What are you all doing about drinking? (alcohol)

[wheresmespecs]

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.

countess/sw11 mum - yes, that's what I wonder about FAS -

People always mention it in discussions about drinking during pregnancy, but I really don't know how much a pregnant woman would have to be drinking for that to be a serious risk.

I'm also not clear what the other risks of drinking during pregnancy actually are. I know alcohol is associated with a higher risk of miscarriage during the first trimester, which is why most of us avoid alcohol completely - but I don't know if that means a single unit of alcohol represents a risk, or if it's over 6 units a week, or what.

wheresmespecs - exactly! You don't know, neither does the NHS. If they knew, the advice would be much more specific!

Thanks for reassurance about celebratory G&T :)
I'm due in early December so have been worried that (practically) teetotal state would have to continue over christmas because of BF.

I'm confused about amount that actually poses a risk too. It does seem very arbitrary.
I know a friend who went on holiday to US said that drinking when pregnant is as as smoking. Even a small drink is like just having 'a couple of puffs'! It attracts looks in restaurants.

I decided not to drink at all and haven't had any alcohol since February, now 32 weeks.

Queen the advice my BF councillor gave me is that you should leave it 2 hours per unit before BF.

I don't drink very much at all, (I drink about)20 units in a year!)l, but on one sunny evening with DD on the boob in our Garden I was handed a fab G&T by DH who figured that the best time to have a long cool drink would be straight away as! (I DID finish feeding her though, before I drank it)

I didn't really drink much whilst pregnant, although we got married and I did have one glass of champers on the day and a G&T the night before with my sister, but I didn't enjoy them as I felt too guilty!

i am not drinking a drop. my reasoning is it's only a couple of months.

i don't care if the guidelines say. I had a miscarriage earlier in the year which made me realise how fragile pregnancy is and since nobody can prove 100% it's safe i will not risk it.

the miscarriage made me a bit extreme though as i will also not take paracetamol when i have a headache even if the midwife says it's OK.

I didn't drink at all in the first trimester and I now (am 18 weeks) have a small glass of wine most nights. I did the same with DS1. My sister (a midwife) did the same during her 3 pregnancies and most people I know drink similar amounts. I can make a small glass last all evening and drink a lot of other fluids during the course of the day so it's not particularly concentrated in my system.

In the absence of clear evidence to the contrary, I do not accept that this level of drinking would cause any risk of harm to my baby.

I've had 1 or 2 small glasses of wine (125ml, measured out) a week, when u have fancied it. I've not done this every week and always with food. I love good wine & would rather 1 good glass with my Sunday lunch and water than the alcohol free versions, but I have been measuring it as I am aware from pre pregnancy how easy it can be to underestimate glass size!
I'm 15 weeks and discussed this with my midwife, she said this level of drinking was nothing to worry about. Each to their own I guess!

I'm not drinking either, it's only 9 months, I wouldn't put alcohol in my baby's bottle when it's here so I don't want to pass it on via the placenta.

I know it probably sounds anal to some but it's taken 3 years to conceive and it's too precious to us to take any potential risks.

I never drink anyway so it's easy not to now.

Saying that, when I was still with ex, and before I was sure I was pregnant, he took me to a pub and kept trying to make me drink shot after shot, when I could barely make it through one.

I hate drinking. I hate ex. I hate people who won't accept that no means no.

Rant over - sorry. But I think I would probably still drink a glass of wine occasionally or whatever if I was used to it and liked the taste - I don't think you need to go to extremes.

It's just easy for me not to drink at all, and I'm on call 24/7 with my other kids anyway so makes sense not to - I need to be able to drive in an emergency etc.

Ive drank through the pregnancy...glass of wine,bottle of cider etc.
Not more than 2/3 units in one go n that would only be very now and again with a meal def not every wk or even fortnight...and only after t first trimester (down to sickness really)
There is lots of research that shows light occasional drinking during pregnancy is ok,but of course it has to be ur personal choice.
Im quite relaxed bout it,but then have many midwife/GP friends that share t same thought x

I drink occasionally. I am very careful not to have more than one drink in any given week, and I usually read the back of the bottle (of wine) and weigh it to make sure it is not more than one unit.

E.g. bottle of 13% white said that a 125ml glass contains 1.6 units, so I would weigh out 70g = 70ml. Sometimes I add a little soda water to make it go further.

This is my fourth pregnancy and I did the same in the other pregnancies, and all my pregnancies were fine and children are healthy, which is why I feel comfortable doing the same again.

Someone could decide that drinking half a bottle of wine a night is what works for them. would that just be their business?

That's not really the point I was getting at, I was more referring to you sound like you've put some thought into your decision and are capable of coming to a healthy sensible conclusion. I would seriously hope no one would think that drinking half a bottle or even a glass a night would be the best option for the baby, but then how do you stop someone from doing that if they genuinely believe that's the right thing for them.

Drinking has never been an issue for me and although I do miss the occasional beer I am more than happy to wait until the baby is here to have my next one.

If you want to drink (a reasonable and researched amount) then there is probably little people on mumsnet to change your mind.

In Scotland the MW's take the opinion of they can't tell you what a safe amount to drink is so just don't drink. But I also think it has to do with people not recognising what 1 or 2 units of alcohol actually is.

