Drinking in pregnancy

[Overitmum]

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.

The ‘no known amount is safe’ is because it’s unethical to run studies on pregnant women and unborn babies.

There is lots of evidence to show sustained and binge drinking can cause FASD. There aren’t any studies showing that one drink can cause it - if it did, half the population would have it.

If you think its ok to have one or two drinks now n again during your or anyone elses pregnancy, and you think its worth the risk, thats up to you.

Im just saying ive seen the results and I dont think it is worth the risk .. 🤷‍♀️

Yeah this really.

I don’t drink at all btw and think life and the world in general is better without alcohol but I think the risk of an occasional small drink in pregnancy is overblown

Brits have got a totally fucked up attitude to drinking. They are a nation of lushes. The amount of mental gymnastics people do to justify drinking during pregnancy is crazy.

There is no safe level of alcohol consumption at all, really. Even outside of pregnancy, guidelines are for “lower risk “, not “zero risk” drinking. But one half glass of Prosecco realistically is not going to cause FASD

You claim to have seen the results… but FASD isn’t caused by someone having one or two drinks in pregnancy.

As I said, the extent of my drinking in pregnancy was a champagne at a couple of weddings - I just object to the scientific illiteracy of telling women they’ll cause FASD if they have one or two alcoholic drinks over the course of a pregnancy.

The nhs link doesn’t give limits and private clinics will tell you anything a private doctor says neither of which are accurate facts

I had an occasional small glass (sherry glass or shot glass) of wine intermittently through my second trimesters because I like the taste. I don't drink to get drunk. I don't drink coffee or tea. I've never smoked or taken drugs. Quite frankly in the first half of pregnancy, I could barely even eat food thanks to the bone wearying nausea.

Having spent 4 months longing to vomit for a temporary relief, then segueing seamlessly into incapacitating SPD that eventually had me near housebound in constant burning pain, forgoing a few sips of something pleasant every few weeks was a step too far in loss of pleasure in the physically deeply unpleasant year (x2) of pregnancy and postnatal healing phases. Then there was the nearly 3 years of breastfeeding...
(oh and the months of not driving because I couldn't fit behind the steering wheel/ was recovering from surgery/ birth injuries)

I'm a light drinker and was happy with my ability to stop after a few mouthfuls. I can go weeks without drinking. I wouldn't do something like Dry January because there's nothing to prove. I can go that length of time without thinking about it anyway.

The advice was slightly more relaxed then and previous generations haven't been full of FAS from mums drinking Guiness recommended for iron in older generations.

The advice has been made blunt and overly simplistic because many people don't understand what a unit is and mistake a large glass for one when it's 2 or 3, and think they're drinking lightly when they're half a bottle through. It's also not ethical to thoroughly research a "safe" threshold.
That doesn't mean that small, occasional amounts are definitely harmful, or that anyone who misses the taste on a few occasions has an alcohol problem.

TBH, I probably put my babies at higher risk by driving between months 6-8 with my bump rubbing the steering wheel and getting the seat as far back as I could reach and see to fit in the car. Month 9, I couldn't fit anyway (and was trapped in the house unless someone else could drive me door to door)

But they were (luckily) adopted. How can you possibly know what their mother was drinking or taking during pregnancy?

This is a website called 'bumps' would you accept this as 'true'
https://share.google/VeY0E7sc12VxXTRUY

The NHS link doesn't give limits no, but it advises that 'no' alcohol is the better approach.

I can't even react to your 'private doctor comment lol .. they will tell you anything.. 🤷‍♀️ i give up lol

You realise it will be documented in their adoption file, yes?

Even on that website it says that studies showing a low amount of alchohol 1-2, 1-2 times a week aka the previous NHS limits didn’t show any adverse effects.

I get thst there’s a better safe than sorry approach, Ive slso heard women of child bearing age shouldn’t drink at all just in case. It’s abit infantilising.

