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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what wine drinkers switch to when pregnant?

121 replies

IMissVino · 21/10/2022 16:24

I am pregnant with a very much wanted baby and over the moon about it.

It feels like a stupid thing to be thinking about, but a large glass of crisp cool white wine was one of the joys of Friday for me. If possible, I’d love to have some sort of substitute.

So, if anyone else is or has been in the same boat, would you please share your non-alcoholic beverages of choice? Nothing sweet, fruity or fizzy, please. Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
IMissVino · 21/10/2022 17:19

toastofthetown · 21/10/2022 16:59

There’s trace amounts of alcohol in lots of things. Even fruit juice! I wouldn’t worry about trace amounts in alcohol free beer.
goodstuffdrinks.com/blogs/the-good-stuff/how-much-alcohol-in-alcohol-free-drinks

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Interesting! Thank you very much.

OP posts:
Original poster
IMissVino · 21/10/2022 17:20

roobearbaby · 21/10/2022 17:01

Hello! 8 and a half month pregnant Muma here who loved wine more than life itself before getting pregnant 🤣

My suggestion is a bit wild, but bear with me. Try a non alcoholic beer.

I absolutely HATE beer but since being pregnant there is something about it that just hits the spot! It has a level of bitterness (that wine also has) that just really does it for me!

Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you!

Lots of people are suggesting this. I shall try tonight! Will experiment with a few (including the popular Becks Blue) and see what I like.

OP posts:
Original poster
IMissVino · 21/10/2022 17:22

Augend23 · 21/10/2022 17:02

Trace amounts of alcohol aren't an issue - something that's 0.5% ABV is about as alcoholic as fresh orange juice.

I'm a big fan of a nothing and tonic (plenty of ice, grapefruit/lime/lemon etc), or you can add bitters to them for a bit more pizzazz. I find a lot of the joy of alcohol is in the rituals (as long as the drink itself is nice once you drink it) so the more ritualistic the making of it is, the more it gives you that end of the week feeling. So for me that's the picking out of a really nice glass that I know I enjoy drinking from, the cracking of the ice cube tray, picking a couple of nice garnishes, maybe rosemary and grapefruit, or pink peppercorns and some frozen raspberries or whatever, followed by the crack of the can and sitting down to enjoy it.

Makes perfect sense. The ritual is an important part for me, as well.

OP posts:
Original poster
IMissVino · 21/10/2022 17:23

gogohmm · 21/10/2022 17:12

Btw all the major gin manufacturers have alcohol free now, haven't tried them but dsd drinks them (she can't drink alcohol due to meds)

I did not know this. Thank you!

OP posts:
theDudesmummy · 21/10/2022 17:25

Ginger ale, on Saturdays mixed with half a glass of champagne.

Namechanger355 · 21/10/2022 17:28

In second pregnancy now and have never found a nice non alcoholic wine other than nosecco

but there are a lot of really good alcohol free beers eg becks blue

and my absolute favourite is crodino - it’s a delicious alcohol free aperol spritz - has a really grown up, bitter taste rather than being sweet. Just perfect over some ice

Kimya · 21/10/2022 17:32

Soda and lime was my go to, or Becks Blue.

XingMing · 21/10/2022 17:32

The alcohol-free spirits with Fever Tree mixers are drinkable. Wish they had been around when I was pregnant.

Original poster
IMissVino · 21/10/2022 17:33

Namechanger355 · 21/10/2022 17:28

In second pregnancy now and have never found a nice non alcoholic wine other than nosecco

but there are a lot of really good alcohol free beers eg becks blue

and my absolute favourite is crodino - it’s a delicious alcohol free aperol spritz - has a really grown up, bitter taste rather than being sweet. Just perfect over some ice

Just Googled Crodino and it looks delightful!

OP posts:
Nosleepforthismum · 21/10/2022 17:34

Alcohol free beers are good! Get them super cold. Becks blue and Heineken are the most common (but my least favourite tbh). Ginger beer is also decent if you can find a super hot one like Fentimans. However my favourite- and I always get excited when I see it on the menu- is the non alcoholic gin. It’s not the same as just having tonic and I fully recommend if you’ve not tried it.

Sadly though, the non-alcoholic wines are shit and I’d be happy to never be gifted a bottle of bloody Nosecco again!

