what do you think of pregnant women drinking?

[babyonboard]

Just wondering, as we went out for a sunday roast this weekend, and I had a pint of lager shandy (it was a really hot day and it was lovely out in the pub garden)
I have generally been having a shandy or a white wine spritzer almost every weekend since I found out I was pregnant, and do not ssee the harm in it myself,
I did however get a lot of disgusted stares from various women sitting near us.
i am very proud that i stopped smoking the day I took the test, and though it has been hell i have not succumbed since, even though dp is still smoking as normal so the temptation is always there
I do not see the problem in treating myself to an occasional drink, and don't believe I should be wrapped up in cotton wool for the whole 9 months.
what are your thoughts?

starlover - you got me! If that was mine, people would say 'oh he looks just like his dad'.

Terrible confession time: this pg I've : drunk red wine and beer; eaten peanuts, brie and prawns (not huge amounts but still...)

I was paranoid with my first, as we had fertility treatment, and I so I did everything by the book and had nothing. Lapsed a bit with my second, as you do!
Have no problem with pregnant women having the odd glass of something, but seeing a pregnant woman smoke makes me despair.

pregnancy is a very short time and the only time you are the person who is soey responsible for your baby so I dont think its a big ask to make a few sacrifices!!

It's no-one's business but the woman's.

The pregnancy police usually speak from a pretty uninformed view anyway.

Pregnancy is a very short time? Really? Gosh, mine lasted nine months!

and what is nine months out of a lifetime?

if you choose to have a baby surely you take on the responsibility of giving it your best!?

Yes, I am only a mere vessel, a container. Heaven forfend I should continue to be a person as well.
There is no evidence whatosever that the odd drink in pregnancy causes harm.
Nor nuts, come to that.

Having the odd glass of wine or beer isn't not giving it your best.

I had, on average, about 1 or 2 drinks a week during my pregnancy. Well, since month 4 anyway. Before that I was sick daily and wouldn't have been able to face it anyway.

I did use it as an excuse when going out to indulge though. I would have a noce glass of champagne; justification is that my one drink was much cheaper than the total cost of everyone else's night of drinks.

I am not saying dont drink at all..if you feel you need to. You by all means make the choice! It is YOUR baby after all!

I'm with Aloha (always am on this topic).
FWIW Mandy, i beleive that a little bit of light releif at times in pregnancy is good for the mother and MUST be good for the baby. I'm talking about the woman's state of mind, not the actual alcohol.

sorry for having an opinion!!! As I said if you feel you cant give up a drink then dont. and if the pregnancy was planned are you not in a good state of mind?

I thought the official advice was one or two drinks once or twice a week is fine.

BabyonBoard - big congrats on stopping smoking. That requires major willpower - well done.

You seem to be getting a lot of unsolicited advice from total PITA strangers - I suspect this is coz you are (or look) quite young. Tell yourself this is the reason anyway. If you are old and haggard like me you get left in peace!!!!

an opinion is fine - it's what I and others read as judgemental holier-than-thou stuff that gets my goat, such as the implication that people who have the odd glass of wine are not good mothers.
Did you take folic acid every day for three months before conceiving? Vitamins in pregnancy? Choline for brain development? Probiotics to reduce the risk of allergies? Fish oils for brain and eye development? Above the RDA of vitamin C every day? Vitamin D supplements? Plenty of calcium? Exactly the right balance of protein and carbohydrate? Did you take regular aerobic exercise? Meditate? Sleep at least eight hours a night?
Are you sure you were doing your 'best' for your child?
We are people not just baby containers, and no, oddly enough the mere thought of being pregnant was not enough to make me ecstatically happy every single minute of every single day for nine long months. There is, and I'll say this again, no evidence that the odd glass of wine harms babies. Daily bottles of gin, yes, the odd glass of wine, no.

when pg with ds i had a more lemonade than larger shandy about 3 times..so far as yet while pg with this time i havent had anything. It is personal choice and i suppose it depends if u are abig drinker before..i never was and neither is dh so it isnt a problem to go without.

I dont see any harm drinking if you only have the recomended amount or less i wouldnt but then again i dont drink alcahol at all. But women who drink over the limit when pg, and women who also smoke i have no time for it makes me angry that there child has no choice but to do the same.

I may be back peddling here! dont want to upset anyone!! If cutting out is causing stress then it isnt good, but I do think in moderation or not at all. and 9 months isnt really that long!!!

aloha I assume all that was aimed at me!!!
again I will say I did not say DONT.

damn you babyonboard. I really fancy a pint of lager shandy after reading your post. And I haven't got any lager, lemonade or anything remotely similar. not fair.

maybe i am odd as I enjoyed my pregnancies!! Yes I got tired and afed up at times but on the whole it was a fantastic time!

I'm all for moderation, of course I am. Nobody half-sensible would advocate that pregnant women get drunk or be totally reckless. I think it is important not to smoke though I do appreciate it can be very hard to stop. I have researched this though and from everything I have read and from the experts I have spoken to, there is no evidence of risk in a couple of glasses of wine a week.
BTW I have never noticed anyone giving me funny looks for drinking. My problem was stopping people (friends) plying me with unwanted drinks! I must have very wicked friends

am I forgiven?!!!!! I am not holier than though. But I hate to see pregnant women knocking them back!!!!!

I've never seen that myself, I have to say.
I would find it upsetting to see a pregnant woman get drunk though. So I agree with you there.