Have you found anything useful from the thread?

I am having a small glass of wine (strictly 125ml - not the pub 'small' 175ml which is actually quite big!) once or maybe twice a week.

I didn't touch a drop till I was about 18 weeks....I am 28 weeks now, and I have to say in all this nice weather, I have really relished a small drop of cold Rose on a friday evening after work. I always have a large glass of water at the same time. I am sure that heavy drinking can cause problems for the baby, but a very diluted glass of something nice is, I am sure, fine.

It's interesting to consider that the Dept of Health's advice is currently not to drink at all during pregnancy (a political decision), whereas the guidance from NICE is that there's no evidence that 1 unit once or twice a week does any harm (an evidence-based decision). I am going with the boffins on this, not the politicos.

I am 24 weeks and having about two or sometimes three small (125 ml) glases of red wine a week, with my dinner. Didn't drink at all in first trimester because I just didn't feel like it, but do feel like it now! Did the same in first pregnancy, and LO is fine.

I was paranoid about everything for the first 12 weeks but at 24 weeks am a bit more relaxed about it all, particularly after feeling like there wasn't much substantial evidence behind much of the advice.

For example, if you're worried about alcohol, read some Danish research stating that moderate drinking (that's 8 units) doesn't do any harm to the fetus. Read it on: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18506174.

The NHS website has an interesting interpretation of the research which is worth reading. Read it at: www.nhs.uk/news/2012/06june/Pages/daily-drinking-pregnancy-risk-not-safe.aspx It basically said that any more then 9 units a week, your baby risks a lower IQ score.

But if you're going to worry about alcohol, don't drink! It's not worth the anxiety and if in doubt ask your midwife/doctor. I'm of the opinion that a relaxed mother who takes on sensible advice and who eats / drinks healthily = happy baby!

No alcohol for 9 months here. No big deal either. Just not fussed about it. That's not to say I'm not looking forward to the odd cider once baby is born

I feel pretty relaxed about it, since finding out I was pregnant (am 15+3) I have had one small glass of champagne which I had to celebrate how well our 12 week scan went. I was out with OH and had it with a big meal.
I have promised myself that the next alconholic drink I can have (again it will be just the one) will be after 20 week scan if all is well.
I am just going to do what I feel comfortable with, will not say i'll not drink at all but at the end of the pregnancy I will probably be able to count the number of drinks i've had on one hand. If I want a drink i'll have one but so far haven't really felt like it! After a stressful day at work I still get the "I could murder a glass of wine" feeling but it quickly passes. Each to their own!

I stopped drinking bout 3 months before we started trying to get pregnant so don't drink being pregnant as would have seemed a bit daft to reverse it lol.
I'm not convinced about the whole BFing alcohol link to be honest, and the "pump and dump" thing. I wouldn't advocate going and getting smashed then feeding the baby but not necessarily from an alcohol breastmilk kind of think but more in the fact that you might not be able to handle your baby properly. My 30th birthday is 10 days after this baby (my third) is due, no one is going to make me feel bad for having a few drinks whilst my hubby stays sober lol

After doing a bit of research on FASD, it's not clear how much alcohol it takes to cause damage, to I would rather remove the risk altogether and haven't touched a drop since getting my BFP (Now 27wks). Plus it gives me something to look forward to at Christmas!!!

For the first 5 weeks of pregnancy before I felt horrendous I had a bottle or two of low alcohol cider (0.5 units) spread across the week (say one on a Thursday one on a Saturday). Since the 'all day every day sickness' started (refuse to call it morning sickness as it refuses to stop in the morning!) I've not felt like drinking anything let alone alcohol. But if I did feel better I think I'd have the 3 low alcohol ciders left in the fridge over an extended period of time & then only have a sip or whatever when out. If you can live without it you may as well stay off it (IMHO) but if you want a taste of it then have a few sips to quell the craving. Often you don't have to have the whole glass to get the taste craving out of your system so try for as little as you can I would say.

I didn't drink in the first trimester and since could count on one hand the amount of drinks I've had because everything seems to give me horrific heartburn. I've basically drank water for 9 months. I am really looking forward to a glass of white wine, but since I've not drank for so long it'll probably make me tipsy!

I think a couple of units a week is a non issue, I have a friend who's a Midwife and she didn't go teetotal.

I waited 3 years for dd1 and decided it was more stressful not to drink anything during that time, so I cut right back, and when we finally conceived I went for 2 small (125ml) glasses of wine a week. I often don't drink that much but if I fancy something I have it.

Tbh by 20 weeks I've not felt like wine so its mostly the occasional half. I'm now 30 weeks with dc2 and have been more chilled out about it this time as dd1 was fine.

However, everyone has to find a sensible place which works for them. I can understand those who abstain but only if they don't moan about it ;)

I'm not, the NHS advice is to avoid if possible so that's what I'm doing. I figure I'll have a nice pint when the baby's born. I had issues with slight alcohol dependency in the past so I figure if I can't take 9 months off for my child I'm in a bad place. That's just me.

I'm not drinking at all. The reason is not that I necessarily think it is a problem, but that I had two MCs before this pregnancy and in the event that somehting goes wrong this time (hopefully not as have reached 32 weeks now!) I don't want there to be anything I can use to beat myself up about.