Tips for concealing early pregnancy?!

[RainDancer]

I've just found out I am 4 weeks pregnant (and am delighted obviously). However, I am going on the annual family get together this Easter weekend and don't want any of my family to know yet. Trouble is, I'm known for loving my wine, so I need some tips for convincing stories to tell about why I can't drink. They know I haven't been ill so the obvious antibiotics cover I think is out! Any ideas?

Feign a stomach bug? Or say you have a hangover. You could well look a bit green and be puking by then.

Most antibiotics can be taken with alcohol so no one actually taking them ever uses that excuse. You may as well just say you're pregnant if you trot that one out.

Agree on the just accept it front and the sip/ditch. I had exactly the same situation over Christmas and new year. Not a single person noticed!

I had my inlaws visit for a week when I was 7 weeks and suffering from morning sickness. It would be very unusual for me to refuse wine, so I accepted. Even at dinner, I would trade glasses with dh and they never noticed. I think refuing would have given them something to think about ( fil was drunk once when he was 18 and mil has never been drunk in her life - so it was not a case of them being drunk and not noticing ) for me it was about being as normal as I could.
No one will notice past the first glass anyway. Have fun and congrats!

Tell them you have cystitis and can't drink because your urethra is on fire. That will stop any further quizzing.

I can understand not telling friends and work colleagues but this us your family - just tell them.

Have an unexpected "hangover" and say you can't face alcohol? Worked for me. Once. The second time I tried it everyone rolled their eyes and congratulated us.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm definitely going to fake it and just pretend I'm drinking. And Boggler - see my last answer to why I'm not telling my family. Not everyone wants to share things so early on when things might go wrong. I'd rather keep it to myself - not for everyone I understand, but then everyone is different.

If you suffer from morning sickness while you're with them then you can pretend its irratable bowel syndrome. My friend hid her sickness for months that way.

Dependant on your acting skills you could play hungover the first day, then the 2nd day you could accept the drink and pretend to get really drunk so you can play hungover again on the following day.
Or get your partner to be really attentive and take charge of getting everyones drinks, that way he could pour you lemonade instead of vodka and vinto instead of red wine, etc etc.

A trick I use to use to stop friends presurising me to drink alcohol (I gave up drinking a few years ago but some friends find it hard to accept) is to rub my drink of choice (usually vodka or rum) around the top of my glass so it would smell or alcohol, but infact be a glass of lemonade.

Also I use to give barmen a good tip if everytime I ordered a drink they made it look like they were putting vodka in my drink. Its amazing how much a barman will act for an extra £1 !!!

Good luck!

I saw a friend make a glass of wine last about 3 hours by topping it up with spritzer every time it got low. I had absolutely no idea that's what she was doing till she told me.

(She wasn't trying to hide that she wasn't drinking, just trying to stay sober!)

Wouldn't work with red though obviously!

Congratulations btw

I stayed with my brother at 4 weeks and we always drink loads, I always give them a case of wine on arrival and do our best to empty it. I kept swapping my glass with DH and nobody notices. They all saw I was drinking less but nobody sussed I wasn't drinking at all.

I also agree that the best way is to accept and swap glasses with your DH. I got through many events this way, including a week-long visit from family and my own wedding. I quite understand not wanting to tell -- I felt the same. Congratulations and good luck with your pregnancy .

I told people I was taking antibiotics for a 'lady' infection - soon stopped them asking why I wasn't drinking!

The pretending you're drinking is a great idea.

I came unstuck when pg with DS2 at a work Christmas do when I said I was on meds for a trapped nerve in my shoulder & said I couldn't remember the name. Someone pulled out their iPhone damn you modern technology and I couldn't keep a straight face. My work colleagues proceeded to buy me huge & utterly delicious virgin cocktails while they got hammered on shots. Pink & blue ones, for my new bubba

Glass swapping is the way to go. I got through my hen night (with the connivance of my best friend) and my wedding this way.

My DH said he was 'drinking for two'. So noble .

I managed to keep my pg a secret for 12 weeks from everyone, including my hen night and a couple of friends staying for the weekend. The main ways I did this were to actually take charge of the drinks. And become a 'cocktail lover'.....me: Right, im making Sex on the Beach, who wants one? go into the kitchen, make alcoholic Sex on the Beach for everyone and a virgin one for you. Be 'on it' when it comes to re-fils....get up and make the next round of drinks in advance of anyone doing it before you.

I also 'nursed' glasses of champagne etc. I did have one or two shandies when out with people

The toilet is a good recepticle for unwanted drinks

I'm a big fan of just accepting a drink and holding it in your hand. People REALLY won't notice that you aren't drinking and you can put it down/pick up a less full one at any given time.

I did this NYE and it worked a treat. Unbenownst to me my best mate was also pregnant and did exactly the same thing - I didn't suspect a thing and I was stone cold sober!!

If you do anything out of the ordinary people will jump to conclusions no matter what your excuse. Smoke and mirrors is the way forward.

Good luck :)

Don't do the antibiotic story. It's like writing a sign that says 'I'm pregnant'! Especially since you are staying with them and won't have any packets to produce. They'll wonder why they never see you taking them.

I'd do a mixture - hold a glass and take a few teeny sips, have a 'vodka and tonic' which you or DH makes (i.e. tonic only), then say 'ooh, that last one was strong, I'll have a soft drink next' and then add in the diet story. That should get you through!

Congratulations.

McQueasy's suggestion of Metronidazole is what I would recommend, once upon a time they gave it to recovering alcoholics to remove the temptation to drink. Foolishly as a student I drank whilst on them for a gum infection and was hideously ill. Plus if you get early MS, you can use it as an excuse saying you accidentally had a little drink!!!