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Original poster

did you drink during pregnancy

151 replies

dooley1 · 18/03/2006 18:04

Was chatting to a pregnant friend today and she said the current guidelines are no alcohol at all during pregnancy due to behaviuorial problems further down the line. When I was pregnant 2 years ago the guidelines were 1 or 2 units a week so I regularly had a glass of wine with my evening meal. Ds has no behaviourial problems but my friend seemed quite shocked. So quick Mumsnet poll to see where this evidence came from - if you did the same have your kids experienced any of these behaviourial problmes???

OP posts:
ruty · 20/03/2006 06:59

before i realised i was pregnant [first four weeks] it was Christms and i'd had a few drinks, not a huge amount, but i was very worried when i found out i was pregnant. I haven't touched alcohol since, and ds is now 18 months old - a bit hyper but bright and seems OK generally. Its just put me off alcohol, the shock of finding out i was pregnant in less than ideal conditions.

jenniedwards · 20/03/2006 07:39

im not much of a drinker really but i did have one or two i dont see the problem if you stay at a moderate drink and not get totally drunk

Kabsy · 20/03/2006 07:59

Didn't touch a drop for the first three months, but after that had maybe one or two glasses of wine a week. DD has thus far no probs!! Grin It certainly hasn't stunted her growth. My Mum and MIL told me frquently that they both drank during their pregancies (3 & 2 respectively) and to my knowledge hasn't affected me, my brothers or DH or SIL!! Wink

Obviously over doing it wouldn't be right and I also wouldn't even consider shorts. I did also have the beer substitutes occasionally, and as some one else said Becks is ok, its better as a shandy though.

I did also drink when (not literally Grin) I breastfed DD for 9 months! No probs there either. Also met a slightly older mum during that time who said she drank 2-3 vodka tonics a day whilst breastfeeding! Not sure if I'd go that far but her three kids seemed perfectly ok!
I think all in moderation Grin

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Imafairy · 20/03/2006 08:06

With DS I drank about an average of a unit a week (white wine or lager). With this pg, am probably drinking on average 2 units a week, although I may go for a couple of weeks without, or might have 4 in one week, depending on situation. DS is healthy and happy thus far.
My sister didn't find out she was pg with her kids till she was 12, 14 and 17 weeks gone (don't ask me how!) and she had had a few heavy sessions un-knowingly. No probs there either.

Hulababy · 20/03/2006 08:11

DD is nearly 4. When pregnant with her I drank a small amount of wine and champagne - maybe a maximum of 1-2 units a week but most weeks much less if any at all. In first 4 months I has constant sickness so didn't drink at all (could only just eat!)

pablopatito · 20/03/2006 08:45

"Each year, 0.3 percent of the 700,000 babies born in France - or 2,100 babies - show symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome, according to CAMSP, a medical watchdog association in northern France."
or so it says on www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=10369. Personally, I balance the potential harm from alcohol versus the potential harm from stress - if a couple of glasses a wine a week relax you then the benefits to the baby from being lessed stressed outweigh the harm from alcohol imo. Also, most of the studies on foetal alcohol syndrome seem to me to only study women who have drunk large quantities of alcohol over a long period of time.

littlemisspiggy · 20/03/2006 11:28

With DS1 I didn't touch a drop. This time round I have had about one or two sherry glass size fulls of wine once a week. I have enjoyed them and they make me feel relaxed with my Sunday lunch. I reckon if I'm relaxed baby is relaxed.
I'm not really a big drinker when not pregnant either, probably a glass of wine a day with a meal. Never binge and haven't had spirits for years. Can't be bothered with the hangovers anymore.

