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?

I was just giving my opinion too!!
My pregnancy WAS planned but i have to admit, no i wasn't in a good state of mind alot of the time. I was scared it would affect me and dd1, had CHRONIC heartburn constantly (which put me off wine anyway). I didn't really mean that to sound like a justification though as i don't need to justify things i don't think are wrong!

You didn't say don't but you implied that it was wrong.

I find it surreal that there are people out there who actually reproach pregnant women for drinking or smoking, in this country or any other. (I myself was given a VERY stern look& almost a refusalwhen I ordered a glass of red wine in a Spanish restaurant in NYC. I was drinking, on average, one glass of wine every 2 weeks.)

It's no one else's child; no one has to raise it but the "wayward" mother in question; a one-off scolding will have no effect on the chronic binge drinker or 2-pack-a-day smoker. And honest to goodness. . .don't people have better things to do?

I understand that it makes sense to be community-minded. But how a woman treats her bodywith or without a child contained within itsimply isn't anyone's else's business except in certain extreme cases where it makes sense for social services, a doctor or a midwife (not someone off the street) to get involved.

we are all entitled to our opinion. I dont force anyone to agree with me,but if my opinion is asked for then I shouldnt have to appologise for giving it. I do appologise if i upset anyone as this isnt what I intended! Yes it is your body and your baby!

Nothing wrong with drinking in moderation mandy and by that i mean a few units a week at the most.

I personally would never smoke when i'm pregnant (and I am a smoker)but I see women that do and although I don't like to see them do it its there choice at the end of the day.

If we are going to say no drinking then we might as well say no breathing in car exhaust fumes, no eating processed food, no using aerosols, plug in air freshners, no tea, coffee, chocolate in fact no anything thing that may be deemed harmful to ourselves and unborn baby.

ok maybe not chocolate

didn't upset me mandy honest

off to bed now as i'm bloody shattered!!

as I have said it is all personal choice!! lighten up and get off my back!!!! lol!
personally I dont drink whilst pregnant or breastfeeding or driving a car but that is my choice

you have to eat chocolate!! I heard it on the news whilst having my last one!!!!!

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I can't believe people would even consider drinking whilst pregnant - why take any risks?

Surely it is the only time in your life when the needs of your (unborn) child must come first, people who can't restrain themselves for only 9 months out of their whole lives don't deserve children .

carful jo they will shoot you down for saying that!!!

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Why can't I express my opinion? If it doesn't fit in with the masses, am I not allowed to say it?

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Just to clarify: when I said "I find it surreal that people reproach pregnant women for drinking or smoking" I wasn't referring to people expressing anti-drinking opinions on this thread. Opinions are opinions, and I respect them. I was referring specifically to people who go up to pregnant women at restaurants or wherever & say, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" No one's business.

And while there are some scientists who believe that even an iota of alcohol can have deletorious effects on an unborn child, there is mostly no evidence (as Aloha says). And frankly I'm suspicious of this "don't touch a drop" message. It surely indicates that the medical establishment think women are idiots who don't know the difference between having one glass a wine a week versus knocking back a few a day.

Oh my GOD!

I never thought I would see a thread like this on mum's net, forgive me for my naivity since I have only been posting here for a few months but what I have seen on here today has left me in SHOCK .

"It's my body and my baby after all so I can do what I want"

"There is no conclusive reserch showing that a little alcohol harms the BABY"

What do people on here only condemn things that have been condemned by WHO, i.e Guidlines? And follow everything that has not like sheep?

The same people encourage drinking in pregnancy (moderate of course). But will slat you for "EARLY WEANING", FORMULA FEEDING etc.

After all it is your child and your conscious isn't it?

Just my opinion

hear hear Norash

sorry norash i dont understand you post are you saying a little drink is bad?

i think theres nowt wrong with a shandy now and again or a glass of wine now and again.

most people are sensible enough

as long as you're not getting palatic - no probs - better the odd drink than the odd fag imo

starlover - that bloody bat! Haven't fallen for that in an age and a half!

As I said this is just my opinion, it should nor matter really as all the people that do it think they are doing what is best.

I am not criticising merely stating what I think, that's all

can I ask Norash and Jobrown if you think getting in car when pregnant is irresponsible?

Hatstand, are you looking for my mouth?

imho a unit or so a week especially after first trimester isn't going to do any harm. when I was PG the general guidance was that a unit or two a week was fine - think they have got stricter now though.

afaik the nut thing is irrelevant unless there is any strong family history of nut allergy or other allergies (personally am a bit dubious of relevance of asthma/exczema to risk of nut allergy).

erm. I don;t know. Am i?