TheFlis12345 · 21/10/2022 17:39

I read an article recently reviewing a load of alcohol free gins, they concluded that the 0% Tanqueray was the nicest and truest to the flavour of the normal gin.

toastedcat · 21/10/2022 17:46

A glass of wine on a Friday is fine. I'd stick with the real deal. 🤷‍♀️

Sisisimone · 21/10/2022 17:50

If you like gin the best that I've found is CleanCo, its currently on offer at Morrisons for £12. The Tanqueray 0% is quite nice too.

Love the Martini Vibrante with tonic and slso another Aperol type substitute called Strykk.

If you like beer a company called the Big Drop do an amazing citra IPA and you would not know that it wasn't alcoholic. Just gorgeous. All of the major supermarkets and Amazon sell it. Out of the normal lagers the best are Becks Blue. Erdinger and Peroni. Worst tasting ones ive had were San Miguel and Corona.

Sisisimone · 21/10/2022 17:53

toastedcat · 21/10/2022 17:46

A glass of wine on a Friday is fine. I'd stick with the real deal. 🤷‍♀️

Yes this as well. GP told me that 1-2 units, 1-2 times a week was fine. I used to look forward to one glass of red every Friday. There weren't the alternatives available there are now when I had dd though. I don't think I would have bothered if there had been

Vexxa · 21/10/2022 17:54

Non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic gin and tonic.

Non-alcoholic gin doesn't really taste like gin, which is great for me as I don't like gin Smile I found having a nice glass with ice also helped me feel like I was having a "proper" grown up drink.

UncomfortableBadger · 21/10/2022 17:59

Totally understand what you mean about the “ritual” of a crisp, cold glass of white.

There was only one non-alcoholic non-sparkling wine that I could stomach in pregnancy which wasn’t excessively sweet - Leitz Eins Zwei Zero. Had to be mega ice cold though.

www.waitrosecellar.com/wine-type/leitz-eins-zwei-zero-796704

Thomson & Scott Noughty was a palatable fizz alternative at Christmas too.

I also enjoyed Atopia rhubarb and ginger “gin” with a Fever Tree mixer.

UncomfortableBadger · 21/10/2022 18:02

Oh and the best alcoholic beer by FAR is Clausthaler. The original tastes like a genuine craft beer but it also comes in grapefruit and lemon varieties which are fun for the summer. I still drink Clausthaler now and my little one is 3 months old.

Kangaroo1 · 21/10/2022 18:03

FeverTree Mexican Lime Soda has is not sweet at all, but it is fizzy. Really yummy

Iheartmykyndle · 21/10/2022 18:04

IMissVino · 21/10/2022 16:52

I’ve never really been a beer drinker, but I know lots of people rave about alcohol free beers, so maybe it’s time to try. Are they actually alcohol free, though? I read that they contain trace amounts and was frightened off.

I am probably giving strong first time mum paranoia vibes, I know. Sorry.

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Tiny amounts but that was fine for me personally. My fave is Brooklyn Special Effects which is 0.4%. Heineken was alright too

Echobelly · 21/10/2022 18:05

Rock shandy - friend of DH's was off the booze while I was PG with oldest DC and introduced me. 1/2 sparkling or soda water, half lemonade, a few drops of Agostura bitters (NB, bitters are very slightly alcoholic, but it's such a low level and such a tiny amount it's fine). You can get it made at most bars as long as they have the bitters, so it's good for parties and being out with friends.

SweetPeaPods · 21/10/2022 18:05

28 weeks here and enjoying m&s sparkling wine. I've not been able to replicate a lovely NZ sauv blanc but the M&S sparkling ones are very drinkable.
Alcohol free gin has come a long way too, needs an extra shot but not too different.
Alcohol free cider too.

ivebeenaroundawhilehonest · 21/10/2022 18:07

I drank appletise. Not the same but it did the job!

Vikinga · 21/10/2022 18:08

Many years ago but I liked soda and lime. Refreshing and not sweet. Or simply squeezing half a lemon in sparkling water with ice.

Also diet coke or tonic water occasionally.

Vikinga · 21/10/2022 18:08

By the way, if I could rewind, i wouldn't have started drinking again after pregnancy.