Alcohol when pregnant

[pigglepot]

I know the official guidance is that zero alcohol is the safest option but there hasn't been research on small amount of alcohol in pregnancy and apparently 80% of women drink something whilst pregnant.

I'm not looking for judgment here but in both of my pregnancies I've drunk a very small amount- like one small glass of wine per week sipped or a few sips on husbands glass.

What do others do and how much- be honest!

I've tried other people's drinks during both my pregnancy's.
also probably got very drunk in both pregnancy's before I knew I was pregnant.

@Analysethat

All these women judging a small glass of wine here and there, giving it why risk it for your baby. But happy to fire vaccines into yourself in pregnancy when you have no idea what it will do to your baby. Hilarious !

I guess you think they just give women whopping cough vaccines and anti-D injections for the hell of it. You think there’s no research behind it? Hilarious!

@Analysethat

All these women judging a small glass of wine here and there, giving it why risk it for your baby. But happy to fire vaccines into yourself in pregnancy when you have no idea what it will do to your baby. Hilarious !

You’re hilarious.

I cut out all alcohol and caffeine (the latter being harder). Not that I don’t have any self control but before pregnancy I was in the habit of making tea after tea and not paying attention to how much caffeine I was consuming and I could see myself absent mindedly going over the recommended limit so thought it best to just switch to decaf.

Nothing at all in either pregnancy. If I can eliminate the risks by simply not having a drink, then that’s pretty easy.

A family member of mine drank in her third pregnancy and her child is diagnosed FASD (she did drink heavily though)

I didn't drink in either of my pregnancies .. FASD is horrendous and not worth the risk!

I also found caffeine harder to give up than alcohol! I found some good decafs in the end but it's not quite the same 😂

Had maybe 2 proper drinks during the pregnancy with my son, at special occasions. Felt guilty tho so mostly not. I did have a few cans of low alcohol g+t (0.1 units per can) but I've actually found I quite like plain tonic anyway!

@brushlaptop omg yes. Alcohol was easy, but caffeine... I didn’t realise how addicted I was.

Decaff tetley is really good so I was fine with that. The smell of coffee make me feel awful so that was easy.

The coke though 😩 I made it to 20 weeks. When the scan was okay, I spoke to my doctor who told me how much I could safely have so I could treat myself to some coke 😂😂

I didn't abstain completely in my pregnancies, but I don't think one (even small) glass of wine a week is a 'very small amount', tbh, OP.

What I did was nothing until mid-pregnancy (exceptions: a quarter of a glass of champagne at 12 weeks with no. 2 on a big birthday, a small glass of wine each on two nights at 11 weeks with no. 3 when away with a friend I very rarely see), and after that one very small glass about every two or three weeks, never more frequently than every two weeks. Any more would have felt too much. My dc have no ill effects but in retrospect I could equally have left it. That said, I have every respect for someone deciding it's not worth the risk for her, but am not much of a fan of the judgemental, condemnatory tone of a lot of PPs. There was a thread on here a while ago from a woman so distraught in her belief that her baby would have FAS after drinking before she knew she was pregnant that she was seriously considering late termination. Discussing the risk is important, so is perspective.

I’m surprised it’s 80%. I don’t drink in pregnancy, this time DH has sad he’ll go teetotal with me too so I thought that was lovely of him

Yes, I had one or two glasses of bubbly in each pregnancy - a toast at 2 weddings and that's about it. Couldn't face the thought of alcohol until 20+ weeks both times, and didn't really miss it tbh. Found the food restrictions much more annoying.

@Babyjune21 you don’t sound cheeky just ridiculous. Comparing a women enjoying an occasional glass of wine during her pregnancy to someone pouring a glass of wine for a new born baby. You wouldn’t pour your newborn a coffee or a coke but you can still drive them in pregnancy!

Drink them*

Stress is more harmful (as it increases cortisol levels) than a small glass of wine or champagne.

I had a glass of wine during my second and third trimester.

My friend also did the same during her pregnancy. She did drink more than me and I must admit I did think it was too much.

I've never been a person who is dying for a drink so probably easier for me not to have any alcohol. I wouldn't risk having a few sips & driving my car so feel the same applies to my baby.
Each to their own & if someone is happy to have a drink when pregnant then that is up to them.

I did. Prior to becoming pregnant I was having a couple of glasses of wine a week. The midwife said carry on. And not to drink the whole bottle.

@Babyjune21

I know this may sound cheeky but I just don’t know why you’d risk it ? You wouldn’t pour your new born a glass of wine when he or she was born so why the hell would you put it into your body knowing fine well everything you take they do to ? It sounds like you may have a drink problem

Small minded much 🤔

@Bumblebee1980a where is your evidence of that?

I did. But then I drank throughout my pregnancy as well. Nowhere near as much as usual, and weaker drinks than usual. By which I mean I have a very high alcohol tolerance and rarely get drunk or hangovers. Id have to drink all evening and all night for that to happen. Even then I don't get hangovers and I've never not remembered anything, I always remember regardless of how much I've had to drink. So usually if I have a spirit and mixer I make it strong, between a double and treble, poured freehand. But I made them weak, so a single or less. Or with wine I'd have a small bit topped right up with lemonade. But no way was I not having a drink for 9 months, especially at my wedding.
My mum drank and smoked as normal throughout all 3 of her pregnancies. My Nan the same both times. All fine. And I know others who have as well.

@happymummy12345 do you have that saved so you can copy and paste it whenever required? I'm sure I've seen the exact same 'story' before

[quote delilabell]@Bumblebee1980a where is your evidence of that?[/quote]
So you want a literature review of all the journals from me?

Why should I do that for you?

It's common sense that severe stress is more harmful during pregnancy than one small glass of wine.

I was waiting for that post @happymummy12345, copied and pasted from last weeks very similar thread I see!

But then I suspected that was the purpose of the vanishing OP who hasn't bothered replying or posting again... Of course they will now show up to say this isn't the case

I had a small glass of Prosecco on Xmas day. And then one on my baby shower.

Great minds @dementedpixie, very handy to have it on hand I imagine!