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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Should you/would you take communion whilst pregnant?

51 replies

PolytheneGirl · 13/04/2014 22:37

Just that really. I have just found out I'm expecting and I don't know what to do about taking communion in church. Is it ok to take the wine? Or should I only take the bread? Or avoid all together? I'm not ready to out myself just yet. Wwyd?

OP posts:
LineRunner · 13/04/2014 22:39

The wine need not touch your lips, just the cup.

5madthings · 13/04/2014 22:40

Its a tiny sip, so I don't see the problem.

Some churches use non alcoholic wine as well, maybe ask?

But if you don't feel comfortable then you can just take the bread or have a blessing? Do they still do that? When I went to church if you didn't want communion you could go up but keep your head down and they would just touch your head and give you a blessing, prayer instead?

Clobbered · 13/04/2014 22:40

It's such a tiny amount, surely that can do no harm?

Lottiedoubtie · 13/04/2014 22:40

I'd take, a tiny sip will do no harm IMO.

mathanxiety · 13/04/2014 22:43

A sip will do absolutely no harm whatsoever. There's more alcohol in orange juice in all likelihood.

Minions · 13/04/2014 22:44

Hi Poly. The past few churches I've been to serve non alcoholic wine (mainly for those with alcohol dependency issues), it may be that your church is the same. Since becoming pregnant I've dipped my bread in the wine rather than sipped from the cup to avoid germs, colds etc. The amount of 'wine' consumed this way is really minimal so even if it was alcoholic I think it would be ok. Not sure if that's an option where you are, if not no one will notice if you take the cup & just a very tiny sip :)

BlueChampagne · 13/04/2014 22:45

Is it the booze, or the germs you might be exposed to that worry you? Former less of a worry than the latter, but I don't think you need to worry overly about either,

Beanymonster · 13/04/2014 22:49

Our church uses grape juice (it's horrid) but I genuinly don't think I would have even thought about it, is there any reason your maybe overthinking it or just being cautious? Not that there's a problem with either, but it might help your decision..

Original poster
PolytheneGirl · 13/04/2014 22:55

Thanks all. At our church they actually use a fortified wine and add a little water so I'm not too sure how much alcohol would be in it but you're right, it is only a drop. The germs are a concern. The other problem being that our church is currently interregnum (we don't have a vicar) so we have a different vicar taking the service each week. Therefore it's difficult to work anything out. I think I'll just have to see how I feel when I'm there.

OP posts:
MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 13/04/2014 23:00

Children from Nursery age in our school take communion when we have Liturgy during school time (for specific holy days) I don't think it's enough to have any effect whatsoever and is well below the recommended maximum levels for alcohol intake.

AnythingNotEverything · 13/04/2014 23:01

I've never had wine (I'm RC). Is it compulsory in your church?

Dumplings4ever · 13/04/2014 23:09

No problem what so ever.

The absolutely minimal amount of alcohol that you take will cause no problem to your unborn.

Walking down a street breathing in car exhaust fumes will be more toxic.

mathanxiety · 14/04/2014 01:47

Maybe talk your fears about germs and alcohol over with your midwife or GP?

Pinkbell123 · 14/04/2014 02:16

I just let the wine touch my lips but didn't drink any. Wouldnt have made any difference but it triggered my nausea. Cue retching in the churchyard!

ClearlyMoo · 14/04/2014 02:56

Regular church goer here. Secret love of communion since I've been preggo as get the tiniest amount of alcohol (fortified wine here too).

Remember NHS guidelines is half a glass of wine (12-14%) once a week = 0.5 x 125ml glass = 67.5ml. In just a sip you'd be getting 5-15ml of 14-18%ish wine. I'm assuming if you're cautious about this you're unlikely to be drinking much else.

Don't worry about it! It's absolutely fine. As for infection risk, again I think very low. Especially with fortified wine. If worried dip the bread. It's also fine to take the bread and just nod/wave the wine past!

icklekid · 14/04/2014 06:09

I've continued to take bread and wine, no one has said anything and other pregnant ladies at our church have previously. It's a tiny amount and I'm not drinking any alcohol other than that (and know I could!) So can't see a problem. ..

Claudiusminimus · 14/04/2014 06:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FrumiousBandersnatch · 14/04/2014 08:25

Me neither. NHS guidance is not to drink at all, but if you do to have no more than 'one or two units once or twice a week': www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/alcohol-medicines-drugs-pregnant.aspx

PenguinsLoveFishFingers · 14/04/2014 09:11

Of course you can. It's not even a sip is it? It's about a third of the 'sip' you would take if actually drinking.

I thought this question was going to be about the increased likelihood of getting a cold from the germs doing the rounds, not the alcohol content!

Pregnantagain7 · 14/04/2014 09:12

I'm catholic and it's not compulsory at our church and I never had the wine as a child ( no one did iirc) therefor I don't have it now. However if you want to have it have it it's certainly not going to do any harm. I'm not that keen to drink from a cup half the congregation have drunk from I know they wipe it in between but I still struggle with the idea.

Original poster
PolytheneGirl · 14/04/2014 09:20

I'm thinking I may dunk the wafer in future. This should minimise the exposure to germ, right? I wonder if I will be on the receiving end of "that look" when I'm showing if I decide to drink from the chalice!

OP posts:
Ploppy16 · 14/04/2014 09:23

The last time I had communion was while pregnant and like your church it was fortified wine watered down. I had no issue with taking it but the smell also made me retch rather badly. As did the texture of the wafer Blush
The vicar let me sit down in the vestry until I had recovered...
I'm saying this nicely believe me but the germ thing is a none issue IMO. Millions of people share a communion chalice every week all over the world. Unless you go to church with really ill or very unhygienic people it really is not anything to worry about.

BlueEyeshadow · 14/04/2014 09:25

Of course you won't get "looks"! And if you do, it's probably the wrong kind of church. Neither the germs, nor the alcohol aspect ever bothered me in the slightest with either pregnancy.

If it does, it's fine to receive in one kind only, or to have non-alcoholic wine if it's available. Dipping the bread is actually more germy though - hence it being banned during the swine flu panic.

MummyPigsFatTummy · 14/04/2014 09:30

RC here also and never take wine. It is a relatively recent thing for RC churches I think and I can't get over the germ thing. For one thing, they use the same piece of cloth to wipe after each person.

It may be irrational but I can't do it. Maybe in other churches it is more of a long standing tradition though and so harder to avoid? I just walk past.

justmuddlingalongsomehow · 14/04/2014 09:36

How odd - we DID dip during the swine flu epidemic so as to avoid all the lips coming into contact with the wine! Far less germy IMO!

As for the alcohol - really not an issue for such a tiny amount once a week. Your choice as to what you are comfortable with though.

Congrats on your pregnancy! Grin