Drinking?

[MissTwister]

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!

I think it's interesting that despite myriad of research showing that low level drinking is not harmful - and one large scale, well respected study that showed intelligence benefits to children of low level drinking mothers! - so many people talk about not knowing the risks.

If we were to take this absolutely no risk attitude to everything during pregnancy I guess we shouldn't be eating salad or uncooked vegetables - after all in France and Spain they don't recommend this because of toxoplasmosis risk. And what about sweets and chocolate? There's no benefit to a baby in us eating these, and some negatives in terms of blood sugar etc, so maybe we should avoid eating these too just in case?

Personally I had no time for the ITV documentary - it was like something from the pages of the Daily Mail. Very poorly put together with no legitimate thread of scientific argument apart from the fact that high (alcoholic) levels of drinking can result in children having FAS. Everyone already knew that and it added nothing new to the debate apart from to add to the terror that many pregnant women feel regarding the pressure to do everything perfectly or be blamed if problems arise.

Weirdly I haven't drunk hardly at all - part of this is because I do like a drink and one seems a bit pointless - and everyone should absolutely do what they feel is right but all this fear and judgement in the media feels wrong to me.

MissTwister the thing is that we know there are harmful effects from too much drinking - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I don't know how much is too much for my personal body chemistry and for my baby's needs. And no doctor can be certain in each individual case what the limit is for me or you or anyone. It's a personal choice and it's unfair to say women who abstain don't understand the science.

Like I said before, I like to get a good buzz when I drink, so one unit of wine isn't interesting to me, and I'm not going to get drunk while pregnant. I'm pretty sure no doctor would recommend that! So I abstain.

I don't judge other women at all. I just don't see the point of a glass of wine here or a beer there. Never drank that way before I was pregnant. If someone wants one beer a month that's her choice, I doubt it causes damage but I similarly doubt it adds much fun to her night out either.

What is this well respects study that showed low level drinking has intelligence benefits miss twister, do you have a link?
I know I didn't drink at all with either of my children and DC2 has always been by far the most academically able in his classes so not drinking certainly didn't have any negative intelligence impact on him. Seeing as alcohol is known to kill brain cells I really don't understand how a study can derive that alcohol is beneficial to intelligence, but then studies often show all kinds of random stuff depending on the sample used and the control factors in place, who is funding the study etc...

The way I see it is: whether a small amount of alcohol is harmful or not, zero alcohol is certainly not harmful.

The advice is to abstain entirely because, essentially, no studies have been done on moderate drinking in pregnancy. I had the odd drink in last pregnancy (a drink or two a week at most). DD is now a very bright very happy 2 yo. This pregnancy I'm doing the same. But I have no problem stopping after half a glass of wine/ a few glugs of DH's beer.

Nope, no alcohol here since BFP.

My personal choice, I completely understand that some people are happy to have a drink (small one) during pregnancy, but for me that would satisfy my alcohol appetite and OH would be pissed off with me (he doesn't read like we do, he just thinks alcohol is bad and doesn't drink often himself)

I will be abstaining until after I have had baby and a bit longer if BF goes to plan.

So far I've had one half pint of Guinness. It's been years since I drank to get drunk - it's not fun for me any more. I guess it's not a drug that suits my brain chemistry, it just makes me feel fuzzy-headed and depressed these days. I go out of my way to avoid having enough alcohol to feel the effects! But I really like the taste of some beers. I will probably split a bottle of beer with DH maybe three or four times between now and due date, and it will be fine.

I'm pregnant, I'm delighted about it and I'm taking reasonable precautions, but that doesn't make me a slave to wee glidingfoetus. If something has not actually been shown to be risky, I'm not going to martyr myself just in case. I fully understand people who choose to abstain completely, but I don't understand those who judge. I'm more likely to kill my 5 year old by putting her in the car than I am to harm my unborn child with a few gulps of beer over 9 months. But nobody wrings their hands and asks why I don't always walk to the shops when it's so much safer that way. Cause everyone thinks it's reasonable to drive a car, but pregnant women doing something just for their own pleasure? Dear oh dear.

I can count on one hand the number of drinks I've had since becoming pregnant! Including 1 glass of champagne on NYE and half a Guinness after my 20 week scan. And I was a BIG drinker beforehand. Christmas was PAINFUL. Like other posters have mentioned, I don't see the point in drinking if you don't get that 2-3 drink 'buzz' so have found it easier to abstain than I thought. I've been relying on de-alcoholised wine and Becks Blue to get me through social events! The Torres Natureo red wine (you can get it in Waitrose) isn't too bad if you mix it with cold lemonade. It's 0.5abv so not completely alcohol-free, but the amount is negligible. I think a large part of feeling 'drunk' is psychological anyway! I'm sure I've felt 'tipsy' after a few bottles of alcohol-free lager...

I also used to do Slimming World and they had a recipe for alcohol-free 'Pimms', made using balsamic vinegar (I kid you not). Seriously, Google it. It's not hideous!

I don't sit in judgement of women who continue to drink small amounts during their pregnancy; in my nan/mum's generation it wasn't frowned on so much, and some alcoholic drinks were actually recommended in pregnancy! My mum told me that, when I was a restless baby, a doctor actually advised her to dip my dummy in brandy to help me to sleep!

