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Pregnancy

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

Alcohol when pregnant

196 replies

bluemoon2468 · 08/02/2020 07:11

I'd sort of like to see how the land lies on this one! I'm 5+3 and personally haven't had a drink since before I conceived because I was doing dry January.

I've just finished the book 'Expecting Better' which is written by a health economist who had a baby of her own, and decided to research the 'facts' behind conventional conception/pregnancy/birth wisdom and advice. Among other things, she concluded that there is absolutely no evidence that light-moderate drinking has any negative effect on mum or baby whatsoever. The only existing evidence of any issue is with heavy drinking, particularly regular heavy drinking. This is in contrast to say, smoking, where there is a lot of evidence that even occasional smoking negatively affects your baby. She talks about the fact that in many European countries, women are not routinely told to cut out drinking all together, but just to moderate it (these countries have no higher rates of miscarriage, disability, pre-term birth etc.) My own mum said that when she was pregnant with me, the medical advice at the time was not to go tee-total, but to limit drinking to one glass of wine per day, which she did.

This having been said, is anyone willing to 'admit' to any light drinking during pregnancy? I'm certainly not planning on regular drinking, but am considering very occasional drinks e.g. a small glass of prosecco on my birthday or our wedding anniversary. No hate please!

OP posts:
museumum · 08/02/2020 08:31

Whenever I was out in a very nice restaurant and there was very good wine ordered I’d have a half glass with my food. This was probably about once a month.
I didn’t order wine in pubs (their glasses are huge) or drink at home except special dinners with v good wine as above.

20viona · 08/02/2020 08:31

I had a glass of fizz at 2 weddings during my pregnancy and I didn't feel one bit guilty. Enjoy just be sensible I say.

ClubfootMaestro · 08/02/2020 08:33

In my last pregnancy, I had maybe half a glass of fizz on two or three special occasions such as weddings in 2nd and 3rd trimester. I’m not aware of any evidence that this causes harm.

I’m 20 weeks this time and haven’t had any as I haven’t really had any special events.

bluemoon2468 · 08/02/2020 08:34

@bingbangbing 1-8 drinks a week seems very different to 1-8 drinks over a whole pregnancy 🙁 I'd be surprised to hear that a child has ever been diagnosed with FAS after less than 5 drinks spread over 9 months. This information is certainly useful if you're considering daily or regular drinking though! I can't personally see how it's worse than smoking, given the substantial and irrefutable evidential link between smoking and miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight and SIDS.

OP posts:
bluemoon2468 · 08/02/2020 08:42

@OutComeTheWolves I think this is exactly where I stand on it. I went out for dinner with a couple of friends who know I'm pregnant last night and I smelled one of their glasses of wine (because she said it was really tasty and I wanted to get an idea of what it tasted like). Smelled, not tasted 😳 My other friend gave me a look like 'do you really want to be doing that?' and said "be careful". Be careful of what?! It is so crazy how everyone instantly becomes the pregnancy police (often despite having no knowledge of the evidence base) 😳

Big respect to anyone who has had the courage to order a small glass of wine in a restaurant or drink openly at a wedding when clearly pregnant. I think I'd be too scared of the reaction!

OP posts:
Emmacb82 · 08/02/2020 08:43

Personally I couldn’t pick up a drink whilst pregnant. Although the risk factors are minimal, they are still there. It’s 9 months of your life, as much as a drink would be nice on a stressful day, I’m not willing to do that. It’s not much to give up for your baby. Each to your own though, that’s just my personal view x

Bezalelle · 08/02/2020 08:44

Regardless of the fact that the thought makes me gip, I just don't know if I could. I saw an anti smoking poster of a baby in utero being affected by smoke, so surely it's the same with booze.

PetaO · 08/02/2020 08:46

I've just given birth to DC2 and I had 1 glass of wine on average every week through the 2nd and 3rd trimesters with both.
Dc1 is 8 now and ridiculously intelligent, was 10lbs at birth and has had no health problems. Dc2 was slightly smaller as a girl and a few weeks early.

I agree with PP that the blanket ban is just because people think that if you say "sure, 1 drink a week is fine" pregnant women will check their brains at the door and binge drink through all 9 months. It's ridiculous. With food as part of a balanced healthy diet it's just another beverage.

But, ultimately its what you feel comfortable with. If it bothers you, then dont drink. (Non-alcoholic red wine is gross though, so best to get used to drinking something else!)

Pr1mus · 08/02/2020 08:47

I was a full blown high functioning alcoholic up until the day I found out I was pregnant (around 5 weeks) and didn't touch a drop of alcohol after i found out. I was drinking heavily throughout those five weeks and thought morning sickness was just my liver packing in on me!

I was pressured by a few people to have the odd glass of wine or can of Guinness throughout my pregnancy but I declined. It was a matter of self control, I know once the taste of alcohol passes my lips I can't stop and I'd never have forgiven myself of something had happened to my baby. It was really really hard going from drinking heavily for years to stopping overnight but I am incredibly proud of myself! Even now I only indulge in a well earned glass of wine on a Friday evening when OH has finished work and can take care of DS (1) if he wakes up.

It is down to you to weigh up the risk vs reward xx

FromEden · 08/02/2020 08:51

It's not the same. There is zero evidence that light or moderate drinking has a negative effect on a baby in utero. And theres been loads of studies. I think the evidence is there at this stage that a glass of wine now and then is fine. Women cant be trusted to have just a glass clearly so the official advice is none at all. There is absolutely no evidence behind the demonization of women who have a glass of wine when pregnant. A glass, not a bottle.

pollysproggle · 08/02/2020 08:52

I don't find it hard not to drink in general and I think the advice to have no alcohol is good.
If one drink a day is widely considered ok then people are more likely to think two isn't that bad whereas if they say no drink people who want a drink will perhaps only have one or half a glass.
I don't think the odd glass later in pregnancy is that bad but in those first 12 weeks I think it's best to abstain completely.

