Alcohol?

[mandbaby]

My 2.5 and 4 year old boys have pushed me to my limits today and I'd love nothing more than to chill with a glass of red wine (however, in case you hadn't guessed from where I've posted this thread, I'm 6 weeks pregnant).

So, my question is how much (if any) do/did you drink while pregnant?

With my first pregnancy, I drank about 2 glasses during the entire pregnancy. Can't remember with the second but I'm sure it was more.

With my dd I had maybe a glass of wine during the entire pregnancy, in already far over that this time at 14w, it's up to you! As long as your not off your face drunk...

First trimester is crucial for growth etc. so I personally wouldn't during first 3 months. In saying that personally I wouldn't and haven't/didn't with dd and this pregnancy.

I am not being judgey as it's each to their own but I loved wine pre pregnancy and I think it's important early on to try to find something else to help you unwind after a stressful day, in 10 weeks now and I'll let you know if I find one

I tried to go though the 1st trimester with out a drink but x mas day fell about a week before it finished and i had to have a glass of wine (it is the law isnt it). Now i have one large glass a week (or the equivalent to the 1-2 units once or twice a week as they recommend) and lots of Becks Blue (0%). i panic over this as well as i do want to do whats best but seriously enjoy my glass of vino.

Personally I have decided not to have any for the first tri. I found Xmas, NY and my birthday very tough! But I feel it was the right decision as there is so much happening at this stage. I've had a few early scans due to bleeding and at 6 weeks there was just a blob and a heart beat. At 7 weeks the sonographer pointed out a sort of moving area on the screen that she said was the beginning of brain function. There is so much happening in those early weeks.

I'm planning to have the odd one later on though. I don't drink vast amounts but I really love the taste of wine and am missing it hugely. My chocolate consumption has risen exponentially to make up for it!

It's a very personal decision though, and I wouldn't condemn anyone for having the odd one.

I had about a quarter of a glass of wine at 11 weeks as it was work Christmas do. A couple over Christmas and tend to stick rigidly to the guidelines which I probably treat more as a target! I wouldn't in the first tri though. My tiny bit at 11 weeks was an exception to mask pregnancy but I felt uncomfortable...

Have found that my favourite bottle of dark ale is exactly 2 units and full of iron too so that's a bonus! I will occasionally have a bit of very weak lager with lots of lemonade which is probably about half a unit in addition to 2 drinks a week but then go a week with nothing. Use your judgement...

I had the odd glass of red wine or half a Guinness (for the iron!) while I was pregnant with both of mine (12-14 yrs ago now). Didn't feel guilty or stress about it. Both are absolutely fine. DD in particular is super-genius.

I always remember a quote from a book I was reading at the time (an Ian McEwan I think) that went something along the lines of 'If drinking during pregnancy was that bad for you, the entire French nation would be one of idiots'. I don't think he's condoning getting absolutely rat-arsed, but I think he has a point...

I personally didn't drink during pregnancy, apart from the odd sip of DPs cider! And the 2 heavy nights out I had before i discovered I was pregnant, oops!!

I think you have to make your own judgements on this

1 unit every so often is fine I think (the rule used to be 1-2 units twice a week? But people couldn't measure a unit so they changed it to zero) but you can't really have enough to have an effect, so pretty pointless from a stress relief point of view.

I didn't actually know I was pregnant for my first trimester so I did drink - although I'm not a big drinker and never got drunk or had a hangover. I did go on holiday though and there were a fair few pool-side cocktails.

Since the day I found out (I'm 32 weeks now) I've had about 3 teeny glasses of red wine, but they've given me heartburn and I've not really enjoyed them.

I'm starting to crave a lovely cold G&T now though. Roll on birth...

I've had those moments after a particularly stressful day when I've had a real craving for a G&T (which is my go-to wind-down drink) but have resisted.

I haven't had a drink so far, I'm sure I will at some point, and I've been relaxed about eating food with alcohol in (boozy Xmas cake for instance).