As long as you're not getting off-yer-tits smashed or injecting heroin into your eyeballs, I think you'll be OK!

You need to read up on the risks (or otherwise) and make a decision you are comfortable with because you'll find subjective, anecdotal evidence on here to support every standpoint on the subject.

i remember reading about a danish study that found small amounts of red wine were good for the baby. i think other studies have since shown something different. here's a link (although i know it's the daily express, it's like taking medical advice from the daily mail!).

www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/451623/Pregnant-women-drinking-a-bottle-of-wine-a-month-have-better-behaved-children-says-report

i can't believe that a tiny bit on occasion would hurt, and have seen all my friends'/SILs' children as living breathing proof of that, but i think the important thing is that everyone makes the right decision for them, and doesn't judge or isn't made to feel judged by anyone else!

I don't drink to get drunk, or a warm buzz anyway. I drink because I really like the taste of a good glass of wine. Therefore I'm quite happy stopping at one small glass of good quality wine.

I've had the NHS recommended no more than one or two drinks per week after the first trimester. There's absolutely no evidence that an occasional drink does any harm at all, and it honestly doesn't make any logical sense that it would. I am sick to fucking death of sugary sweet soft drinks whenever I'm out, and a half pint of beer once a week is a WONDERFUL treat. All those wonderful flavours! I have had no trouble stopping at one drink, and if I thought I would I'd probably just not drink. And I haven't found myself not wanting beer or wine, either - I spent the entire first trimester begging to smell my other half's pint. It smells and tastes better than ever.

Skeppers my mum has low iron when pregnant with me and she was advised to have a small glass of Guinness every night!

I didn't. Alcohol free cider was my friend.

It was Guinness that was recommended to my mum too! Even my friend who had her baby back in the late 90s was told it was good for her. Funny how things change so quickly!

yes a few cans of Guinness although on the whole I did not feel like it.

oh X post about the Guiness - I am sure it was good for us as it was the only alcoholic drink I fancied at all.

Samantha Cameron said (a few weeks ago) that she only drinks guiness when she is pregnant. My mum was also in the 'guiness is good for your iron levels when pregnant' camp, but she was also in the 'a bit of brandy in baby's milk will help them to sleep camp' so I prefer to ignore her advice and make my own mind up and do what I feel is right for me personally (which is not drinking).

I haven't drunk since I knew I was pregnant but do have alcohol free beer at the weekend which has a tiny amount in it. I read the info in the book Expecting Better, which all sounded sensible and though was very careful did not say you need to abstain completely. I think it's more about what your body can process without it passing through to the placenta. From memory after first trimester I think one glass of wine, sipped slowly with a meal was okay occasionally. I'm with the 2/3 glass ladies and think think 1 small glass is more of a tease than a treat! That said the alcohol free beer makes weekend feel more cheery :)

There is actually very very little iron in Guinness - less than other beers I believe. And it tastes gross!

no it is full of iron and is yummy, I will not hear other wise

Every now and again I'll pour some of my husbands beer into my lemonade to "Jazz it up" (so rock n roll) and have had the odd sip of wine. Got a wedding to go to in summer and would definitely like to join in the toast! Really don't think minimal drinking does any harm.

I wish more pubs served alcohol free beer! It deffo helps me feel less left out when I'm drinking a bottle of the fake stuff.

I've never been one to get drunk - I didn't like the feeling on the rare occasions it happened. I do however, love a glass of good wine. I'd normally have one or two glasses with dinner/of an evening, so for me, having a single small glass isn't a tease, or a waste of time - it's a special taste that's savoured.

Yes absolutely within reason. I have maybe one small glass of wine a week if/when I'm out to dinner, not at home, with food and water so as not to dehydrate. And I sip it, making it last the evening!!

I'm having the odd one, by odd I mean a half glass topped up with lemonade a few times a month. It's the same as what I'd normally have. I'm not really a drinker so half a glass now and then is what I'd normally have if DH is having a few beers on a Friday night.

Even when socialising with friends I always mix with lemonade and I never drink enough to get drunk (rarely even tipsy), it's also not a regular thing and something I do only a few times a year usually.

Smoking is different thing for me, I usually smoke 15 a day but give up when pregnant/breastfeeding, I can never seem to stay quit for good though, longest was 4 years off the fags but was pregnant twice in that time. I can see why some prefer to go tee total rather than have the odd one with regards to alcohol because I'm the same with smoking, I can't just have the odd one, it's all or nothing. I find it quite easy to quit when pregnant (and I do it cold turkey) but almost impossible at any other time (even with a lot of quit smoking aids).

Yes I also didn't think much of that documentary. There was no scientific proof of anything and it didn't really make it clear that the children they focused on were born to mothers who had drink problems and not just an odd glass here and there.
I had a lovely glass of rose with my dinner out on Saturday night and the pregnant lady on the table next to me was also enjoying a single glass of white wine with hers. But then there are plenty of nights out when I don't drink and occasionally I just have a sip of hubbys. For me it's about being sensible, but I also respect those who wish to abstain.

I had the odd glass of wine with a meal through both pregnancies.

I don't drink to 'get drunk ' I enjoy the taste of wine so for me one glass was just right.

I understand why people might not want to though.