Drinking Alcohol

[Riviera16]

Please save any judgement as I’m asking this question just out of interest. I haven’t drank any alcohol and haven’t done so since finding out that I’m pregnant but I’m intrigued to know if any of you did during your pregnancies?

I didn't drink at all with my first pregnancy. But I had the odd small glass of wine with my second. Probably from 12 weeks onwards and about once a month so about three drinks. I think it did more good than harm. There's much talk of what's "allowed" and much judgement of choices. I find it really annoying. If I choose to spend 10 minutes in a hot tub then that's my choice.

I have a half of weak beer or a very small spritzer every other week or so. Very little.

No I didn't

With my first I drank until 8 weeks when I found out. Second I stopped when ttc.

Had the odd drunk in pregnancy with both but never got drunk. Certainly wasn't drinking regularly. Just special occasions.

Yes, I had an occasional small glass of wine with a meal, and a glass of Prosecco at a wedding.

I didn't during either pregnancy. I just personally felt like it wasn't worth the risk.

I had a small glass once a week when I was pregnant with my second but I wish I hadn't. No damage done as far as I know but my friend has adopted a child with foetal alcohol syndrome and although she is a lovely child, now that I know more about the disorder and the likely outcomes I would never risk it.

Half a glass of Prosecco!

With the other two none. Felt so sick when thought about drinking.

The odd proessecco if I had a wedding etc but other than that no xx

None whatsoever.

Yes Iv had had the odd half a shandy every 3 weeks or so. I don't feel bad.

The odd glass of wine. Occasionally fancied it and found that half a glass or so really hit the spot, and was all I wanted. Maybe half a dozen times during the pregnancy.

I gave up alcohol completely 3 months before ttc my first child and still haven't touched a single drop over five years on.

Not for the first 12 weeks but occasionally after (once a fortnight?) if at an occasion/dinner. There's a very interesting chapter on drinking in pregnancy (and other things) in the book "expecting better", where the author analyses studies on the most contentious points of pregnancy (drinking, coffee, conception, smoking). Really interesting

No, not a drop.

Not in the first trimester as I couldn't stomach it, but yes during the rest of my pregnancies as and when I fancied.

Beer with DS1 and wine with DS2. Always with a meal and maybe two glasses at a time.

I had a couple of Baileys at 8 months as it was Christmas.

I was probably a moderate to heavy drinker before pregnancy. Took me a long time to realise I was pregnant, due to an implantation bleeding. So I drank in the first 6-8 weeks.
After that I had 1 glass of wine per week, but then felt worried, so stopped altogether around week 23.
If I were pregnant again I wouldn’t drink at all. I found being pregnant very emotionally stressful, and probably had a mild dependency pre-pregnancy, so found that 1 glass per week hard to give up.

Apologies is this information worries or offends anyone as this isn't my intention, but just something to consider if you are thinking of having of having a drink.

Even the smallest amount of alcohol can damage the foetus's central nervous system as well as effect many other organs. Unfortunately there is no amount of alcohol, or period in pregnancy when it is 'safe', which is why the Department of Health changed the recommendations in 2016.
I know lots of people do drink during pregnancy (usually before knowing they're pregnant) and their babies are born healthy, but recent research shows that the majority of children effected with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder's are undiagnosed. It is actually quite rare for the facial features associated with FASD to be present. For many people effected it presents with many of the symptoms associated with ASD and ADHD leading to misdiagnosis.
It is thought 2-5% of the population have FASD, with it being the second most common cause of a learning disability in the UK.
There's is loads more info on FASD Network UK, definitely worth a read.