When should DP stop drinking in case I go into labour?

[aufaniae]

DP likes to have a drink with dinner / in the evenings. I'm not talking about getting blind drunk, but enough to be over the limit for driving (perhaps 3 or 4 real ales in an evening, or a few glasses of wine with dinner, a few times a week).

He's going to knock it on the head, so he can make sure he's sober enough to drive and stay awake support me through labour when it happens (with DC2) sometime soon.

What point in my pregnancy do you think this should happen?

FWIW DS came exactly on time (but that doesn't necessarily mean DD will does it?!)

DP stopped drinking after a scare at about 28 weeks. He used to have about 3-4 units a night. Then again, he is incredibly adaptable and hasn't even mentioned having a drink once.

Not like me, salivating over the Captain Morgan's adverts with a bottle of champers in my hospital bag

Gosh, we didn't even think about this, - we always had a fair bit of warning, rumblings of the beginnings of labour for a day and a bit so obviously DH didn't drink anything as soon as that started.

I think my DP would probably say around about the time you leave for hospital :-). Usually you're going to have enough warning to sober him up to be ok to drive or get a taxi, and if you don't its probably a blue light job anyway. In labour your screaming in his ear will sober him considerably . I wouldn't worry about this one!

I think we went for a month ahead of due date but then we were uber cautious about most things first time round and dh didn't have any problem with that

Dannilion, nice to "see" you again! I've sent you a PM.

Ooh, champers in the hospital bag, now there's a thought

My DH is going to stop after this weekend and I'm due in 4 weeks. He is having one night out in town but I have a family member on stand by to drive me with the proviso he can meet me at the hospital (which is halfway between home and town). I will be expecting him to keep it to a minimum, can't have him supporting me through labour tipsy! :)

Wow, quite a varied set of responses. Thanks people :)

Last time, I had tested positive for Strep B, so they wanted me in and hooked up to a syntocin drop (ouch!) as soon as my waters broke, and they went before any contractions so I didn't do any labouring at home.

I'm not sure yet whether they'll be treating me as Strep-B positive this time or not (have had conflicting information on this). My midwife should be able to tell me next week I hope.

DP's suggested 10 days before the due date. So is the general consensus that that's fairly reasonable? I was worried it's cutting it a bit fine.

We didn't bother! Nothing happened that fast last time and there's always a taxi.

Could u have compromise and say he cuts down from 3 weeks or so before then stops at 10 days, if that would make you more comfortable?

DP watched his drinking for this reason for about the last month. My labour came on quick at about 1am and we wouldn't have had time for him to sober up so I wouldn't assume you will have the time as you never really know how it will happen until it happens!