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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Few sips of red wine when pregnant?

432 replies

ShutUpAlex · 27/04/2021 13:07

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.

OP posts:
Fedup1223 · 27/04/2021 15:53

Have no opinion on a few sips of wine and don’t think it’s the end of the world. but if it was the feeling of it “hitting your stomach” would potentially milk do the same thing?

Mishmased · 27/04/2021 15:54

@ShutUpAlex I'm 35 weeks pregnant and have had really bad nausea without vomiting. Initially I was prescribed prochlorperazine at A&E which didn't work. Then my GP prescribed Cariban which worked better but made me drowsy. So if you like you can try asking for either instead of having a few sips of wine. Best of luck nausea is a nightmare, didn't realise how lucky I was not having it in previous pregnancies.

ShonkyCat · 27/04/2021 15:55

It's fine. The risk of a few sips is non-existent.

(It would be fascinating to see a Venn diagram with one set representing posters who think that so much as sniffing a shandy during pregnancy is akin to infanticide and another set representing those who wash every item of clothing once it's been in contact with their body for more than 10 minutes because "hygiene" and who once defenestrated their own husband because he used the tea towel to wipe his hands. I suspect the overlap would be significant.)

SmidgenofaPigeon · 27/04/2021 15:57

@ShonkyCat agree. And bonus points for bringing defenestration into it 😆

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 27/04/2021 15:57

@Fedup1223 god no, I seem to have developed a really uh... explosive.... dairy intolerance in this pregnancy!

OP posts:
Sunshineandflipflops · 27/04/2021 15:58

@ShonkyCat

It's fine. The risk of a few sips is non-existent.

(It would be fascinating to see a Venn diagram with one set representing posters who think that so much as sniffing a shandy during pregnancy is akin to infanticide and another set representing those who wash every item of clothing once it's been in contact with their body for more than 10 minutes because "hygiene" and who once defenestrated their own husband because he used the tea towel to wipe his hands. I suspect the overlap would be significant.)

Grin

I use the tea towel to dry my hands all the time. Perks of being a single parent is that there's no-one to tell me this isn't acceptable.

Fedup1223 · 27/04/2021 15:58

Ah fair enough - was trying to think of those things that sort of line the stomach!

NoBetterthanSheShouldBe · 27/04/2021 16:02

I had my children in the 1990s. My GP recommended a small glass of red wine a couple of times a week. Hasn’t done any harm to any of us.

TheChosenTwo · 27/04/2021 16:04

I did with no guilt either!
Had a glass of champagne at a wedding (not even just 3 sips!!) and a glass of red wine every now and then when I fancied it.
I also ate things I ‘wasn’t allowed’. I weighed up the risks myself and didn’t go overboard with any of it. So many things are deemed unsafe during pregnancy. Lots of people follow the advice to a tee, lots of people take it with a pinch of salt, lots use it as guidance.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 27/04/2021 16:07

The thing I found hard was not having nuts as I have hayfever, so there was apparently a slightly higher risk of passing on a nut allergy when pregnant. However I could not resist the odd Snickers bar. Neither DD has a nut or any other allergy, thank goodness.

Tightwad2020 · 27/04/2021 16:10

I was pregnant 20 years ago when the advice in the UK and other European nations was different - you could drink a few units a week without posing significant risk to your baby. Spain and France had higher limits, I seem to remember, than other European nations! So I did as the health advice permitted, and all went swimmingly well.

Probably wouldn't do the same today though, since the advice is now clearly against.

Ginuwine · 27/04/2021 16:10

[quote ShutUpAlex]@Ginuwine and yet here you are twisting my reason to suit your agenda. It’s not a case of “I can’t go without wine for 9 months”.
It’s a case of I had a few sips of my fiancé’s wine and it made my sickness go for the rest of that evening. I’m now contemplating doing it again but not sure how often a few sips of wine should be ok going off the Badis that one glass of wine a week seems to be for most people.[/quote]

What happens to teetotal people who experience the same sickness as you.

