to think that if I choose not to drink whilst pregnant people should just leave me to it!?!?

[AngelaCarleen]

Grrrr!!! I'm visiting my in-laws and they're giving me a really hard time about not drinking. Sorry should have said I'm 20 weeks pregnant.

I don't make a big deal about not drinking, or sit here going on about what I'm sacrificing for the sake of my baby, I just don't drink. I don't have anything against people who do drink, but I choose not to do it myself.

Both my MIL and FIL (and SIL and BIL) roll their eyes at me and say that it's a wonder we're not all dead as MIL and SIL both drank when they were pregnant and their kids are fine. I'm not critisising their choices, but why do they have to critisise mine?

I'm biting my tongue at the mo, but its hard work.

I would say to them...

"It didn't do your children any harm?"
Raise eyebrow.
"Really?...Really?"

And then smile and walk away.

NB I drank a bit during pregnancy but I still hate this "oh go on have a drink...just one, just one...you will you will you will" culture. No wonder we have a problem in this country.

I love the cat jumpimg in the oven and the rabbit running up the chimney!!

Oh dear. Wipes eyes...

or 'not your children....' (said in the right tone of voice to imply you mean them instead)

I know, I go that too, it drove me MENTAL. At Christmas I had half a glass of champers as my due date was only 3 weeks away and anyone would have thought that I'd done something mirculous bu having a drink by the reaction I got.

How about you go to a rave a drop some E too, then they might be happy?!?

I knew I wasn't being oversensitive!

Not visiting again til DH is home, I seem to be able to be a lot more confrontational when he is there so I may try some of the paddying suggestions then.

Katisha the cat did once jump on the hob (blistered his toes, poor wee thing) and stick his head in a candle, so the excuses aren't that far off .

Having had to give up drink as I could see a pattern of alcoholism starting, i am constantly explaining to others why I don't drink. It just doesn't seem socially acceptable not to drink, whether or not you are pregnant.
But I never heard anybody criticise a pregnant woman for not drinking and I'm sorry but I think your ILs are despicable!

i thought it was only my inlaws that were alcohol pushers! christ ive never drank much, never will so why when im huge fat sweaty and getting heartburn when i look at food would i down some alcohol, argh, everyones a critic even when we do 'the right thing' i had one sip of a cocktail, literally a sip when pregnant with ds, and everyone was so excited, oh do you want one so on, NO i just tried it, im happy with my j2o!

Nah, YANBU. Perhaps you should show them some info about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome next time they start on you?

A lot of people are like this anyway now - you know, you go out with a group and even if you are driving it's still a case of "well you can at least have one" (WTF??)

Eviledna, that would just make them worse. I doubt any baby has got foetal alcohol syndrome from the occasional glass of wine. The relatives would laugh at the OP.