinks are quantified as units. Not random pours at home.

@TheKeatingFive

I wouldn't do anything intentionally that I knew could have the potential to harm my child.

Ooooh another one of these.

Did you get in a car to go shopping, socialise or just for a drive?

All not strictly necessary acts that had the potential to harm your child.

@TheKeatingFive I don't drive. And tbh it's ridiculous to act as though drinking alcohol while pregnant and travelling are the same thing. But to answer your question, every choice I make is on a risk analysis. There are some things that I need to do, I.e travel to work. The chances of something happening to me on my way to work are much smaller than the need for me to earn money.

During pregnancy there are so many things that can go wrong, throughout the whole of my pregnancy I was terrified I could accidentally cause harm to my baby. So for me, the need to have a few sips of wine because I felt ill is not important enough to takeover the small risk that it potentially would have on my baby.

I didn't judge the op for her choices, I literally just stated in MY opinion it isn't worth the risk, because if anything did go wrong I would blame myself and think "what if." If you choose to drink wine while pregnant for whatever reason, that's on you, and your choice as a mother.

I know but OP is taking about a few sips of red wine, which is between 12-15% taking the higher percentage that’s only 67ml for one unit of red wine.. or one ‘drink’ if you’re talking in the research paper terms which you can see here the two (drinks and sips) could be used interchangeably.

It’s very muddy, that’s probably why it conjures up such strong debate.

Funnily enough my mw suggested red wine for sickness! Didn't try it though. A few sips or even a glass here and there won't hurt.