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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Best excuses for not drinking?

14 replies

PervyMuskrat · 01/01/2014 16:16

It's my birthday night out soon and I'll be around 10w pregnant but I need to come up with decent excuses for not drinking. My friends will probably see right through antibiotics and I used high blood pressure as an excuse in my last pregnancy. It's not a complete disaster if people guess but I need to keep it off FB as I don't want colleagues to know just yet.

The night out is meal, gig and then drinks. At the minute, I'm considering
a) Signing up to dry January and telling everyone that's why I'm not drinking or
b) Colluding with DH and trusted friends so that I drink tonic, coke or fake beer all night (I'm usually a beer drinker and usually drink a lot on special occasions like this)

Any ideas for tactics that worked for you? And this is before I start stressing about what to wear to disguise the pot belly

OP posts:

Showy · 01/01/2014 16:19

Just don't say anything. Nurse a drink for a while and then swap it out with your DH or go and get your own drink and don't mention what's in it. Dance, talk, have fun. Nobody will notice you aren't drinking.

If I'm out with friends I spend zero time monitoring their drinks. I do, however, notice when they start drawing attention to reasons they aren't drinking. Particularly when they mention antibiotics.

missmapp · 01/01/2014 16:21

Loads of people stop drinking in January- just say you are having a bit of a detox

Original poster

PervyMuskrat · 01/01/2014 16:24

If I nurse a drink, they will know something is up - I'm not known for my ability to make a pint last My friends are also pretty generous and if your drink is less than half full, another one will appear in front of you.

It won't be a problem at the gig or hopefully afterwards when everyone will be too pissed to notice but the meal beforehand could be tricky

OP posts:

RobinSparkles · 01/01/2014 16:25

I say this on every single thread that comes up about this:

Do B! Seriously, no one will notice. They only notice if you draw attention to it. If someone happens to offer you a drink then ask for your usual and slip it to DH or something.

I had my hen night when I was around 10 weeks. I stuck to non alcoholic cocktails all night and everyone thought that they were alcoholic (or if they didn't noone mentioned anything). My friend offered me a drink but I just said "no thank you my sister's just bought me one".

invicta · 01/01/2014 16:27

Do the Dryathon for Cancer Research.

RobinSparkles · 01/01/2014 16:29

I would just get tonic and pretend that it's a G&T. If anyone asks why you're not having beer say that you've had enough of beer over Christmas and fancied a change.

Disguising pot belly = um, you over indulged over Christmas. Blame the beer!

Congratulations btw!

DumSpiroSperHoHoHo · 01/01/2014 16:34

Unexpected 'night out on the lash' the evening before and still recovering?

That's what my friend used as an excuse one NYE, meanwhile I was on antibiotics and another friend was designated driver.

We had our babies on the 2nd, 5th and 13th September the following year and they are great mates 9 years later !

Congratulations!

Original poster

PervyMuskrat · 01/01/2014 16:44

Thanks for the advice (and the congrats and flowers ) B it is then. My friends know I'm a believer in hair of the dog so I won't get away with the overindulged the night before excuse!

I'm over thinking this now so will go and practice not wincing at the taste of fake beer

OP posts:

MissSlackPants84 · 01/01/2014 18:07

Pretent your doing the dryathalon :-)

SweetPea86 · 01/01/2014 19:17

It's dry January tell them your doing that as your new healthy start to the year.

Or say you've got a migraine and don't fancy drinking.

Harryhart · 01/01/2014 19:23

Dry January seems sensible to me!

I have exactly the same problem, my friends give me the Spanish Inquisition when they see I'm not drinking. It's making me stay in more than usual because I just don't have a reason not to drink and it's Christmas time which I would normally enjoy with plenty of wine!

Harryhart · 01/01/2014 19:25

Dry January seems sensible to me!

AHardDaysWrite · 01/01/2014 19:33

If they're close friends you could say you're not drinking as you're thinking about ttc and want to be in optimal state for a future pregnancy, but you don't want to make a big deal of it - then change the subject quickly. People would be v rude to ask further questions after that!

ElizaB3 · 01/01/2014 22:37

I worried about this too and thought I'd be found out straight away but honestly just don't mention it.

Get there early & order your own tonic/soda/coke - no-one questions whether it has alcohol in it. Then you're drinking out of sync when rounds are being bought (just you or DH buy yours). If anyone catches you ordering a soft drink say you're pacing it or have a headache and need to take a painkiller. The bigger the group the easier it is as no-one sticks to your side all night. I got through Christmas parties and two 30th birthdays doing this.

The one time I met a friend and made a point of saying I wasn't drinking she instantly said "why, are you pregnant?!"

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