I thought the latest advice on alchohol in pregnancy was nil?

[supersupersupershock]

Though I have seem some threads seeming to say occasional one ok? Anyone.

Not that I fancy a tiny sip of wine. Oh no. Not me

[LittlePeasMummy1]

Here is a leaflet that summarises all of the latest scientific information about drinking in pregnancy. Hope this is interesting/helpful

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Alcohol/

[ladyflower23]

Thank you! It's all the rules about everything and the 'warnings' sends me a bit nuts!

[Gunpowder]

lady it will be fine. Pregnancy makes lots of us irrational and anxious at the best of times. Please try not to worry any more.

[WorkingBling]

Lady flowers, you are fine.

[ladyflower23]

No I have OCD and sometimes I can't get a rational perspective on things. You thinking I was joking I guess means I am being irrational to think that a few swigs of beer could cause damage.

[supersupersupershock]

Thanks all for your posts. I had a read up to and think in first 3 months its a no-no. Thankfully I will just be okay to have a glass with my Christmas meal. In the meantime I got some alchohol free grape type pretend wine stuff and its quite palatable

[Floggingmolly]

Be careful with the everythings formed by now philosophy, mulder. The greatest stage of brain development takes place at around 32 weeks.

[Mintyy]

"I picked up what I thought was a bottle of my Becks Blue last night and took about 5 massive gulps and then realised was my husbands proper beer. Have been really paranoid since then that I have brain damaged my baby as even though it was less than a unit I drank it really fast! Anyone want to reassure me?"

This is a joke, yes?

[Murphy29]

I think guidelines are nil. I didn't touch a drop despite this being the year of the wedding (4 close friends weddings plus hen doos) and I'm glad as DS was a tiny preemie who ended up in SCBU and whilst logically I know the odd drink wouldn't have changed anything I'd hate to look back and wonder if it was anything I'd done.

*disclaimer - had 4mc before DS so more paranoid than most!

[ladyflower23]

I picked up what I thought was a bottle of my Becks Blue last night and took about 5 massive gulps and then realised was my husbands proper beer. Have been really paranoid since then that I have brain damaged my baby as even though it was less than a unit I drank it really fast! Anyone want to reassure me?

[MsDeedles]

I'm nearing the end of my second trimester, and haven't totally given up. Red wine still smells and tastes delicious so I still want a gass. I have cut down to one glass, one or twice a week. Mostly once a week but if have something on might go to two. For the first 14 weeks I used a digital scales and poured 75mls and it was only on Saturday night. Since then I moved up to 100 or 125 mls depending on the wine quality and as I said, might have a second during the week. The quickest I've drank any of those glasses was 90 minutes, with lots of small sips. I'm happy with my consumption.

[JellyBean25]

Thanks for making me laugh FishWithABicycle

[PregnantAndEngaged]

The current NHS advice is no alcohol at all, but I am aware that they do change this advice reasonably often. My midwife said that in the past they did allow some alcohol like a glass of red wine a week or something, but now the advice has gone back to none at all because they still don't know the effects on alcohol on babies.

[LIG1979]

I think also the fact that often it is refered to as 1/2 drinks when most drinks are more than a unit. lots of drinks now have the number of units on the back which helps.

[Iamrandom]

For pp who feel it's patronising to think that people who are pregnant won't know what a unit of alcohol is. It's a fact that most people (pregnant or not) don't have a clue about how many units of alcohol are in drinks. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7399192.stm

[Caterina99]

I'm in the US and obviously official advice says no alcohol (along with all their other ridiculous pregnancy foods that are not allowed) but there is lots of information saying studies have shown that a couple of units a couple of times a week have shown absolutely no harm. the reasoning then to not drink a drop is that "one drink leads to another" which I find very patronizing!

I've had the odd small glass of wine or weak g&t and don't feel guilty at all about it.

[browneyedgirly]

I miss wine. I'm 24 weeks and have had just three glasses of champagne at three weddings (as in just one glass at each!!) in that time. I'll probably have one or two over Christmas but other than that I'm abstaining... Even though I know plenty of women who've drunk within the limits of 1-2 units a week and their babies are completely fine. I also find the advice confusing.

[Guyropes]

zita west say absolutely no alcohol for 1st trimester...

But then she says a lot of things which may be more or less relevant to each expectant mother.

I'm planning to have a drink or 2 over the festive period, but nothing other than that, but then I've lost any taste for it anyhow.

But I'm glad to hear the general consensus is that if I do join in occasionally with my friends it isn't wicked.

[Mulderandskully]

I should say I also didn't drink anything until 18 weeks. It tasted weird until then. Everything is formed now so I'm confident it's fine

[Mintyy]

What FishWithABicycle said.

Think about it and think about it hard: if it were essential to never touch a drop in pregnancy there would be millions, if not billions, of people walking around who had been damaged by their mother drinking a drop of alcohol in pregnancy.

Ime, severe morning sickness helps an awful lot in preventing the drinking of alcohol up to about 30 weeks! After that I would have a couple of small glasses of wine or spritzer at an occasion if I fancied it, probably worked out at 2-4 per week.

That was well within the guidelines when I was pg, not in the dark ages, but just 12-14 years ago.

[Mulderandskully]

Thanks. It's probably ok - 2 125 ml glasses wine and 1/2 lager (on different days not together!)
To be honest I'm not in the slightest concerned, I'll pee it out in a hour.

[sleepdodger]

The thing is, the crucial but is the development stage when you don't even know you're pregnant...
I started off being tee total but 3 months in a want a drink, I'm still not pregnant and so am currently enjoying mulled cider
Dc1 was conceived after an afternoon of drinking and throwing caution to the wind
I'm wondering if my more fit and healthy clean living body doesn't know what to do

[Bondy83]

I've had the odd glass of wine. First Cape and black tower do a skinny version which is only 5.5% and still tastes nice (I've tried the non alcohol wine and it's vile )

[catellington]

Advice is different depending on which official body the advice is from.

Summary is on here with links:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/alcohol-medicines-drugs-pregnant.aspx