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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Can I drink wine? If so how much?

29 replies

shoobaloo · 16/03/2007 19:36

Am only around 6 weeks preg - just wondering if and how much wine can I drink? Could I have say, one glass of red tonight and another tomorrow? Or even two?

OP posts:
Original poster
shoobaloo · 16/03/2007 19:42

anyone? pleeease... there is a bottle of red wine sitting on the table calling my name....

OP posts:
incy · 16/03/2007 19:44

I think you are safe to have 1 or 2 units (1 or 2 standard glasses of wine) once or twice a week so ok to have a glass of wine tonight and tomorrow.

However, some doctors advise no drinking up to 12 weeks whilst the babies organs are formed.

Mind you, my midwife said no drinking for the whole of pregnancy.

So no consistent advice really !

lulumama · 16/03/2007 19:46

personally, i would avoid alcohol in the first trimester when the baby's organs are being formed...and drink little for the rest of the pregnancy....

i personally would not feel comfortable having 2 glasses at this point in pregnancy

Original poster
shoobaloo · 16/03/2007 19:48

thanks - looks like I better leave off the wine for a few weeks then - maybe a touch over cautious but god, I would feel terrible if anything happened because I couldn't hold off on a glass of wine... God, men have it SO easy!

OP posts:
Uki · 17/03/2007 05:43

Hi Shoobaloo

I'm in Australia and all dr's and midwives here recommend no alcohol at all in pregnancy and breastfeeding. America is the same and I heard U.K was about to follow suit.

It's hard i don't even have a sip, but it probably is best to avoid it completely and not be tempted. Non-alcoholic wines arn't that bad, and I love a soda, lime and bitters in the evening.

PregnantGrrrl · 17/03/2007 09:09

i drank nothing for the 1st 4mths with DS, then had one unit (small glass) a week after that as a treat on a Saturday.

indiajane · 17/03/2007 09:14

I have a friend who is a Pulic Health Consultant and she told me that it's absolutely fine to have the occasional glass of wine.

She said that the "no alcohol" is because the doctors don't trust mums to act reasonably and responsibly. She also said that the placenta acts as such an effective barrier that you'd have to knock them back before you had to worry about the thing that happens when mums are alchoholics (can't remember the name she gave it).

I drank wine (with moderation of course) when pregnant - also got very ill and had to have lots of morphine too. Baby fine

lulumama · 17/03/2007 09:19

the placenta is not a barrier , it is a filter...drugs and alcohol cross the placenta , and go into the baby's bloodstream and then back out.......

alcohol does cross the placenta, that is without question, and there is a school of thought that suggests there is no safe level of alcohol intake in pregnancy. It is without doubt that heavy and constant drinking or binge drinking does cause harm ie foetal alcohol syndrome

, i am less convinced the odd glass after the first trimester is damaging.....

but the placenta does not stop alcohol and drugs getting to the baby....hence why if pethidine is given to close to the time of birth, you can have a very sleepy baby...

incy · 17/03/2007 10:25

My midwife who told me to drink no alcohol at all during pregnancy said that because everyone metabolises alcohol at a different rate different mothers could be affected by different levels of alcolhol (one mother could have a couple of glasses a week and be fine and someone else might be affected by only small amounts of alcohol.)Hence they can't really be sure anymore about a 'safe' level.

This is why the UK (like the states and Australia) may well start to advise no drinking at all in pregnancy - in fact she told me in October that the guidelines were about to change but I haven't seen anything to that effect.

On the other hand, apparently if you go to the Portland clinic their consultants advise no more than 6 units a week and positively encourage a glass of wine a night in the last months of pregnancy as a relaxation method.

So, as always the advise is inconsistent but if you want a drink then I would suggest going private at the Portland clinic- for only about £15k !

ruthydd · 17/03/2007 10:26

I think the advice varies because although its clear that excessive drinking in pregnancy is harmful, no-one really knows the effects of occassional or even moderate drinking. Medics will, of course, ear on the side of caution and say none is best. I have to confess that with my last two pregnancies I drank one glass of wine most nights (and sometimes 2). I'm not saying its ok because I did it - it probably isn't, but I think total abstination is excessive. I'm also shocked at the Aussie/US advice to not drink when breastfeeding. There are lots of other threads on here to suggest that moderate drinking when breastfeeding is ok.

