Excuses for not drinking (before 12 week scan)

[CrazyThursday]

I'm supposed to be going for drinks with two friends next week. I'll be 6 weeks then and just cannot fathom out how I can get away with not drinking!

They won't believe me if I say I'm on a health kick, or antibiotics. They know me too well

DD has been susceptible to 24hr vomming bugs do I could say that and just not go but we've had these drinks in the diary for ages (all busy mummies now!!) so I'd feel bad letting them down (and the superstitious side of me would hate to use DD in a lie).

I could tell them I suppose. Prob is we aren't planning to tell family until Xmas day when I'll be 10 weeks and DH is still getting his head around it (ie we were only just talking about ttc). Last te it was nice to have a little secret just us for the whole of the first 12 weeks. One of the friends I've got a few things planned socially with over Xmas so it might be good to have her know do I've got an ally (and she's bound to guess when I'm not drinking at all these things.....)

Didn't have this issue last time around as we were living abroad!!!

There's only one antibiotic that you can't drink on, you could say you are on that? Or that you are driving/have something on the following day (so can only have the one), good idea about having one and then switching to non-alcoholic that look alcoholic drink (virgin cocktails are good!), have a water infection (early pregnancy I used the same and due to needing the loo all the time it was convincing!).

Whatever you do, have a good time!

I did this. I went to the bar on my own and had 'gin' and tonics without the gin, plus various cocktails without the booze. Drink slower so you can say you don't need a drink when it's the next round. Or get yourself another drink plus a bottle for the others on your way back from the loo.

Congrats too btw!!

I am 5 weeks pregnant too. Was visiting my DB and SIL yesterday. My DSis and BIL were also there.

I turned down a glass of champagne and now apparently they all know I'm pregnant .

No advice OP - I think they'll guess the truth no matter what excuse you come up with!

I had this dilemma with my second child, I had arranged to go out for cocktails for my birthday, then found out I was expecting 2 weeks before. I knew they all knew I'd been trying, and so would guess the minute they saw I was not drinking and I was right. I thought I may aswell drive, and offered to pick one friend up, the minute she heard that I was driving she knew straight away. It didn't help that I had a bottle of wine and vodka as presents, and I was sat there drinking diet coke, so I thought seeing as they all probably know anyway I'll just come clean - but I emphasised that it was very early days and they were not to tell anyone.

I couldn't think of a way out of it so didn't. If they are good friends they will a) probably guess and b) keep it confidential until you go public.

If you really, really don't want them to know then I suggest you cancel going out.

I always think lies work best if they are the closest to the truth you can do.

I think the best idea is to say that you are TTC and so have given up alcohol. Don't even need to go into details about being late - they'll only ask loads of follow up questions. Keep it dead simply - TTC so given up entirely or not drinking in the second half of your cycle. Perfectly believable, simply sets a timescale for a pregnancy in the next six months or so.

Antibiotics is like a big flashing neon "I am pregnant" sign. It's just that most people are too polite to put you on the spot. I've known loads of people were pregnant from 'antibiotics' lies, and I just never let on I know that they are lying.

I understand how difficult it is. It depends how understanding you think they will be. If their first question will be "are you pregnant?" Then go for the kidney infection/antibiotics excuse. Otherwise just say you're having a night off, that is allowed after all!

Don't be pressurised to tell people before you are ready, a few white lies won't hurt.

I recently got away with the driving excuse for not drinking. However my friends clearly suspected after I was being so selective of what I could eat! Good luck x

Nothing has been said as yet this week re "so what's the plan for Friday night then?"

I'm keeping v quiet praying they've forgotten or can't be arsed so will keep schtum all week too and it will just pass in a Oh Blimey We Forgot type of way

Hangover from hell excuse - between the nausea from morning sickness, intentionally not putting on a lot of make up so I looked a bit rough, and having already "mentioned" a few days before that I was going out the night before (I wasn't) then I got away with it no problem!

I found it incredibly hard to pull this one off in a party when the drinks are brought to you rather than you choosing what you want. So I had a glass of wine I pretended to be drinking but fed to husband instead when no-one looked, and moved onto carrying a can of beer around for the rest of the night.... Frustrating....

Have you decided what to say yet crazy?

I've got the same thing next week - think I'm just going to tell them. If I use any excuses they will know (and a couple of the more mouthy ones would probably ask!)

I'm going to drive, tell them i am pregnant but that's it's still early so don't want to celebrate it yet.

I've been drinking 'vodka' and cranberry.. nobody has suspected a thing. Just make sure you are not in a round!

I've found it v stressful though to be honest, so nearly all of my friends have known since 8/9 weeks. The lying is just too hard. but on work nite out and stuff i've been drinking cranberry.

Urinary tract infection is a good one. You can tell you have this or just hint at it and say it's a bit embarrassing to talk about. Nobody will ask any questions.
Or just order non-alcoholic drinks that look like vodka with something and nobody will figure out. I once organised a party (and my parties are ALWAYS quite boozy) and pretended to be drinking shots all night (I wasn't). I was so convincing that a couple of people even commented on how drunk I was :-)

Christmas and new years is going to be impossible isn't it! (I will be 8 weeks at Christmas)... although I do have a plan... I am just going to say I don't want to drink to much as we are trying for babies and don't want to go over board with booze etc just incase, this will then change the conversation into "oh cool trying for babies that's nice"... then swap any GnT's that has been given to me with just a Tonic as people have suggested above (thanks guys)? That may work right? I think my best friend will have to know though she will see straight through that :)

Good Luck xxx

So I'm going to wimp out and say DDs got a tummy bug. I feel dreadful saying something like that and hope I don't jinx it... But am pooped by 8pm and feeling queasy and have nothing nice to wear so an going to be a Blow Out .

Roll on second trimester when we can tell everyone and hopefully the MS will ease off.

Last time I did this I bought a spritzer and nursed it. Nobody noticed that I wasn't drinking at the same rate, and then I was out of sync so could get my own in, buying the odd round so mine could be pretend alcohol!

So I didn't go and because of that the other two nearly called it off which I felt dreadful about and made the promise to still go out which they did in the end...

When I tell them our news I will offer to buy them dinner