Excuses for not drinking?

[Ohana6419]

Hi all

In the next couple of months I have a 30th birthday party, two weddings and two hen do's 🙄

We just found out that I am pregnant this week, but my first hen do is just a couple of weeks away and I'm already wondering how I'll manage to get away without drinking (it's a full weekend) without drawing suspicion. It's way too early to tell anyone yet.

What excuses have you used? I can't use the antibiotics one as we have a number of pharmacists and doctors as friends and they'll probably catch me out too easily 😂 Thanks!

Just say you are trying for a baby so not drinking. Simple and lasts as long as you need.

Also agree people really don't care that much beyond their own drinks.

2nd time round I just told people. Much less stressful and I imagine if anything did go wrong these are the people who would support you anyway.

I've had the exact same problem! I bought a bottle of seedlip gin and poured it into an old Gordon's bottle. Simple! Xx

I've already said to my husband I am not willing to lie to my close family and friends.

I am just going to tell people if they ask. I would tell them anyway even if I had a miscarriage. I will explain I don't want it shared further yet as it's early days.

That's my plan anyway. I personally think early pregnancy should be talked about more often.

I’ve told very close friends and family before our scan, as PP said, if anything went wrong I’d want to tell them anyway.

I’ve avoided a work night saying we had plans that night, but you probably can’t get out of the hen, so I’d go for the alcohol free gin or just have lemonade or something. I was at a similar weekend hen pre-pregnancy and thinking back now, I couldn’t tell you what the other girls were drinking.

To add to @dollytutu post, I've had metronidazole a few times and just thought I would ignore the doctor and drink on it anyway- I was so so sick! The reason I had metronidazole was for a tooth infection! You also wouldn't want to drink alcohol with a tooth infection because it was pretty painful! I'd go with that!

Yep I'd go with the tooth infection because the rest of infections or treats are usually vagina ones which you might not wanna admit to 🤣🤣🤣

Either sidlip or caleña (from Sainsbury's) are both alcohol free and a good substitute for gin. Alternatively just have tonic with the ice/lemon or whatever else you'd have with your normal g&t. I found pretending to drink much easier than explaining antibiotics or not drinking full stop. If you're out friendly bar staff will usually help out 😃 congratulations!

@rosina38 100% agree. I don't know why it's almost taboo to talk about before 12 weeks.
People say the risk of loss but given miscarriage is normal and nobody should feel ashamed about it.

I find most people don't care.

If you're after an easy one then say you're doing sober September or sober for October. Or just drink what you want to drink and avoid rounds.

Most people don't pay attention.

@ColdCottage totally with you. It was a bit stressful starting to think about how to lie to people and in the end I realised I was stressing for no reason. It is completely normal. I understand having people ask you about your pregnancy would be very difficult if the worst happens. But it would also be a very lonely experience if you didn't tell anyone.

My husband doesn't want to tell anyone until after the scan but when we talked about the reasons he didn't really have one apart from 'that's what people do'. We haven't actively told people yet but when the time is right we will share the news

Why does it matter if they do guess?

@ColdCottage @rosina38 totally agree. Why are people so weird about talking about pregnancy pre-12 weeks? It’s when it’s the hardest time too!

I went out recently with friends and used the antibiotics excuse. They all guessed (but didn't say anything)! it wasn't until I decided to tell them that they told me they kind of guessed. I think most people with any sort of manners will just wait for you to tell them anyway, even if they do guess. That's my experience anyway. X

Fake drinking is the only thing that works antibiotics is the most obvious of all. My friend took her own gin bottle filled with water to a party the other week and no one noticed.

It's a shame people feel they have to come up with a reason but I completely understand. When I was pregnant not so long ago, I had an event to attend and drank one large glass of white wine spritzer, ordered with extra soda and less wine, and made it last a very long time! No-one thought to be suspicious.