Drinking in pregnancy

Fourfurrymonsters · 16/09/2025 11:49

I think the UK as a whole has a very unhealthy, chronic, endemic issue with alcohol which few people are willing to admit.

Allswellthatendswelll · 16/09/2025 11:53

They shouldn't have been pressuring you to drink but you shouldn't be judgemental about other women having the odd drink. The NHS guidance is very black and white but the actual research is alot more nuanced. I personally had a small glass of something at events about 3 times during my last pregnancy and obviously the baby was fine.

PollyBell · 16/09/2025 11:59

I dont habe a drinking problem so just stopped when I found out, I find it odd when I hear 'i have to drink or come up with some dramatic back story or people will think something is up' is am not that obsessed with what o drink or what other people drink or not, i would be seriously worried if my drinking problem was that bad

Shortdaysalready · 16/09/2025 12:00

I think during the whole of my pregnancy I had one glass of babyscham and I was wracked with guilt and worry about it. So it really wasn't worth the angst.

I do think over the years there have been mixed messages about drinking in pregnancy. I think the only safe message is the only safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy is NONE. Because people have such varied views on what is a safe amount of alcohol.

You only have to read MN to know that a really worrying amount of posters regard getting drunk and binge drinking as normal behaviour. How can people who normalise drink in that way judge what is a safe amount during pregnancy?
I'm always reminded of Georgie Best, when he knew alcohol was killing him, thinking it was normal to drink white wine for breakfast because he regarded it as fruit juice

DashboardConfession · 16/09/2025 12:03

I don't judge myself but I just found it easier not to, same as if I were driving home after an event. I still drink Heineken 0% sometimes, 7 years later!

Bumbers · 16/09/2025 12:13

Try actually reading the information regarding the risks. Heavy drinking is definitely bad, but there is no evidence of occasional glass having any impact. Try reading Emily Oster for some actual data and statistics.

SJM1988 · 16/09/2025 12:16

I had one glass of prosecco at a wedding when I was 39 weeks pregnant. I don't feel guilty about it - I made a personal decision. I didn't and don't have a drink problem and regularly go long periods without drinking (pregnancy, trying for babies, diet, weight loss etc)
I don't judge others though. Everyone is entitled to make their own decision about what they do and don't do in pregnant. Some people do have a problem with drink so need support with that.
The NHS line is there is no known safe amount to drink as obviously who is going to do a case study on that!

FrenchandSaunders · 16/09/2025 12:16

My kids are mid 20s now and the advice when I was pregnant was one or two small glasses once or twice a week.

I believe the guidance has changed because a lot of people aren't able to judge how little this means ... so it's easier to have a blanket ban which everyone understands.

BauhausOfEliott · 16/09/2025 12:29

It's vanishingly unlikely that having a small glass of wine at a wedding or something while pregnant will do any harm whatsoever to your baby. The advice is to completely abstain simply because it's hard to determine a precise limit, and also people tend to exceed limits given to them, so it's easier to tell pregnant women not to drink at all.

Obviously nobody should be pressuring you to drink, but I don't think you should be judging other women for having one drink on a couple of occasions during pregnancy because that amount of alcohol simply will not cause any harm to their baby. When my mum was pregnant with me and my two siblings, she was anaemic and told by doctors to drink a bottle of Guinness every day for the extra iron. Clearly that wouldn't be the advice now and I'm not suggesting it's a good idea! But ultimately, the pregnant women who did take that advice did not produce a generation of babies with a high rate of birth defects.

Setting pregnancy aside - think of it like telling people not to smoke. Obviously, cigarettes are bad for you. They're addictive and cause a multitude of diseases,. However, clearly nobody - literally nobody - gets lung cancer from smoking five cigarettes in a lifetime. That doesn't mean we should give people a 'safe' limit for smoking - but it also doesn't mean that someone who smoked five cigarettes 20 years ago will suffer even the slightest long-term effect from that. Alcohol in pregnancy is a similar principle.

Sunnyscribe · 16/09/2025 12:38

I would have found this incredibly boring and annoying.

I feel like this is the kind of thing where people want to drink to make them feel better about their own choice to drink.

You see it not just if you're pregnant but people who are teetotal get it as well.

Radiatorvalves · 16/09/2025 12:41

Like a PP when I was pregnant the advice was different. I had a glass of wine maybe once a week. I was and am still happy with my decisions. My kids are bright and sporty and are now at good universities.

No one should ever pressure anyone to drink. But I do think people can be a bit too judgmental about those who have or have had a glass. That said I am judgmental about smoking…. Mum died at 55 and the smallest whiff of smoke starts me coughing.

Hellogoodbyehowdoyoudo · 16/09/2025 12:41

Zero alcohol intake from me whilst pregnant.

And I'm certainly not teetotal otherwise. Happily drink a bottle of wine on the weekends. Just didn't bother me not having any whilst pregnant.

MyHealthyMission · 16/09/2025 12:42

The UK is a nation of alcoholics. People will disagree because they don’t want to admit it.

traintolalaland · 16/09/2025 12:43

When I was pregnant I was torn between having a glass of wine so I asked on here what people thought and almost everyone said they’d had a drink so I went for it and it was fine.
I think it’s a personal choice and you should do what you want but also respect others who make a different choice.

FuzzyWolf · 16/09/2025 12:43

YABU. The majority of adults are capable of making an informed decision about what to do with their bodies.

