Controversial did anyone drink in pregnancy??

[Lmj25]

Not saying I would was just wondering did anyone?

This said I really think the old guidelines of 1-2 units once or twice per week probably were safe.
But it’s so easy to confuse guidelines, misinterpret them, miscalculate or underestimate units etc etc and this is why they have advised no alcohol at all.
The royal college of gynaecologists and obstetricians also say that for people who have drank small amounts in early pregnancy before realising (me ) the risks are low still.

I didn't, mostly because I am an anxious person and would worry myself sick about it, so it wasn't worth that.

Also, half a glass of wine would do nothing for me. I like to have 2 at least

Most of my friends drank very small amounts and all their children appear fine.

I'm not condoning it, but most of the women of our mums' generation smoked and drank throughout them pregnancies, didn't they?

Snorey you said it recommends no alcohol in first three months and small amounts thereafter.
It says the risks are especially higher in the first 12 weeks, but nowhere does it recommend any amount at any point

Apologies for any confusion that my wording created. The NHS guidance says none at all for three months and recommends no more that 1/2 units per week there after. I realise my working suggested that the NHS recommended drinking which was certainly not my intention!!!

I'm not condoning it, but most of the women of our mums' generation smoked and drank throughout them pregnancies, didn't they?

And all their babies were fine, and FAS didn't exist and miscarriage didn't happen and asthma wasn't yet invented.....

Snorey - you continue to ignore / avoid mentioning all the other 'risky' things you would've done while pregnant.

But well done on avoiding the obvious, big ticket items - you're a great Mum.

I avoided alcohol for the first 12 weeks (although felt too sick to want any actually!), Then had the odd small glass on special occasions, never more than one unit, and usually one or two in a month.

I did my research and was happy there was no risk from this at all.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/foods-to-avoid-pregnant/
Where does it say to avoid pre-packed sandwiches or salad?! Pretty sure that is not NHS advice....

you continue to ignore / avoid mentioning all the other 'risky' things you would've done while pregnant

Shocking though some seem to find it, I avoided ALL of the food and drink that the NHS tell pregnant women to avoid. All of it, both times, because 18 months without certain foods was really no hardship.

No, not a drop nor did I eat soft or blue cheese, pate or poached eggs. I was pregnant in the early 2000s and it was a long time coming so I didn't want to risk anything.

My bloody in laws went on and on about how I could have 'one small glass', they just couldn't get their heads around it. I figured it was for such a short time and it was the beginning of putting some else first i.e my baby. I've made up for my abstinence since

Isn't the point with "I followed NHS guidance" that NHS guidance is often lazy because it is too complicated to explain the permutations of what is safe and what isn't?

I feel like those of us who researched wider than the NHS guidance are being made out to be negligent/flippant when really we've just taken a more informed view.

Third pregnancy here. Second and third ended in miscarriage at 12 weeks and 5 weeks despite doing everything by the book and zero alcohol. First pregnancy perfectly healthy - have a now almost three year old ahead of the curve developmentally. During that pregnancy I had 1-2 units (so a small glass of wine) once a week. This pregnancy (currently 22 weeks) I had no alcohol in first trimester and since 12 weeks have again had a small glass of red, with dinner on a Sunday. On rare occasion another glass on a Friday after work. I've read widely on the issue - there is nothing to suggest that this level is harmful in any way. That glass takes me over an hour to drink so it's not like I'm knocking it back, and I enjoy it. I'm not an alcoholic - like other PPs I have been pregnant or breastfeeding almost constantly for almost 4 years. I am very aware that in the UK we are terrible at judging units and that many people will have "a glass" believing this to be ok when it's actually more like 3 units. FWIW I measure out the wine and ensure it's no more than 2 units.

My stepdad (GP), mum (practice nurse), Dad (GP), cousin (obstetrician) and best friend (midwife) are all absolutely in agreement that the research suggests this is below harmful levels.