However I'm keen not to succumb to the 'drink as stress relief' thing. Partly because it's a good opportunity to break that habit, and partly because I don't think it'll help me wind down unless I'm actually feeling the impact of the alcohol, and if I'm feeling the impact of the alcohol I wouldn't be comfortable with how that would affect the baby.

Not to say there is any evidence that feeling a little bit tipsy after a glass of wine would do any damage at all, just I can't see myself being relaxed enough about it to actually enjoy the drink.

i find in the first trimester my body is telling me no. second trimester constant battle with self not to drink (would have couple of glasses a week much to disgust of husband). third trimester - frequently fancy a glass but know it will make me feel sick and the heartburn even worse so rarely bother.

cant wait until this babys out and i can have a few!

I'm pretty certain that your umbilical cord doesn't attach or start working or something until around eights weeks, I may be wrong but google it!
Also I fell pregnant mid December and drank A Lot over the Christmas period before I knew I was pregnant and have a happy healthy DC.
HTH

I'm having a nice glass of white to celebrate starting maternity leave today - I'm 36 weeks though. Didn't really drink early on but honestly don't think half a glass here and there does any harm.

I'm not judging anyone but personally I just dont drink whilst pregnant full stop. I don't see the point of it. I don't intend on drinking for a year after birth either. If you have to ask yourself if its ok to have one then why risk it at all?

Its all down to the individual I guess.

Fetal alcohol syndrome affects babies up till a very early 12 weeks or something like that so better to have no alcohol till you are a bit further in.

Having said that, had a few glasses here and there (ie maybe 2 very small ones at a time, about three times) first time round. Second time round I had a can of mackays stout a couple of times a week.

I think you'll be ok with a glass though.

I can resist a glass of wine but what's got me worried now after reading most of your replies is before I knew I was pregnant, just a few weeks after conception, I drank loads. One evening we had some old friends around for dinner and I bet I drank an entire bottle. The same thing happened before I knew I was pregnant with ds2 - we were on honeymoon in Italy and I drank through the day for 4 days. Again, I bet I was only 2 or 3 weeks pregnant and didn't know.

You have to draw a line under what happened before you knew you were pregnant, nothing you can do to change that!

I wouldn't drink in the first trimester either, I planned not to drink at all and have been pretty judgemental of people who drink during pregnancy in the past (not to any one or anything but had said to my DH, I would NEVER even have one drink while pregnant, not worth it, that sort of thing!) However, by the time I got to 18 weeks I was gagging for a drink, felt more confident in the pregnancy, movements etc so now I have the odd one. Was having probably one a week but had first one of January last night so averaging a lot less

With DD, I didn't find out I was pregnant until 13 weeks. In fact, the first time I got morning sickness was the day after I'd been out on the piss. It was only after a week that I thought "this is a long hangover..." The odd glass isn't going to hurt.

I dont think i had much at all in the first trimester, that was due to the all day morning sickness. Now ive been sticking to the 1-2 units once or twice a week.

Its been my only craving!
Ive fought it though. I've had the odd drink in times of desperation, but never more than a couple of units a week and not in the first tri.
I know it doesn't make drinking right, but at one time, all people drank was alcohol because water was so filthy, and until quite recently, guineas ir stout were advocated by medics for the iron in them.

guiness or...

I didn't drink at all in my first pregnancy but have had a few glasses of red so far with this one, obviously spaced out not all in one night!

I'm planning on a nice glass of a decent red tonight while I chill in the bath and I'm 19 weeks now. I don't feel in the slightest bit guilty!

I have one or two glasses of cava/ Buck's Fizz watered down with lemonade per week. Reckon only 1 unit and is more or less same as I would drink anyway. Had nothing until 13wks just to be sure.

I don't really drink when I'm not pregnant, so i personally wouldn't drink whilst pregnant, I've been on works Christmas do parties and meals out with friends and have not had any, I personally don't see the point. But I don't judge any one who does and I guess all in moderation. Stick to the guidelines