Maybe I'm making up excuses here, but shouldn't we also consider it important that a pregnant woman is able to relax ? If an occassional glass of wine helps you do that, then doesn't that balance against some of the potential negatives ? We give ourselves such a hard time nowadays. Someone even told me to stop taking hot baths the other day. Next they'll be saying no chocolate just to ensure that you are allowed no vices whatsoever when you're pregnant.

Uki · 17/03/2007 10:38

Ruthydd- you shouldn't be shocked by Oz/US advice. Breastmilk is the same as blood, alcohol is absorbed into breast milk instantly.

You wouldn't give a child alcohol why give it to a baby? I first heard of alcohol feotal syndrome in an article, where a women celebrated her pg with family to a couple of drinks. It was only the one time and the baby got it. Not worth the risk I'd say.

ruthydd · 17/03/2007 10:40

ear? I mean ere! Pregnancy really doesn't help my grammar/spelling!

incy · 17/03/2007 10:46

Apparently in the USA they are starting to advise that any woman of childbearing age should not drink alcohol just in case they get pregnant. Rules out drinking past the age of 16 up to 50 for most women ....

ruthydd · 17/03/2007 10:48

here is an example of other threads I mentioned. I'm not saying do or don't, there are arguements either way, but personally I would drink and breastfeed.

ruthydd · 17/03/2007 10:53

incy - is that "in case they get pregnant" or "in case they sue us" ?

Rantum · 17/03/2007 10:56

I think the problems arise because different people define "moderate" drinking very differently, so it is easier to just have a blanket rule that people should not do it.

Tbh for me it was not an issue because I completely went off alcohol (and coffee and I am usually a caffeine-oholic) during pregnancy and the idea of it made me nauseous even after the first trimester, so it wasn't really a decision to stop, more a natural reaction within my body. I personally would probably approach drinking during pg very cautiously, even so , because (in the grand scheme of a lifetime) 9 months is really not that long to abstain.

incy · 17/03/2007 10:56

LOL - in case they sue us I would bet !!!!

greedyforbabies · 17/03/2007 10:59

alcohol gets metabolised by your body pretty quickly, so surely if you give your baby a feed and then have a glass of wine it will have left your system by the time the next feed is due. that was my theory when breastfeeding anyway! im only talking one glass, not a drinking binge!

J20BABY · 17/03/2007 11:00

i'm sure i'm going to get in trouble for this, but on a sat night i have 1 or 2 glasses of wine (i'm 11 wks pg) and although it helps me relax, i do feel guilty the next day about it, and think i won't do it anymore, but then i have another shitty week, and really look forward to it.

am i bad?

ruthydd · 17/03/2007 11:04

........and there was me thinking you drink nothing by J20! Shame on you!

Actually, I think the important thing is to make sure its really nice wine. Sip it slowly, and enjoy!

incy · 17/03/2007 11:04

The problem is that scientists simply can't test pregnant/breasfeeding women by giving a large enough sample lots of alcohol and comparing to a set of women who drink nothing at all - it would be too irresponsible and there would be outrage even if enough women came forward and were prepared to be tested.

So I guess they will never know.

They can only rely on what women admit to drinking and ultimately they may not be telling the truth.

lulumama · 17/03/2007 11:13

FAS is usually induced by heavy drinking, throughout pregnancy, not the odd glass....but as has been said, it is impossible to test women whilst pregnant !

if drinking makes you feel bad ...then don;t do it..find another way to relax, a glass of no n alcoholic wine in a bubble bath, your favourite meal, a new book......

J20BABY · 17/03/2007 11:50

mmm Blossom Hill rose wine...delicious

J20-i can't stand the stuff!! should get a more fitting name really, shouldn't i!

i think its up to the mother-to-be, if she is going to enjoy a glass of wine now and then, why not, but obviously don't go overboard:0

Snarf02 · 17/03/2007 12:29

I am a really worrier and have not touched a drink for nearly 2 and a half years since got pg with lo and now pg 13 wks with second one. I am still bf lo who is nearly 18 mths twice a day and although once she slept through i could have had a drink i never really fancied it but i was never much of a drinker before. I would never consider a drink when pg as they dont know how much is safe so the way i see it is why take a risk?

ScoobyDooooo · 17/03/2007 12:32

I am sorry but i never understand these threads if this was someone saying can i have a fag or a couple in my pregnancy there would be un uproar so why is drinking so different?

I personally think you should not drink in pregnancy just like you should not smoke so why are people so leaniant on people who want to drink?

It is only for 9 months it is your babies health you are risking so why not just stop?

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