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Original poster

Alcohol while pregnant - completely abstain or small amount v occasionally?

79 replies

SnakesBarmitzvah · 23/04/2019 10:05

I've scoured NHS and Web MD for this and advice seems to vary, opinions with my friends are also divisive.

Would you treat yourself to a small amount of booze (ie 1 glass of champagne or a small glass of wine) very occasionally, ie once or twice throughout your whole pregnancy?

Or completely abstain 100%?

Just to clarify - I haven't drank a single drop in my pregnancy so far, but I would like to have a small glass of something on my birthday which is roughly half way.

OP posts:
TheCraicDealer · 23/04/2019 18:37

Oh god, I love a Riesling! We don't have a Waitrose though. Tesco do a reasonable 0% sparkling rosé for £6 as well which is quite nice.

I'm 18w and had half a glass of red wine the other weekend and felt sick after, so won't be doing that again. I had a light lager on Saturday night which was ok, but only took it because I'd had a big carby meal beforehand. That's been the extent of my intake since I found out at 3w and I'm comfortable with that level.

I wasn't a big drinker beforehand (maybe a shared bottle of wine with DH once or twice a month for context) so have found it easy enough to cut down- I found it more challenging reducing my tea and coffee habit. But I never drank to get a buzz or relax and just enjoyed the taste of a glass of wine or beer, so it doesn't feel like a hardship stopping at one if I do choose to partake. Interestingly the risks associated with caffeine are similar to those for low to moderate alcohol intake, but people don't seem to focus as much on that.

Buddytheelf85 · 23/04/2019 23:14

I can’t claim abstinence because I absolutely pickled the poor little thing before I missed my period. Since then I haven’t had any. Not because of any considered risk analysis though - just because I haven’t fancied it, and even if I did I don’t think I’d enjoy limiting myself to a small glass. If I did fancy it I’d have some.

PBobs · 24/04/2019 03:11

I haven't had a proper drink since April 2017. I'm pregnant with my one and only and have had a taste (tiny sip) of about 2 drinks that my husband has had in the past 7 months. I did have about an inch of prosecco the other day as we're leaving the country we have lived in for 7 years and friends threw us a leaving dinner. I didn't love it and didn't finish my drink. It was just nice to have a bit of a change from water to be honest. I've been drinking 3-4 litres of that a day since 2017. For me the abstinence is actually a lifestyle choice of a few years - not due to pregnancy.

MeredithGrey1 · 24/04/2019 09:25

And I've had a couple of dishes that used wine in the sauce

Should we also be avoiding this?? I really don’t cook with wine very often but hadn’t really thought about it as something I shouldn’t have?

I’ve had a few (very) small glasses of fizz in my pregnancy, one at my own wedding, one on my birthday, and one on one other occasion. Definitely wasn’t enough to even make me feel slightly tipsy, was probably a third to a half of a small flute each time, so less than a flute and a half over the whole pregnancy (I’m 31+4 and almost certainly won’t have any more now).

Ivy44 · 24/04/2019 09:44

I thought that most of the alcohol was burnt off, when used in cooking?

TheNumberfaker · 24/04/2019 09:48

I think the reason health authorities advise abstention is that small/moderate drinking is very subjective. For some women that would mean a couple of small glasses of wine a night, for others a couple of small glasses a week, for others a couple of small glasses a month and perhaps for others a couple of small glasses throughout the whole pregnancy.
In my opinion, anything less than a small glass a week is nothing to worry about.

Mississippilessly · 24/04/2019 09:48

I think as another PP has said you need to avoid what you are comfortable with.

Megan2018 · 24/04/2019 10:27

We've cooked with wine - I have just taken care to burn it off - but usually that happens anyway in any reduction.
I've had 0.05% lager - technically it still has a trace in. I'm not that obsessed - but I'm not having a proper drink.

Giving up for me has been cathartic and I hope that after pg I might be able to drink more moderately as part of being healthier.
I am more proud of kicking my coca cola habit though! I used to drink loads of it - have gone cold turkey. I feel so much better.

grace7 · 24/04/2019 11:21

I chose to completely abstain but I doubt the occasional glass of wine would do any harm.

Angelinthenightx · 24/04/2019 12:12

I wouldnt drink when pregnant,just dont see the point in it really,have to give up lots when pregnant. I doubt a tiny amount would do anything but i wouldnt chance it,everyone is different in what they do so i wouldnt judge anyone that has a little drink.

marcus2000 · 24/04/2019 12:28

Suggest you speak to someone from a Foetal Alcohol Syndrome support group - we had a series of lectures from them - they said for some people only one drink was enough to do damage - whereas not for others. The problem is how do you know which camp you are in?

