Won't be 12 weeks at Christmas

[Bobkins]

I have just found out that I am pregnant and my first scan will be in January. I am just wondering if anyone has any hints and tips on getting through the next few weeks from a not drinking point of view, I don't want everyone to guess but I am usually a big wine drinker. Can anyone offer any advise ?

Say you're on antibiotics. Would be very common for this time of year!

Any idea what believable condition I could have to be on antibiotics ?

oh i would tell people! it'll be a lovely christmassy surprise :-D

sorry, that's not very helpful is it?

Any bacterial infection could cause you to be on antibiotics. Something like a UTI isn't visible to others - if you say chest infection and look ok that would be less convincing.

Infected wisdom tooth? I spent 3 weeks on antibiotics due to that.

I'm in the same predicament, but I'm going to drive everywhere instead, and planning on telling our parents over Christmas.

Roll on 12 weeks!

UTI

Excuses just lead to raised eyebrows. You have to become very good at lingering over a drink. You can have a glass of wine no problem so just always have it in your hand. When out at bars have drinks like tonic water or order a mocktail, nobody need know there isn't any vodka/gin with your mixer.

Thanks, I think I'll be going with the last response though. I was also thinking a couple of times I may be able to get away with a heavy night before so not feeling like drinking much !!
I would love to tell everyone now but I would like to be confident everything is OK first.
Thanks everyone x

Enlist the help of one trusted friend / DH at parties, they can "hold your drink" for you when you go to the loo and take nice big swigs from it for you

As long as you are driving one / no drink is perfectly plausible!

If you don't drive then oj / coke / tonic etc in a small glass looks like vodka-and.

You'll be fine! Congratulations

Gum infection as the antibotics they give you called Metronidazole as will make you very sick if you drink alcohol with them!!

info

?Important: Do not drink alcohol while you are being treated with metronidazole and for 48 hours after finishing the course

.Metronidazole is used for infections caused by anaerobic bacteria or micro-organisms called protozoa. It works by killing the bacteria or protozoa.

Anaerobic bacteria cause infections in areas of the body such as the gums, pelvic cavity, gut and bones because they do not need oxygen to grow and multiply. Metronidazole can also be used to prevent infection following gynaecological surgery and surgery on the intestines.

congrats as well x.

"I'm on antibiotics" is always a dead giveaway someone is pregnant! Ok if you don't mind but just want to avoid a direct question, less so if you really want to keep it quiet. There are also actually very few antibiotics where you can't drink at all (according to my GP friend).

If you really want to keep it quiet I think you need a portfolio approach. Some driving. Some 'Oooh, I had a heavy night last night, I'll just have one" (followed by wandering around the party with a drink you don't touch), some "ooh, yes please, vodka and tonic for me" (followed by your DH/DP/friend in the know going to the bar and just getting tonic).

I was on Metronidazole with a bad tooth infection and abscess. I don't think it's a dead give away at all if you say that you've got a tooth infection and you're on these: I was told by my dentist not to go near alcohol on them, as they make you VOMIT quite severely. I was on them for a week.

Mind you, you might find that in three weeks you're more confident even if you haven't had a scan and would be ready to tell some people even if it's just to rejoice quietly and do some collective crossing of fingers. See how you go. And Congratulations.

oh and btw you couldn't tell I had anything wrong with me when I was on them.

Nah the antibiotics thing is a dead giveaway and you have to be a good liar. No need to make a point of saying you're not drinking - at other people's houses just have a glass of wine in your hand, at your own home people tend not to notice because you're the one topping everyone else up. The only real problem is restaurants when it's really obvious who'd drinking and who's not and then you can just say you're driving.

If it were me, though, especially if Christmas meant famlly, I'd probably just spill the beans and say it's early days so you don't want to tell anyone else.

I had them the prescribed the day before my birthday and the dentist told me the same as you Cosmo and I thought yeh,yeh.Then upon collecting the the pharmacy hold me the same and was very graphic as to what would happen if I had even a whiff of alcohol!!

i'm in similar situation now and was same 3yr ago when PG with DD. I told close family and friends and then just wandered round with a glass at other dos and drank none. Have told close mates and family again this time - I puke so much there's no way I can stay over anywhere without it being blindingly obvious. I'm also having an early scan next week (at 9+ weeks which will help me be a little more chilled about it not being a total secret. I think the waiting til 12 weeks thing is fine if you are great at secrets and never vomit, for me it is necessry for others to know so I don't die of exhaustion and vomiting (telling close colleagues this week as really not coping at work)

I went to my dads wedding when about 8 weeks, I drank wine and soda, had a small wine, loads of soda and nursed it all night, just adding more soda every now and again. Also did loads of dancing, great excuse to drink LOADS of water!

I've just been telling everybody that I got sooooo wasted last night/week/whatever that I can't stand the thought of booze. Add I'm a description of where and how badly you vomited and nobody will question it in case you go into too much detail!

*in obv, not I'm, friggin iPhone!

Thank you very much for all the advise. It will make the next few weeks much easier. Plus, decided to tell my parents which will make things much easier. X

I did my work Christmas do last year while 8 weeks pregnant after a MMC, so I told no one. It's amazing how drunk people really don't notice how much you're drinking, honestly! I nursed the same glass of red all night and I'm usually a absolutely colossal quite healthy boozer. Plus most people drank a fair bit of water with the meal to prep themselves for caning the free bar all night, so no one batted an eyelid when I didn't have loads of wine at the table. Hope that helps you feel a bit more confident. I reckon making the usual antibiotics excuse just draws attention to things.

BTW, I didn't even tell my family over Christmas and they never noticed me not drinking either. People can be pretty unobservant, even those who know you best!

I went for pints of lager shandy which were 1/4 weakest lager and rest lemonade. You can have a few of those no problem plus is quite nice to feel like you're having a few drinks. Where possible, it's quite nice for one person who you're out with to know, as they can help distract attention if anyone does ask you awkward questions!

I'm in the same boat; going out for work xmas do next week just before returning from maternity leave with DS1 and desperate for colleagues not to know that DC2 already on the way!!

A glass of fizzy water with a slice of lemon in it looks like a convincing long G&T.

Or over ebbing how completely wasted you were the night before that you're taking it easy tonight also works. Or saying that you and DH are taking turns driving over the festive period.

Good luck, it's a pain having to hide it but understandable. If others are drinking, they really won't notice asuch as you think they will!!

Good luck

Ebbing = egging!