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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

OK, any mumstobe watched Trevor McD last night and now scared to touch a drop of alcohol ?

65 replies

egypt · 03/10/2006 08:01

It shocked me to see these young mums-to-be binge drinking, but to most people, that's an obvious no no. what was the most worrying was the woman who had drank moderately and had a child with sever fetal alcohol syndrome. and the doc that was advocating no drinking at all.

i didnt drink at all with my dd except a little in the first 2 weeks before i knew i was preg and the odd glass of wine in the last month. i am now 15 wks preg and have had the odd glass of wine on an eve 2-3 times a week. now worried i shouldnt have and don't want to touch another drop!

anyone else see this?

OP posts:
Iklboo · 03/10/2006 13:18

I work with a LOT of doctors, gynae consultants etc. They told me that 1-2 glases of wine PER WEEK would not harm the baby and would help to make me feel more relaxed and less anxious (which they said was worse for baby).
I had the odd glass of wine on social occasions, mixed with soda in a long glass and found that Becks do an alcohol free lager that actually tasted quite nice.
I've noticed that programmes like Trevor Mc, Panorama etc are becoming more & more scaremongery. What next "If a pregnant woman even walks past some alcohol in a supermarket.......?"
Babies (foetuses) become more active when you've had a cup of coffee, had chocolate, exercised, had a fright - anything at all that ups your adrenaline content in the blood.
Having said all that - I certainly wouldn't advocate binge-drinking or having more than 1-2 units of alcohol

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 03/10/2006 13:21

flutterbee, what do you actually base your opinion on?

Why are you so anti alcohol?

flutterbee · 03/10/2006 13:22

Yeah you see the funny thing is my Mum was told when she was first pg that having a few ciggies would be of no harm to the baby. So Dr's can and are wrong.

Also imo anyone who needs alchol to relax or wind down has a drink problem. Again this is just my opinion, but people said the exact same things (and still do) about smoking.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 03/10/2006 13:27

Pregnant women have been ingesting alcohol for centuries in Europe. Whereas with cigarettes, it was relatively new that anyone smoked, let alone women, let alone pregnant women.

Iklboo · 03/10/2006 13:33

"So Dr's can and are wrong."

So - they could be wrong about alcohol being BAD too [devil's advocate emoticon]

Original poster
egypt · 03/10/2006 13:36

excellent article incy.

i dont think that liking to drink a couple of glasses of wine to relax equates an addiction, although respect your belief that it does. its like saying people that go for a run, have a massage, watch tv, eat choc to relax are addicted. its just another 'way' to relax. obv some go to excess and can't live without and that's addiction but not in moderation. anyway, beside the point. sorry

OP posts:
flutterbeehatinghalloween · 03/10/2006 13:36

I'm not hugely anti drinking I am just of the mind that people now place far too much emphasis on drinking to relax. It is a load of rubbish, drink is a depressant and is addictive people seem to forget this.

I used to kid myself when I was smoking and say oh I do it to relax, its the only thing that winds me down properly and I enjoy it.

Surely ANYTHING that is addictive is bad for an unborn child. I'm not saying don't do it as I really don't care if you do, afterall it has no effect on me or my family, I just wish that people would be more realistic and honest and admit, yes I know this could damage my child but I need/want to do it anyway.

Original poster
egypt · 03/10/2006 13:39

are you tee-total flutterbee, just out of interest?

OP posts:
ScareyCaligulaCorday · 03/10/2006 13:39

Hmm not sure anything addictive is bad for unborn child. I'm addicted to Mumsnet and harry potter, wouldn't think they're going to do any damage

Original poster
egypt · 03/10/2006 13:40

yes, not saying alcohol isnt bad for an unborn child, was meaning drinking in general (ie not pregnant) doesnt have to be addictive.