NomDePlume · 20/03/2006 11:29

I think i had about 5 units throughout my entire pregnancy, but I wasn't much of a drinker then anyway.

littlemisspiggy · 20/03/2006 11:31

With DS1 I didn't touch a drop. This time round I have had about one or two sherry glass size fulls of wine once a week. I have enjoyed them and they make me feel relaxed with my Sunday lunch. I reckon if I'm relaxed baby is relaxed.
I'm not really a big drinker when not pregnant either, probably a glass of wine a day with a meal. Never binge and haven't had spirits for years. Can't be bothered with the hangovers anymore.

littlemisspiggy · 20/03/2006 11:32

Oops. I am sober honest.

jayjaybaby · 20/03/2006 11:34

i had my first pregnant drink on friday night a bottle of bud and must say felt awful guilty and ive managed to without for 18 weeks dont think i will again

fennel · 20/03/2006 11:51

I drank in moderation through all 3 pregnancies. just pretended I was French, as others have said here.

dds don't have any behavioural problems, yet. Two of them slept through the night from very young - I did wonder whether that was due to drinking while breastfeeding. but controlled trials showed they slept anyway.

Hallgerda · 20/03/2006 12:10

I avoided alcohol completely in all my pregnancies, on the selfish grounds that one glass only was harder for me than complete abstinence.

The advice has clearly changed over the years. When I was pregnant for the first time DH bought a book of advice for fathers that was a little outdated - it encouraged the idea of a shared bottle of wine but sex was a complete no-no.

Enid · 20/03/2006 12:14

I have had a couple of glasses of red wine a week from about 18-30 weeks. Can't really drink it anymore as it gives me horrific heartburn now. (34 weks)

ProfYaffle · 20/03/2006 14:06

When I was pg with dd I had one glass of wine per week (and really, really looked forward to it) but relaxed a bit in the last trimester and had a couple of glasses per week. I'm hoping to be pg again soon and would probably be a bit more relaxed this time round, maybe strict in the first trimester and a couple of glasses per week after that.

I don't think a bit of wine in moderation can do any harm. I think they say to avoid it because doctors can't say for certain what small amounts of alcohol will do because they obviously can't experiment do find out what the safe limit is.

Auntymandy · 20/03/2006 14:32

Not read all the thread and I know the topic hs been covered before. I didnt drink whilst pregnant or breastfeeding. I dont drink much at all now! been pregnant and breastfeeding so much I dont seem to want to drink!!!

motherinferior · 20/03/2006 14:35

I was French in pregnancy, and rather bacchalian while breastfeeding. I loathe being pregnant and a glass of red wine is one of life's great consolations.

fredly · 20/03/2006 14:35

While pg I must have drunk a maximum of 3 glasses of wine. I had NO coffee or tea at all. Never missed it, couldn't stand even the smell.

LucyJones · 20/03/2006 15:11

I've had a couple of glasses a week, some weeks more, some weeks less. I always drink water at the same time ie glass of wine, glass of water etc.

Normsnockers · 20/03/2006 15:40

New years Eve springs to mind, 1 week after conception. I had a a couple of glasses of champagne and a glass of white wine.

I'm not worrying about it though as I haven't touched a drop since as my stomach is unlikely to be able to handle it for some months to some.

MrsDoolittle · 20/03/2006 15:44

Yup!! Only problem was half way through I developed awful heartburn that was irritated by alcohol, particularly red wine.

ruty · 20/03/2006 15:44

i was told by a nurse [when i was worrying incessantly] Normsnockers that before the first four weeks is up is not as bad because the placenta hasn't formed properly. No idea if thats true tho.

motherinferior · 20/03/2006 15:45

Oh, early pregnancy, before you know you're pregnant, er, does that count (d'oh, yes, it's when all the vital organs get formed Blush) In that case, ahem, yes, DD1 was launched on the world in a tide of booze. Which escalated as I tried to drown the suspicion I was up the duff, and culminated in a 37th birthday when I drank half a bottle of champagne in the morning and then did a pregnancy test in the afternoon.

She seems quite unscathed by the experience.

tribpot · 20/03/2006 15:46

I think it's one of those comforting myths that all the booze you drank before you knew you were pregnant somehow doesn't count! Even better if you don't find out you're pregnant at all until 7 1/2 months have elapsed, as happened to a friend of mine.

sandyballs · 20/03/2006 15:52

Jeeeez, they don't know what to do next do they Angry, changing all these guidelines. A small amount of alcohol can't possibly do any damage, it's only the people going out getting bladdered that should be worried.

My midwife said if it relaxes you, then wine in moderation can only be good for the baby, far better than a stressed out, highly strung mum to be.