EugenesAxe · 08/02/2020 08:52

I don’t think I had much in my second, but I had two glasses of champagne in my first to help start labour. I had a honeymoon conception so I definitely drank pre-implantation, but started to feel pregnant and so stopped about a week into my honeymoon. Apparently even drinking pre-implant can cause problems (although DS seems fine).

If I was pregnant now I’d be teetotal. Essentially, whatever you drink your baby experiences, so even if a small amount for you, the only way they get rid of it is for the alcohol to re-absorb into the mother’s bloodstream through the interface in the placenta, as their livers are too small to metabolise it. That means it can hang about in their body longer than it does in ours.

A friend who did FAS as her dissertation when training to be a nurse (I think), said you can get FAS with surprisingly small levels of alcohol. Timing is important and obviously the first three months are key to avoid, but things like the brain and spinal cord continue developing throughout pregnancy. When you drink, the oxygen supply to your baby is diminished. I can enjoy one drink, personally, but as PP said, is one glass even now and then such a big deal to forego?

FromEden · 08/02/2020 08:53

Not the same as smoking that should say

ClubfootMaestro · 08/02/2020 08:55

Totally agree @FromEden

FromEden · 08/02/2020 08:58

A friend who did FAS as her dissertation when training to be a nurse (I think), said you can get FAS with surprisingly small levels of alcohol

I'd be interested to see where that came from because every study that I've read about has concluded that it takes a lot of alcohol to cause FAS . Even in pregnant alcoholics who drink daily it's still a minority. Up to a certain level of consumption, way beyond moderate, it has never been observed in any published studies.

hiimmumma · 08/02/2020 08:58

There's some really good non alcoholic champagnes out there. You can get in Tescos here so should be easy to get.
I drank a bottle at our work Christmas party and really felt like I had a proper night out it was awesome. Placebo effect had me on the dance floor at 6 months pregnant!

Anyway in my opinion if you want a class of champagne at your wedding anniversary fine but if you want a whole bottle or a glass every night then probably not ok!

As PP said it's up to you to weigh the risk factors up based on all the information available and decide.

turnthebiglightoff · 08/02/2020 09:00

I like a drink. A lot. I didn't drink in pregnancy because it is just 9 months. It's as simple as that. I raised a glass of fizzy elderflower on my first wedding anniversary. It is very easy not to drink for 9 months. When the baby is here, you can have a drink.

movingdilemma1234 · 08/02/2020 09:00

I enjoy smoking and drinking. However I wouldn't risk the health of any baby I carried just to have a fag or glass of wine. I'm pretty sure a glass in nine months wouldn't make any difference but I'd choose not to take that risk
For those in doubt, I believe thalidomide was given as a 'safe' drug in the early 60's to combat nausea in pregnancy............
Surely everything that is taken by the mother has a chance of being taken by the foetus

turnthebiglightoff · 08/02/2020 09:01

Also, if you have to read study after study to decide whether to do something in pregnancy, probably don't do it.

FromEden · 08/02/2020 09:05

Also, if you have to read study after study to decide whether to do something in pregnancy, probably don't do it.

I read the studies after seeing the extent of the policing of womens bodies when pregnant. There is no evidence for it.

As an aside, I didnt need to read anything to feel ok about having a glass of wine now and then when I was pregnant. The official advice from the NHS was that it was fine. My midwife told me to go home and have a bath and a glass of wine when I was in early labour. This was 8 years ago. Nothing has changed since then. Still no evidence that light to moderate drinking is harmful.

FromEden · 08/02/2020 09:07

The only thing that has changed is the attitude towards women and their apparent ability to know what is light drinking

WhenTwoBecomeThree · 08/02/2020 09:09

I'd wait until after the first trimester. I had a drop of wine topped up with lemonade when I was about 30 weeks-ish and to be honest, I couldn't enjoy it anyway so I think I had one sip and threw the rest!

Edel2019 · 08/02/2020 09:09

I didn't. And I wouldn't.

There's a risk. A risk that it could be damaging. Why bother taking a risk?

eandz13 · 08/02/2020 09:09

I had 1 small blue WKD at about 35 weeks for New Year's Eve with my first. Didn't touch a drop with my second; not because I think it will do any harm to have a glass of red here and there, just because I'm one of those that doesn't enjoy just 1 drink, just makes me tired and fuzzy. Either I'm drinking or I'm not, so just don't bother Grin

Meadows89 · 08/02/2020 09:11

It's really a personal choice - there's always going to be someone who judges or makes snide remarks if you decide to drink and those who tell you to stop being so neurotic and to just have one.

I personally have had the odd small glass of wine over my pregnancy but have made sure to not drink fast I.e. it's been known for me to nurse a drink over two hours. A friend of mine during her pregnancy had a shandy on occasion and a glass of red on the regular (every couple of days) - to me this would be too much but I never judged her for her choice. My Mum was told by a Dr to drink Guinness daily with me (this was over 30 years ago) - I certainly do not have FAS.

Other friends would not drink at all as they were so concerned about the effects. I've known people with FAS and it's devastating but in every case I've seen, the mothers were heavy drinkers/regular drinkers not one drink every so often.

The NHS says no alcohol as like everyone like everyone says, there's no way of truly knowing the impact.