OP posts:
Original poster
egypt · 03/10/2006 13:41

lol SCC

or sex?

although gone off that now

OP posts:
carrotcake · 03/10/2006 13:49

ilkboo, I hadn't thought of that, they probably would jerk around after other things too, coffee, shock etc, all of which is similar to alcohol advice, you know it affects them but in small doses, ha ha, a small dose of shock, maybe I was so shocked at the programme he started jumping around then!
I can't really see how it can be as bad as smoking, surely? In excess/bingeing/ yes, but even a small amount of smoking is harmful in everyone and a small amount of alcohol is not harmful generally to people... again, I think more info/advice is needed about units etc. Lots of people think a large glass is one unit. Who said chocolate, I have some rocky roads in the fridge!! Yum

dyzzidi · 03/10/2006 13:52

I am on the side of caution. When I was pregnant I did not drink at all. I watched programmes on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome when I was in the states and decided even having a couple was too much risk for me.

BUT... It is your body and your baby do with it what you wish. There are many things people do differently this is just one of them

Iklboo · 03/10/2006 13:52

Just curious flutterbee - why you hatin' halloween?

flutterbeehatinghalloween · 03/10/2006 13:53

Pretty much tee total, I am looking forward to having a few drinks at Christmas but that will be the first in over a year {was breast feeding last xmas}. As I say I'm not anti drinking I just wish people would be brave anough to say, yes I know it could do harm but I want/need to do it. No need to make excuses just be adult and make it clear that it is your choice.

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 03/10/2006 13:54

I just think that there is no evidence at all that alcohol is as harmful to a foetus as cigarettes are.

None whatsoever. Nowhere.

flutterbeehatinghalloween · 03/10/2006 13:56

iklboo - I normally love halloween but this year it seems to be everywhere, isles and isles of the bloody stuff in my local supermarket.

Iklboo · 03/10/2006 14:25

I know what you mean flutterbee - it's like this year all gthe supermarkets have gone way way way super-Americano over the top

lucyfercat · 03/10/2006 14:30

The thing i found astonishing was the fact that this is being presented as ground breaking 'journalism' isn't it common sense that if you have a new life inside you, you don't drink?

It was one of the things I was told at my booking in appointments, don't drink, smoke or eat shark meat.

fatfox · 03/10/2006 16:01

Incy - just want to say I love that article you posted.

Didn't see the programme, but both my sister and I had a few glasses during our pregnancies and throughout extended breastfeeding as well and we both have lovely bright children with no hyper-activity etc. I had a very small glass of wine each night when breastfeeding.

I too wonder about the honesty about the "moderate" drinker TBH.
Surely anyone with a modicom if intelligence would realise its dangerous to binge drink whilst PG?

BBWBabeLisa · 03/10/2006 16:11

When pg with DD I bought a case of de-alcoholised wine from a website that was advertised on the Baby Channel lono.co.uk . Although it didn't taste as much like real wine as I had hoped it might, I took it to parties with me and I still felt the warm fuzzy buzz a couple of glasses of wine give me. Obviously purely psychosomatic but it did the trick for me. My usual tipple is JD & Coke, and I found Lono's whisky substitute really hit the spot when mixed with coke!

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 03/10/2006 16:23

What a fab site BBWBabelLisa. Am going to buy some of this stuff from it and see what it's like.

ProfYaffle · 03/10/2006 17:54

It doesn't taste like Eisberg does it? Vile, vile, vile stuff, still feel queasy after trying it about 3 years ago when pg 1st time round.

lazyemma · 03/10/2006 18:40

flutterbee: alcohol is a depressant, yes, but that doesn't mean it literally "depresses" you; as in, a drink will make you unhappy or whatever. The medical definition of a depressant is a "substance that causes sedation and drowsiness". Depressants are used in a medical context to treat tension and anxiety. So, when people say they drink to relax, they're not talking rubbish. That's why alcohol can be so habit-forming.

Monkeychopsmummy · 03/10/2006 19:08

I don't see why giving up alcohol is such a big deal - I didn't drink when pregnant and it didn't bother me - I missed stinky cheese and smoked salmon more than the booze. I had an agreement with DH that he would present me with a platter of forbidden foods and champagne to celebrate after the birth. They don't know what a safe limit is for pregnant women so I choose not to drink.

I was surprised at how the women on the programme seemed to be blaming their GP and midwives for not telling them about the dangers - I was almost shouting at the TV - why don't you buy a book (or read the free NHS one) and take responsibility for your body and your baby!