The guidance I was pregnant was that a small amount was okay. In fact, I remember going to the doctor when I found out that I was pregnant very concerned that I had not known that I was pregnant (it was a surprise pregnancy) and had therefore been out drinking every weekend for the first 4-5 weeks. The GP said not to worry, this is how most babies are conceived!

I stopped drinking when I found out, but was often pressured by family to have “just one glass” if we were out for dinner.

One or two glasses is not causing FAS. Even the FAS orgs are clear about that.

I believe that the current advice is that there's no safe amount of alcohol to drink when pregnant. I wouldn't give any amount of alcohol to a baby so I'm certainly not giving it to a developing foetus.

I know someone who did drink in pregnancy and is of the view that the guidance is only there because most people can't drink a small amount and a blanket ban is easier. But her children have significant issues - maybe they are completely unrelated to her drinking in pregnancy, but I personally wouldn't want to have that doubt.

I used to work with children with learning disabilities, and having seen the effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome would judge anyone that drinks in pregnancy.

For me personally I wouldn't be able to enjoy a glass of wine knowing the potential effects it could have so I'd rather just not drink. I wouldn't judge other pregnant women for having the occasional glass at a special occasion though, it's up to them what they do.

I'd be more annoyed about people constantly asking if you miss alcohol, either you're fine not drinking it so you don't care anyway or you do miss it and them bringing it up isn't going to help.

I would judge someone who drank a lot but is there no nuance? The odd alchoholic drink will not cause FAS. If you were go down the rabbit hole of possible harm then arguably just sbout everything is dangerous. Drinking bottled water is risky, it can contain microplastics that build up in the testes reducing quantity and quality of sperm which is a risk factor for ASD.

I think it’s really important that peope are able to consider the risks of harm and apply them to their situation.

My first pregnancy wasn't planned. I had a weekend away with friends when I consumed alcohol with all our meals not even knowing I was pregnant.
You'll be pleased to know my son has a Masters degree and a very successful career 🙂
The 'no alcohol' guidance in pregnancy is just another way that authorities use the lowest common denominator to issue advice on the basis that they think we're all stupid

I definitely drink more than I should but as soon as I was pregnant with both wasn't interested in drinking at all. Not sure if it was something biological or me just knowing you don't do anything that can potentially harm your baby 🤷🏻‍♂️

When I was pregnant, the rule was that you could have the occasional drink. I went to a wedding when I was 20 weeks, and was really craving a glass of champagne. However, I had one sip and it tasted like gone off cider! I only had a tiny sip but spent the rest of the night vomiting. guess my body was telling me that it was poison. Same with any sort of seafood, to the extent that I would feel sick if my partner ate any sort of fish or shellfish.

No source given for this, or references, and you’re adding this to a discussion that’s been pretty data-driven? Where’s the critical thinking at its most basic level?

I also choose not to have a drink in pregnancy so that’s not my motivation here, but “it’s on this graphic I found on social media so it must be true” is… problematic these days.

Thats so strange!! I was completely the opposite, I practically lived on seafood and fish during pregnancy! Despite taking all my vitamins and eating a pretty healthy diet, I thought it was my body telling me to top up with omega 3 and all the other good vitamins and minerals in it. Although in the early stages of pregnancy, all I wanted was beige carbs (crappy white toast, white rice, etc), so goodness know what it was trying to tell me then as that was just pure carby crap!!

Of course .. its social media, no proof!

Websites that ADVICE no amount is safe, again social media. No proof!

I added it to the discussion as people were coming at me saying one or two rounds of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. I was here to say the ADVICE is NOT to drink any amount.

I was mearly asking... why risk it?
For 1 drink? I would rather not take the risk ... but each to their own

I'm not judging anyone, but I'm being blamed for scaremongering when all ive done is stated what the advice is.

Silly me!

Ahh but talking about what might affect the quality of sperm would involve guilting men. And we can’t have that.