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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

What are you all doing about drinking? (alcohol)

98 replies

wheresmespecs · 08/09/2012 15:55

And what's your reasoning? This is just curiosity really.

I didn't drink at all during the first 3 months and thereafter limited myself to 2 units a week. This was because that seemed to be inside the (confusing and ridiculously 'open to interpretation to mean whatever you want') NHS guidelines, and because it was what a close friend had done during her recent pregnancy. Which isn't exactly scientific, obvs.

I am pregnant again, it's v early days (still in 1st trimester) and wondering if I will do any differently this time round. And if I did, what I would be basing my decisions on.

So what is everyone else doing and why? TIA.

OP posts:
weeblueberry · 08/09/2012 16:02

I'm just not drinking at all. I'm still very early days (only approx 5 weeks I think) but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Alcohol isn't that important to me anyway - it's not going to bother me giving it up. I'd rather completely abstain than, God forbid if something did happen, spend the next few months wondering if it was something I did.

Now coffee on the other hand - that's going to be a toughie lol.

SpottyTeacakes · 08/09/2012 16:06

I'm not drinking anything (currently 24 weeks). I'm not a big drinker anyway, probably 'get drunk' once every few months and wouldn't drink other than that. Am diabetic and even one small glass can effect sugar levels which is bad for baby.

I've never looked at any other advice as the whole diabetes thing is enough to make me not drink!

InchyInchy · 08/09/2012 16:09

I'm the same as Weeblueberry I haven't been drinking since I found out I was pregnant, but then again I was never a big drinker anyway and I don't miss it. Especially this summer since up here in Scotland we haven't had that much nice weather to sit outside and drink a cold beer.

It sounds like you've given it a lot of thought and everyone has to find something that works for them.

MyDaydream · 08/09/2012 16:09

I've been drinking when I fancy it, works out to nothing really but if I want a bottle of beer with a take away or a half on a hot day I have it. I'm 25 weeks and could probably count all the drinks on one hand. I reason I was never a big drinker before pregnancy, and the occasional drink isn't hurting anyone. Im probably going to share a cider in the pub with DP later, because it's cider in the beer garden weather!

peanutMD · 08/09/2012 16:09

Didn't drink at ask with DS and not drinking again this time.

Here in Scotland the guidelines have changed to zero units in pregnancy Anne I agree with them. Personally I dont understand why people take the chance its only 9 months!

SpottyTeacakes · 08/09/2012 16:17

now MyDaydream I would love a nice strawberry cider right now Envy

MyDaydream · 08/09/2012 16:36

I don't see my drinking as a risk since I don't go over the limit ever and don't do it as a regular thing . I imagine if anything had shown as wrong at the scans, or becomes wrong in the next few months it'll be out of my control rather down to the quarter bottle of Cobra I had last month. We all weigh up the risks differently though, but with the regularity all the guidelines change I've kinda stuck my fingers up at them and gone my own way of a little bit of what I fancy.

TheCountessOlenska · 08/09/2012 16:44

Same as MyDaydream Smile

I've heard people say on here that they are worried they won't be able to stop at one - I reckon if you have trouble stopping at one, you really need to look at your non-pregnancy drinking habits!!

A small glass of red with a nice meal, or a half in the beer garden - part of a varied diet imo!

Original poster
wheresmespecs · 08/09/2012 16:46

Inchy, I haven't given it a lot of thought, that's kind of the point!

I was a big drinker before I got pregnant, and interestingly, when pregnant, I faced a lot more pressure to ignore guidelines and drink than I faced pressure to abstain. I think that's because a lot of people I know do drink a lot and like to see themselves as being quite anti-authoritarian.

And yes, people do have to find 'something that works for them'....

But I wonder what that actually means for drinking in pregancy. Someone could decide that drinking half a bottle of wine a night is what works for them. would that just be their business?

Very interesting that Scotland is advising zero throughout pregancy now, I didn't know that.

OP posts:
Lora1982 · 08/09/2012 17:23

im 23 weeks and didnt drink at all till a wedding last week i had a wine and a champagne thats all. ive not really missed
it and im usually a vodka through n through girl

Lora1982 · 08/09/2012 17:24

people who do drink excessively though will cause problems for the baby. my mums currently fostering a baby whos mum drank as much as poss

Rowanhart · 08/09/2012 17:27

Having the odd glass of sparkly or red. My attitude is not get stressed and go with the flow.

peanutMD · 08/09/2012 17:32

I didn't know either, it was my midwife who told me at my booking appointment.

I think I'd have trouble stopping at one but then I fully admit that I am a classic binge drinker on the fortnightly nights out I have.

But then who has more of an issue the person who admits they would have problems with limitations so doesn't touch any
OR
The person who can't even avoid one drink because of the weather/situation/nice meal?

As long as it is serious moderation I'm sure it us fine but as someone who has worked with FAS sufferers its just not something I'd do.