Should they be prescribed wine by the GP?

GrinWine

notalwaysalondoner · 27/04/2021 16:16

All evidence indicates a small amount of alcohol is harmless. And that a big amount on a regular basis is extremely harmful. The issue is that defining a small amount is difficult as people are different sizes with different metabolisms. So from a public communications perspective the NHS and others just say to avoid altogether, as it’s lower risk than relying on the general population to accurately track what they drink.

There is no way 3-4 sips a day is harmful. No way.

A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 · 27/04/2021 16:18

Just the way you described the relief when the richness hit your stomach, I felt the same way when I had awful nausea and sometimes vomiting from bad acid reflux (not pregnancy related, I had a stomach problem). Red wine was one of the things that would make me feel a bit better. I'm wondering if some of the stomach coating alginate antacids might help - I also got relief from those

Viviennemary · 27/04/2021 16:22

Not every day. No.

FirewomanSam · 27/04/2021 16:23

I’m one of those boring teetotal Mumsnetters that people eye-roll at and even I think this is fine!

Dixiechickonhols · 27/04/2021 16:27

I personally wouldn’t. My DC was born with a significant physical disability (undetected on scans) and I spent too long worrying about all the things I did or didn’t do. I did all the ‘right’ things - no alcohol, pre natal vitamins etc but I still felt guilty eg I went on airplane for example in first trimester, was my bath too hot etc. Even if Drs tell you it’s one of those things nothing you could have done it’s still there in your mind. For me it’s not worth guilt if baby does have issues.

skodadoda · 27/04/2021 16:27

@ShutUpAlex

You can drink when breastfeeding actually, although I won’t be so that point doesn’t matter.

I’m not an alcoholic, I don’t usually drink anyway due to meds but I’m not on those atm due to the pregnancy. I can perfectly manage 3 sips of wine without it turning I to a glass as I wouldn’t want to drink a whole glass anyway. I’m going to try making a rich red wine sauce and see if that had the same effect as it was definitely that rich feeling of it hitting my stomach that really helped with the nausea. Thanks for the advice.

I’m with you on this Alex. I’m a different generation, did drink throughout my two pregnancies, 40+ years ago. It limited itself somewhat as I had indigestion. Breastfed and first time baby slept through was when sister in law and I shared a bottle of sherry 😮
derxa · 27/04/2021 16:33

@notagainmummy

The sickness doesn't last forever. I'd just ride it out.
It did last right through my first pregnancy. I didn't fancy alcohol but if it helps OP
PhatPhanny · 27/04/2021 16:36

When I went to see my midwife I was 3cm dilated, she told me to go home have a bath and a glass of wine to relax before the big event, I didn't, but.. You know.

CocoSims · 27/04/2021 16:39

Oh god of course you can have a glass now and then! As with everything it’s easier for the guidelines to just say ‘don’t drink’ than it is for them to waffle on ten pages about how some people are idiots and can’t tell the difference between a glass and a crate. And, FWIW most people on this page are putting you in the idiot category. Mumsnet may not be the best place to ask this ... I don’t actually know a single mum that didn’t have the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy, not a single one of their (or my) kids have any probs. Just be sensible and stress over things worth stressing over xx

Ericaequites · 27/04/2021 16:43

Everything in moderation is the best way. A few sips of wine per night is not a huge risk. FAE and FAS aren’t usually caused by very small quantities of alcohol. Older maternal age and later pregnancies tend to correlate with higher rates of FAE and FAS.

nancywhitehead · 27/04/2021 16:43

Why do you think red wine is curing your morning sickness? Confused

Even if it is helping, there are bound to be non-alcholic things that will have the same effect, so really I don't know why you'd risk it.

SeaShoreGalore · 27/04/2021 16:46

I used to have a glass of wine with a meal a couple of times a week, it was fine.

Original poster
ShutUpAlex · 27/04/2021 16:47

@nancywhitehead I have no idea but it’s the only thing so far that given me relief.

I’m going to try it again tonight and see if it works.

OP posts: