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

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Controversial Topic

148 replies

namechangeryadayada · 09/02/2020 18:27

Did anyone have a glass of wine in their pregnancy? I did in my first pregnancy maybe a glass once or twice a week after 20'weeks but not at all in this pregnancy.

Curious what other people's view points are.

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jackieinthebox · 09/02/2020 20:42

I had a glass of wine or bottle of beer once or twice a week because when I was pregnant because the advice at the time said it was safe to do so.

I wouldn't do it now but back then it was fairly common my DD is fine with no developments issues.

Hannahthepink · 09/02/2020 21:06

Mumsnet will make you feel like an alcoholic for even sniffing a glass when pregnant.
In real life, many very sensible women have a very occasional drink, because they are adults and can generally stop themselves before getting shitfaced.

Snipples · 10/02/2020 05:34

I'll fess up - I had a small glass of wine (spritzer) last night. I'm 29 weeks with my second. I do have the odd glass of wine or shandy occasionally.

It's not something I can get worked up about really. The judgment on this thread is very OTT and very smug. Not from everyone but from some obviously.

FAS is not caused by a couple of glasses but by getting routinely hammered, which isn't what the OP is talking about at all. Basically alluding that she will be a shit mum if she has one drink 🙄

Jellybeansincognito · 10/02/2020 10:14

Not at all @Snipples
Alcohol is bad, even one glass of wine has been proven to show negative effects.

People that drink knowing this- fine, their choice.

People that say it’s fine to have a glass because they’re not getting shit faced and won’t get FAC? Not fine.

Morgan12 · 10/02/2020 10:27

I didn't bother.

But I'll be the first to admit that I'm sort of a binge drinker. As in I drink to get drunk when socialising etc. And I don't see the point in one glass of wine iyswim?

ddraigygoch · 10/02/2020 10:29

I'm exactly the same @Morgan12

PrinnyPree · 10/02/2020 11:06

I'm 25 weeks pregnant and in the last few weeks have had one small glass of red with a 3 course dinner once a week (had 2 birthdays and a wedding) I nursed each small glass of wine for about 2-3 hours and had a jugs of water which I drank between sips. I don't have any more dinners planned so probably won't be drinking again anytime soon, but personally if it's just a little bit with a large amount of food I've let myself have some.

Feeling pretty guilty reading this thread though... Blush

XenaAura · 10/02/2020 21:47

Personally I have had a few low % alcohol ciders, im 37 weeks, and I guess 7 in total in all this time, and never 2 in a row. I did alot of Googling and most sources say to stay clear of alcohol but there isnt much harm in the occasional glass of wine etc. I would never touch spirits whilst pregnant though! But an occasional cider or glass of wine should be fine ^^ Plus, my mother and all my friends mothers all drank wine during theirs =D Apparently it was recommended a glass a day back then.
NHS and sources like that will always say to stay clear of things like that during pregnancy just in case but its your own decision end of the day, as long as you dont drink excessively.

BecauseReasons · 11/02/2020 05:59

A few decades ago, your average glass of wine contained 7-10% less alcohol than today's equivalent.

www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19548542/why-alcohol-in-wine-increased/

BecauseReasons · 11/02/2020 06:11

Sorry, that should be your average bottle- there's probably much more than a 7-10% difference in the alcohol content of the average glass, given that glass sizes have increased fairly dramatically since the 70s and, along with them, the measures people pour themselves at home. It's all rather interesting.

Lilice · 11/02/2020 07:34

Ive never drunk alcohol when pregnant. I do have some alcohol free cider in the fridge, but too nauseous to have it anyway.

BooMamaBear · 11/02/2020 07:56

Before 10 weeks it's probably not too bad as they have a good sac coz the placenta is not yet formed after that I think it's bad as their livers cannot handle alcohol and they share what you eat and drink once the placenta is formed! As soon as I know I'm I pregnant I don't drink at all!

ScarlettBlaize · 11/02/2020 10:08

Before 10 weeks it's probably not too bad as they have a good sac

And this, people, is why we don't take advice from randoms on the internet.

Jojowash · 11/02/2020 10:12

My first pregnancy I had a lager and lime on a Friday and made it last me all night!

ScarlettBlaize · 11/02/2020 10:13

embryo.asu.edu/pages/developmental-timeline-alcohol-induced-birth-defects

the embryonic stage that comprises the first eight weeks of development afterfertilization, and the fetal stage that encompasses the remainder of development. The embryonic stage is the period when body plans are laid out, and the precursors of what will become organ systems are determined. Alcohol introduced at this stage can have significant repercussions depending on the population of cells negatively affected. Those developmental deviations can result in a range ofbirth defectsor may completely arrest thepregnancyif malformations are particularly severe.

Chinks123 · 11/02/2020 10:15

Never touched a drop with either, and I went to weddings/funerals/christenings during both pregnancies. I just couldn’t bear the thought of any alcohol going in to my baby and it just wasn’t worth it, even a small glass. With my first I was actually a teenager and had a hen do to go to abroad, I went but didn’t touch any alcohol despite people saying “one won’t hurt.” Its 9 months surely you can wait for the sake of your child’s health.

AnyCreamWillDo · 11/02/2020 10:21

I had a few sips of my husband's wine on special occasions.

As I understand it, the advice is for no alcohol because they haven't determined the level at which it really does harm (because obviously that would be an incredibly unethical experiment) and everyone metabolises it differently anyway. Obviously there is a tiny amount of alcohol in lots of everyday foods including certain fruits and breads so noone is avoiding it totally, whatever they may think.

NOT that that is an excuse for a bender! But I think you have to make your own judgement within reason until there is any conclusive evidence about unsafe levels.

AnyCreamWillDo · 11/02/2020 10:25

As for the poster who asked about the pull of it, I found myself really craving beer at one point in my pregnancy which I NEVER drink. I went for the no alcohol ones which did the trick but was interested to know more why I might be craving it - apparently it's likely to be the vitamin B12 that draws pregnant women to it! Just thought it was interesting, if true.

Villanelle92 · 11/02/2020 10:26

I didn’t drink at all through my pregnancy (not even the day I got engaged and we went out for dinner at 35 weeks!).

Personally I felt the potential risk wasn’t worth it.

Each to their own with a glass every now and then but any more often than that and I would feel like you are playing with fire a little.

I’m glad I didn’t as I became incredibly ill towards the end and both me and baby ended up in ICU after a crash emergency c section. If I had drank or ate things that weren’t recommended etc I would have blamed myself for it all whereas I know now it’s nothing I did.

AnyCreamWillDo · 11/02/2020 10:27

Do I mean B12? A B vitamin, anyway. I forget!

steppemum · 11/02/2020 10:47

my kids are older (12-17) and when I was pregnant the advice was low alcohol not zero.
So I had the odd glass.
But then I saw a very interesting documentary. It was aroudn foetal alcohol syndrome, and one woman on there had a child who was affected and she had drunk one to two glasses per week max. The baby was a complete shock.
That documentary explored the issue and the conclusion was that while for MOST people, the odd glass was fine, there were some women who seemed to react more to the alcohol and it affected their babies.

The conclusion was that until we understood the links better, we should be saying no alcohol. Also that there may be subtle effects that we know nothing about.

It was as a result of that and the outcry afterwards, that the NHS changed their advice

nakedavengeragain · 11/02/2020 10:48

Had at least 3 friends who drank excessively in their first three months of pregnancy. 2 because they didn't know they were pregnant and were planning and having weddings and honeymoons. 1 because she was not planning on keeping it. All three children (now in their teens) are happy and healthy mentally and physically.

Anyone would think this 'what you can and can't consume when you are pregnant' it a form of societal control...

3rdchristmaslucky · 11/02/2020 10:52

I had about 2 sips out of a small glass of red when in Venice for my birthday last weekend :).

ScarlettBlaize · 11/02/2020 11:12

Anyone would think this 'what you can and can't consume when you are pregnant' it a form of societal control...

Indeed they would, if they were tinfoil hated conspiracy theorists with zero understanding of science.

ScarlettBlaize · 11/02/2020 11:12

*hatted, obviously, though either way..

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