Disclaimer: I realise that FAS is an extreme scenario but I've seen to much to ignore

elvislives2012 · 08/09/2012 17:32

I didn't drink at all until I hit about 30 weeks PG. Now 35 weeks and have had a couple of beers or glasses of wine. As things have progressed and the pregnancy appears to be progressing well, I've become more confident and feel a little bit could help more than hinder.

Original poster
wheresmespecs · 08/09/2012 17:40

So those of you who are drinking a bit - do you think you are staying under 2 units a week? Would you be able to say in units how much you drink per week?

(disclaimer - I don't think 'a glass of wine' as a measurement means much at all - it could be 1 unit, it could be over 3, depending on strength of wine and size of glass)

OP posts:
TheCountessOlenska · 08/09/2012 17:43

I'm drinking less than 2 units a week - more like 2 units a month. I know what 1 unit of wine is and it's patronising of the Government to change advice based on women not understanding what a unit is.

Rowanhart · 08/09/2012 17:46

I'm in holiday at the moment in Spain and had a tinto con lemon (red wine with lemonade over lots of ice) or a glass of sparkly every day.

So probs around 7 units over last week.

I order with a bottle of water and sip over a couple of hours with water. It's how much alcohol is in blood stream which affects baby.

In Spain and people have reacted much more to be ordering a coffee. Apparently that's the big thing here. A glass of wine with dinner is not frowned on but a cup of coffee is!

Secondsop · 08/09/2012 17:49

I'm not drinking any booze, because it's just easier for me to avoid it entirely than to try to remember how many units I've had that week. And for me personally, the comfort in not taking the risk outweighs the enjoyment i'd get from the odd drink.

Original poster
wheresmespecs · 08/09/2012 17:52

I don't know, Countess - I know lots of people, male and female, who are clueless about how many units is in what they drink.

I don't think that's a problem just for pregnancy, I think it's a huge problem for drinking in the UK in general.

I'm fairly good on how many units are in what, but only because I've made the effort to find out.

There have been plenty of threads on here in the past (not in Pregnancy, elsewhere) where women have been very militant about the fact that a half a bottle of wine a day (i.e a couple of glasses every night), or more, is totally fine, on the grounds that it's just what a lot of people do.

Even though that's going to be over 30 units a week. Which is over all guideline limits. Of course that doesn't matter if one thinks the guidelines are nonsense! which a lot of people do.

OP posts:
Queenofsiburbia · 08/09/2012 18:00

Had half a glass of champagne on the night I told DH he was going to be a father.
Then occasional sip in 1st trimester (mainly so people didn't guess I was pregnant) before slipping glass to DH to polish off.

Since then I have had odd half / 2 thirds of a glass of wine or bubbly. Once a week or fortnight maybe?

Avoided spirits as its so hard to guess a small measure. Also i can kid myself with a tonic & lots of ice & lemon. Kind of.

Looking forward to a stiff G&T in a few months Grin

What does everyone do about breast feeding & alcohol? please don't say my G&T will have to wait even longer

sw11mumofone · 08/09/2012 18:01

I didn't drink at all for the first 12 weeks and since then I tend to have a glass of wine on a friday and saturday and possibly one in the week. I don't actually ever feel like a second. I did that in my first pregnancy and it seemed to be ok. My doctor told me that in her 35 years of being a doctor she had only ever seen one case of fetal alcohol syndrome and that was due to a mother drinking more than a bottle of vodka a day. My ivf clinic were far more concerned with caffeine and cigarettes than they were with alcohol.

TheCountessOlenska · 08/09/2012 18:03

I would say that the people on here who say half a bottle a night is fine are aware of guidelines - because other people on here tell them! They have just decided that the guidelines are fairly arbitrary and can be dismissed.

The pregnancy guidelines are also arbitrary because no one knows how much alcohol can cause FAS.

TheCountessOlenska · 08/09/2012 18:04

Queen - I breastfed for 2 years and first thing I did when back from hospital was have a G&T!

Original poster
wheresmespecs · 08/09/2012 18:08

queen, if it's any help, I drank about 4 units a week when I was breastfeeding - sometimes less - in the form of 2 smallish glasses of red wine.

I found I was actually too knackered to want to drink anymore, tbh.

I figured that as women who are alcoholics are still advised to bf, as the benefits outweigh the potential negatives, that must be ok as a level. Also the advice to express milk before you drink and then dump milk you express after drinking (advice on some website I read, can't remember which one) seemed like it was more likely to put a spanner in the works re supply and demand than 2 units of alcohol.

having looked the NHS scotland's advice, they are very down on drinking during Bf-ing, and advise abstaining then too....

OP posts:
Callipygian · 08/09/2012 18:11

I don't drink that much anyway so I'm just cutting it out. I will probably allow myself a glass of champagne at Christmas though when the baby is less bean-like.

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