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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Drinking?

81 replies

MissTwister · 12/04/2015 12:39

I was just wondering if people are having the odd alcoholic drink in pregnancy? I had the very odd small glass of wine early in 2nd trimester but haven't for a while....toying with the idea of a glass on holiday though!

OP posts:
Thatsmyboys · 12/04/2015 17:35

Absolutely. Friday and Saturday nights. 3rd baby and did exactly the same with the other 2. HTH

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 12/04/2015 17:36

No I can never stop at one glass so there's no point

Strokethefurrywall · 12/04/2015 17:42

I did with both - only beer with the first as went off wine, only wine with the second as I went off beer.

UnsolvedMystery · 12/04/2015 18:07

I had a very occasional small drink. Probably less than a unit maybe 2 or 3 times.

I just don't believe that that quantity could have any affect at all.

ChatEnOeuf · 12/04/2015 18:39

None in first trimester (once aware), or until sickness subsided - so 14 and 16 weeks respectively.

Some, always within RCOG guidance since - 1-2 units once or twice a week not shown to be harmful. Same with both pregnancies. I'm a lot more discerning when only having one glass so the wine quality has been top notch :)

alittleegglayonaleaf · 12/04/2015 18:43

Zero alcohol during pregnancy here - why would you

Feckeggblue · 12/04/2015 18:44

Because it's enjoyable? Also, yummy

Skiptonlass · 12/04/2015 19:00

I've not had any, and I won't be having any, but that's my choice.

I honestly don't think one unit, drunk slowly, with food, every now and again, is dangerous. The problem is that virtually no drink you'd get out in a restaurant or bar would be one unit. One unit of wine is about 80mls. A 250ml glass is three units.

The best data we have says that on a population level, one or two units every now and again isn't harmful. However, we all process alcohol differently so you'd never know if you were one of those people who don't process it well.

I thought I'd really miss an evening glass of wine but I haven't at all...

alittleegglayonaleaf · 12/04/2015 19:04

Each to their own really

fififolle · 12/04/2015 19:07

One of my earliest pregnancy symptoms is wine tasting like vinegar. The most I can manage is a sniff of DH's red wine!

plonkie · 12/04/2015 19:08

Yes. No more than one glass of wine or beer, no more than twice a week and mostly alot less. The evidence not only suggests but is strongly supportive of occasional drinking causing no damage to the unborn baby. This is after hours and hours of trawling the Internet for info. There's a lot of scaremongering out there, and a lot of ill informed advice. Frankly I find it patronising. I would not have even one drink if I felt it could cause harm. And I can have one drink and stop. Fair enough if you don't want to drink, that's great. But I loved a drink before the pregnancy and I look forward to the occasional tipple. And there is proof that it doesn't hurt.

hazelnutlatte · 12/04/2015 19:23

Yes - I had none in the first trimester (not difficult as I felt so sick anyway.) Then had champagne on Christmas Day, and have had an occasional small glass of wine since then - prob about 1 drink a month.

eurochick · 12/04/2015 19:28

I'm no longer pregnant, but I had a few glasses once I was past the first tri. Probably about 7 or 8 in total and never more than 2 in one night. I read the research and I am comfortable with my decision. There is a lot of hysteria around drinking in pregnancy. I was more bothered about air pollution tbh (from walking to work in central London, surrounded by buses coughing out fumes).

Superexcited · 12/04/2015 19:37

I haven't had any alcohol since finding out I was pregnant. The advice just isn't concrete enough for me to assure me that it is safe. In many developed countries the advice is that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy and that pregnant women shouldn't drink. The advice from the NHS is far more confusing and doesn't confirm whether there is a level which is considered safe.
I bloody love a glass of wine but I'm sticking with appetiser whilst pregnant.
Each to their own.

Superexcited · 12/04/2015 19:37

^appletiser.

DimpleHands · 12/04/2015 19:58

I drank a little bit in my first pregnancy - maybe a couple of glasses of wine a week after the first trimester. DS was born a good size and on his due date and generally healthy BUT... he has autism. I'm not saying the alcohol caused it - I don't think there is any evidence of a link between autism and alcohol in pregnancy. But it (along with many other things - was it the caffeine, was it because I was stressed, was it aspartame in the Diet Coke I had every day?) does play on my mind nonetheless. I am pregnant again and doing everything 100% by the rule book this time. If something is wrong with my baby, I want to have a clear conscience that I know it was absolutely nothing that I did wrong in pregnancy.

Cornberry · 12/04/2015 22:03

I've decided it's just not worth it. Very small sacrifice. May interest you to know that in most countries the advice is to abstain completely. Even if you don't 100% believe the info in that ITV documentary it's just not a risk that's worth taking. One thing is for sure - baby isn't getting anything good from it. And that documentary wasn't in the least bit misogynistic. What utter bollocks.

60sname · 12/04/2015 22:13

No - for me there's no point without the nice warm glow, which would obviously be too much. This from someone who's neverbeen a huge drinker, rarely drank at home etc.

60sname · 12/04/2015 22:14

I don't, however, have much time for those who foam at the mouth wrt people having the odd glass...

applecore0317 · 12/04/2015 22:24

feckeggblue as I said, its personal choice and for me it doesn't sit comfortably. Plus I haven't missed alcohol, especially not the hangovers lol Smile

MuddyWellyNelly · 12/04/2015 22:53

In the first tri, I had one glass of wine. Very small, (less than a 125ml glass) on Christmas Day, sipped it over 2-3 hours.

Coming towards end of second tri now. I've had maybe 6/7 glasses in that time. Again the thing that I believe makes the biggest difference is the rate at which you drink it. So if I'm having a glass of red, I make sure it's a bloody nice one, and sip it over a whole evening. For example yesterday I was at a very big social occasion and had decided I'd have a drink. However the wine was a very average House, I was poured a glass, tasted it, and decided I wasn't wasting my treat on it!

To my mind, 6 glasses of wine taken within a 10 week period is considerably below anything I'd worry about. But I'm basically using this time to stockpile decent wine for when I really really need it.

Fattycow · 12/04/2015 22:54

No. They have proven the effects of alcohol on the brains of teens and adult. So I cannot imagine it not being harmful for an unborn baby. If you drink, you get a hangover as you've basically poisoned yourself and your body dislikes that a lot: you end up feeling horrible and sick. So the idea of doing that to my unborn baby is enough for me to not even drink one drop.

muddymary · 13/04/2015 08:12

I've had the odd glass here and there. I just think each to their own if you'd feel happier abstaining - then go for it but none of the research has convinced me that there's any harm in a glass of wine every now and then.

scarednoob · 13/04/2015 08:34

I think if you had a very small amount, your liver would deal with it before it got near the baby. Personally I haven't touched it since I found out, but I've always been an all or nothing girl, I'm usually either driving or nailing the vodka shots! So I haven't touched it because I haven't wanted to. But most of my friends and SIL had the occasional glass and their babies are all absolutely fine and lovely.

happygojo · 13/04/2015 09:09

Nope none here. I haven't been perfect with my diet whilst preg but the alcohol will go into your blood before the liver. I just don't want it THAT much. However caffeine.... I have been having that (well below 200mg and not everyday). Each to their own I guess. I will have the odd drink whilst bf if i fancy it because it is so processed by the time it makes it to the milk.