It also perhaps says more about the people you surround yourself with if you felt you were being endlessly asked about having a drink. In all of my pregnancies a simple “‘no” if asked sufficed and was the end of the matter.

Thechaseison71 · 16/09/2025 12:45

Overitmum · 16/09/2025 11:45

Going to start by making it clear I didn’t drink. I was at a family event over the weekend and kept having people ask me do I miss drinking since I’m 6 months pregnant, or I got the I bet you can’t wait for a good drink comments. I was never a big drinker before so it’s not bothering me at all. There was another mum to be at this party and she was drinking a glass of wine so it made people ask me did I want one to even sip over. I just kept repeating I was happy enough with my orange juice then I had people admit they would have had a sneaky drink when they were expecting. Aibu to think you can not drink during pregnancy. It’s got me thinking how many women actually have a drink when pregnant but think it’s fine because they are not getting drunk, it honestly shocked me the amount of women who openly admitted at this party to having a drink when pregnant. Surly in this day and age with all the information we have on the dangers of drinking when pregnant it would make you think twice.

It's really not a big deal. Over zealous uk rules. I doubt many other countries are so neurotic about the occasional glass of wine. Its a fairly recent thing in the UK. When I was pregnant with mine it was said that a couple of units a week was fine ( although I personally went tight off alcohol when preh)

But on here you will get loads of pearl clutching neurotics suggesting if unable have one sip then the baby will get foetal alcohol syndrome

PicaK · 16/09/2025 12:45

The alcohol passes over to the baby.
It has an effect however small/miniscule.

For most people this doesn't show up as something they can point to when baby is born.
For those who abuse alcohol the baby has fasd. Which is utterly fucking miserable.

I did drink about 3 glasses of wine in the later stage of pregnancy cos I thought it would have no effect. If I could go back in time I wouldn't touch a drop.

It's your choice but do it in the full knowledge it passes through to the baby.

Wreckinball · 16/09/2025 12:50

A small amount is fine I think. I didn’t drink for some time afterwards and the pressure from people was awful. They couldn’t understand I’d made that choice and thought I must be ill. Or pregnant again. I think giving up makes the people around you nervous so they throw it back at you, as if you have a fault - agree there is a still a strong drink culture and heartfelt sympathy to those with a problem as no one would force you to smoke but giving up alcohol seems frowned upon

Thechaseison71 · 16/09/2025 12:53

PicaK · 16/09/2025 12:45

The alcohol passes over to the baby.
It has an effect however small/miniscule.

For most people this doesn't show up as something they can point to when baby is born.
For those who abuse alcohol the baby has fasd. Which is utterly fucking miserable.

I did drink about 3 glasses of wine in the later stage of pregnancy cos I thought it would have no effect. If I could go back in time I wouldn't touch a drop.

It's your choice but do it in the full knowledge it passes through to the baby.

What affect did it actually have then?

Complet · 16/09/2025 12:54

I think life as pregnant woman and mother would be a lot easier if people did what they were happy with during pregnancy and raising their children and spent less time judging others.

Don’t want a sip of wine, don’t have one. Want to combo-feed, crack on. Want to rear face in the car until they are 21, go for it.

You can only control what you do, ignore what other people say, and don’t make comment on what other people choose to do.

ginasevern · 16/09/2025 12:55

I was pregnant in the late 1970's and although that probably sounds prehistoric to most posters here, drinking (as in regularly) when pregnant was very much frowned upon. But nobody was too bothered if you had the odd glass of wine. I guess I probably had about 3 glasses of wine over the course of my pregnancy.

CharlotteCChapel · 16/09/2025 12:57

When i was pregnant there were no guidelines an alcohol. I had bleeding during my second pregnancy and needed clearance to fly. On hearing i was going to Dublin the doctor told me a couple of pints a day would be good for my iron level.

5foot5 · 16/09/2025 13:02

FrenchandSaunders · 16/09/2025 12:16

My kids are mid 20s now and the advice when I was pregnant was one or two small glasses once or twice a week.

I believe the guidance has changed because a lot of people aren't able to judge how little this means ... so it's easier to have a blanket ban which everyone understands.

My DC nearly 30 and, yes, it was acknowledged then that a very small amount was not harmful. I disagree about the blanket ban being easier because some people are unable to understand simple guidance.

I drank nothing at all first trimester, then maybe one or two small glasses of wine per week after that. Needless to say, perfectly healthy baby.

Amba1998 · 16/09/2025 13:02

I was pregnant during lockdown last time so didn’t see anyone but this time I was shocked at how much pressure was put on me including at a wedding when someone said they didn’t like the white wine on the table so I sniffed their glass and she was like oh go on try it. Why would I even bother given that you are saying it wasn’t nice wine?! It felt like sabotage frankly

I enjoy a wine and did when my baby was about 4 weeks old but jeez it’s not hard to stop for the goodness of your baby!

Maray1967 · 16/09/2025 13:15

FrenchandSaunders · 16/09/2025 12:16

My kids are mid 20s now and the advice when I was pregnant was one or two small glasses once or twice a week.

I believe the guidance has changed because a lot of people aren't able to judge how little this means ... so it's easier to have a blanket ban which everyone understands.

This is what I was told - DS1 is 25.

So women my age received guidance that one or two small glasses a week was fine, and I never had more than that.

I don’t think I know anyone whose DC are the same ages as mine who stopped drinking alcohol completely.