Leleophants · 24/04/2019 12:47

I'd don't really get why you'd have any. Alcohol is so hardwired into British culture but it does make us look a bit crazy! It's only 40 weeks. I'm looking forward to an orange juice on my Birthday!

kidshealth.org/en/parents/fas.html

Leleophants · 24/04/2019 12:48

It's also the one thing drs ask you not to do. It's a bigger priority than soft cheeses and eggs tbh!

bobstersmum · 24/04/2019 12:48

Abstain. It's only 9 months.

melissa1215 · 24/04/2019 13:42

Completely abstain

eightoclock · 24/04/2019 17:55

There's no risk associated with a small glass of wine once a week with a meal in the second and third trimesters. Nothing gets through to the foetus unless you drink over a certain amount - it's not as if everything you consume goes directly to them.
I have been drinking a small amount (like half a glass of wine or a half of weak beer occasionally) but to be honest I partly like to drink for the slightly tipsy feeling which I don't get with those small amounts. So I'm not sure it's worth the bother!
Sometimes I drink a half in a pub just because I'm sick of sweet fizzy alternatives but similar to a pp, I've actually got much more of a sweet tooth whilst pregnant so am enjoying the appletizer and fanta etc more.

eightoclock · 24/04/2019 17:58

Gosh there's a lot of hysteria on this thread. Soft cheese has a risk - occasional drinking does not. And you cannot cause FASD by drinking a single drink, that's just rubbish.

Mississippilessly · 24/04/2019 18:10

Thank goodness, someone else with a level head has appeared. Be prepared to be told you clearly dont love your children as much as others though...

Pppppppp1234 · 24/04/2019 18:23

**Suggest you speak to someone from a Foetal Alcohol Syndrome support group - we had a series of lectures from them - they said for some people only one drink was enough to do damage - whereas not for others. The problem is how do you know which camp you are in?

This isn’t entirely true, its not that one drink can cause damage. There is no conclusive evidence as realistically there can’t be any studies done into the impact of alcohol in pregnancy as this would be morally wrong. Because there is no proven safety level, ie a drink a day a drink a week they therefore can not put a safe limit on it.

BabyNameQ · 24/04/2019 19:10

Either. It’s your baby, your body. Weigh up the risks and do whatever you are comfortable with. I know people who have done both and all healthy babies.

KnobJockey · 24/04/2019 20:03

I'm 19 weeks, and I've had half a lager twice so far. I like the taste, and I've been in a situation where I would normally have one, fancied it, so I did! Doesn't bother me in the slightest, and if someone had a bit too much and got tipsy once or twice during pregnancy, it still would be understandable. Where it crosses a line for me is regular drinking, for example half a bottle of wine a night- which would be easily done by some.

SerenaOverjoyed · 24/04/2019 20:33

I'm 27 weeks and I've had a few teeny glasses of wine (like 60ml). Sometimes it's nice just for the taste, I've had as much as I felt comfortable with.

A few years ago red wine was advocated for the placenta, and guiness for the iron. I don't think the odd one would cause harm.

kgeal3 · 25/04/2019 09:42

In all of mine I haven't touched it at all in first or early second trimester. I went on holiday at 26 weeks with my son and had a small glass of wine with dinner 3 nights in a row but then that was it. My daughter it was Xmas and I was 35 weeks and I had a small glass of prosecco with Xmas dinner. The odd one won't hurt but I wouldn't make a habit of it tbh xx

LouB1990xX · 25/04/2019 09:50

Hi, I haven’t had any alcohol at all. I’m 38 weeks now I did use to drink non alcoholic beers for the first 2 weeks after getting pregnant. I was a big drinker. But not had anything since 4 weeks & non alcoholic since 6 weeks. It’s only one glass of wine on your birthday! People years ago used to smoke & drink all the way through. I’m not saying it’s right of course it isn’t but nowadays there is so much info just to scare or confuse people. Wouldn’t worry enjoy your birthday Flowers

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 09:57

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/19/expecting-more-emily-oster-review

This is supposed to be really good for these sort of questions but I haven't actually read it myself.

I abstained for the first. Had one or two during the second. And probably had the odd drink now and then for the third.

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