Sorry - that should say 4th.
Clearly I've friend my own brain with the small glass of wine with dinner last night.

*fried my brain

I avoided and minimised quite a lot of things, based on things I’ve encountered during a research career in developmental genetics. Pthalates and parabens as much. As I could, paracetamol as much as I could, musks, fragrances, lavender and tea tree oils (I was having a boy) and quite a few other things that don’t have a solid base of research anywhere near enough to make a public health statement but that were no bother to avoid.
The foods from the NHS list i avoided in the main, with the exception of the odd not entirely solid poached egg (all hens are vaccinated where I live.) I avoided alcohol as well.

None of those things are things I’d preach at other people about. A VERY low level of alcohol consumption is probably not significantly Harmful. It’s definitey not beneficial though.

And that’s the rub. Some things you’re supposed to moderate are either unavoidable (car travel) or beneficial in small amounts - like some fish for example.

Yes. The odd small glass of wine and champagne at Christmas. I’ve read the research and was confident with the almost negligible risk.
The current advice hasn’t changed because of a change in research. The evidence is that heavy drinking can harm your baby significantly. Moderates drink might do, but they don’t know the cut off between heavy and moderate drinking. So to avoid all possible risk they say you might want to avoid drinking altogether. Expecting Better is a good book for getting to grips with these things.

I didn’t drink anything before 20 weeks due to terrible sickness.

I had a few small glasses of red from 17+ weeks. I also had a glass of champagne at my best friends wedding.

Expecting Better is a good book for getting to grips with these things

It’s OK... it’s not brilliant though. She’s very clearly not a medic/scientist from reading it. It’s not something I’d rely on as gospel and I think she does misunderstand the research background of a few issues.

Shocking though some seem to find it, I avoided ALL of the food and drink that the NHS tell pregnant women to avoid. All of it, both times, because 18 months without certain foods was really no hardship.

Food and drink is really just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of the risks you took.

If you think it was just food and drink that you needed to avoid, you clearly didn't do a comprehensive risk assessment, and put your baby in harm's way.

I've had the odd drop of alcohol since being pregnant. Usually stick with non-alcoholic beer but had a few sips of DH's wine for Easter yesterday! When I had a small glass of wine, I had symptoms of dehydration so that's helped to put me off. We do live in a society where socialising often includes alcohol so I've been avoiding the big nights out because it's not that fun to be around people who are enjoying a good drink when you can't. Before pregnancy, I thought I'd be glad of the break but can't say I've found it easy. Husband has tried making me feel like I have a drink problem but he couldn't give up for 2 weeks so you can imagine how his comments went down!! If you want a glass of wine, just have one, it will be fine.

Food and drink is really just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of the risks you took

I think that the point is that if I could avoid it, I did. To equate driving in a car to work for example (unavoidable for most people) with drinking alcohol (entirely avoidable for everyone) is nonsense.

It also really interested in your knowledge of my life Dowager. You seem to have a deep understanding of it despite never having met me.

I'm, not it. iPhone doing its own thing...

I feel like those of us who researched wider than the NHS guidance are being made out to be negligent/flippant when really we've just taken a more informed view

Unbelievable statement. Not drinking alcohol or smoking will ALWAYS be the best thing for your growing baby. Research might mention safer levels but zero is the SAFEST level.

@Snoreyhell I'm not saying you're wrong but I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking you sound a little neurotic. Is everything in life so black and white?

For example, I was once told that a friend was advised to continue smoking throughout her pregnancy than stop, because in her circumstances it'd cause more harm to quit (because of the stress hormones or something).

I think you're oversimplifying the issue.

But again NOT smoking in the first place would have been the best thing for her baby. No midwife would advocate taking up smoking due to stress hormones now would they?! They're dealing with a bad situation- that doesn't make it a model of good practice.

I am not neurotic for making the best possible choices for my unborn children and nor is anyone else who does/did the same.