Anyone else due in Sept? Anyone else been told ZERO alcohol?!

[surelyyoucantbeserious]

Just been to docs this morning and told that current recommendation is for ZERO units of alcohol per week!

Although the Doc did follow that up by saying 'our mum's weren't told not too drink...' in a suggestive manner...

Too right!

I think the guidelines were just starting to change to 0 units in pregnancy when I was pregnant with DS2.

I personally, (not recommending anyone else should follow me at all), used to have one maybe two glasses of wine a week.

But then I also carried on eating sea food.

I think there are many worse things you can do than have a tiny bit of alcohol whilst pregnant. Perhaps doesn't make it right, but it is your body, your baby, do what the hell you want!

I drank zero alcohol during my pregnancy. I don't see the point of drinking during pregnancy - it's not like it's something your body needs to function like water or food.

The doctor then (2005) said the official guidelines were to drink as little as possible but he agreed - why take the risk of drinking at all?

My doc told me the guideline was zero, but then said that he would recommend 1 glass of red wine a week (with a meal) and I have done so every Friday night (it doesnt make you feel like an alien and just because your carrying this person inside you your still allowed to have a life!) and he said the same thing - all our mothers drank, smoked, (and did far worse things in the 70's I'm sure!) and we are still all here!

Cxxx

My doc told me the guideline was zero, but then said that he would recommend 1 glass of red wine a week (with a meal) and I have done so every Friday night (it doesnt make you feel like an alien and just because your carrying this person inside you your still allowed to have a life!) and he said the same thing - all our mothers drank, smoked, (and did far worse things in the 70's I'm sure!) and we are still all here!

Cxxx

My doc told me the guideline was zero, but then said that he would recommend 1 glass of red wine a week (with a meal) and I have done so every Friday night (it doesnt make you feel like an alien and just because your carrying this person inside you your still allowed to have a life!) and he said the same thing - all our mothers drank, smoked, (and did far worse things in the 70's I'm sure!) and we are still all here!

Cxxx

sorry comp froze! LOL!

Wow just come across a whole bunch of 'booze' related discussions on mumsnet and don't really want to start another debate.... It's not that I disapprove of debate, it's just that I have made my decisions on this subject (will not be drinking apart from the very occasional tipple i.e. for celebrations.) To be honest I really don't feel like alcohol anyway which is lucky... However it was news to me that the advice was zero, I had read 1-2 units/week.

Would love to hear from others due in Sept though!

"A spokesperson for Nice said their experts had carried out a systematic review of the evidence, concluding "that there is no consistent evidence of adverse effects from low to moderate alcohol use during pregnancy but the evidence is probably not strong enough to rule out any risk". The recommendations are subject to consultation and final guidance is due to be published in March 2008."

"The placenta functions as the main organ of pregnancy. It undergoes rapid growth and development over the first 3 months of pregnancy and once fully functioning controls and manufactures a large quantity of hormones which drive the pregnancy forward".

It is responsible for making and transferring all the nutrients needed for the baby to grow and develop properly throughout the pregnancy.

What we do know however is that the placenta is not capable of acting as a barrier to the baby from alcohol. This means that a fraction of what ever you drink during pregnancy will inevitably pass to your baby. Science has also shown that alcohol actively inhibits some of the transport mechanism that the placenta uses to transfer nutrients from the mother to the baby.

"All in all these two fact still give us enough evidence to suggest that when ever possible, it?s best to avoid alcohol as much as possible during pregnancy. Sure, enjoy a glass of bubbly at special occasions but avoid getting into the habit of drinking everyday even small amounts drunk daily could over the 9 months have a negative effect on your babies development.

Yes I guess it's all about common sense at the end of the day....it's a whole new world for me - just getting to grips with it all!

I had on average maybe a glass of wine every 2 or 3 weeks with ds2, after 20 weeks. Until 14 or 15 weeks I went off it anyway - similarly, I had phases of being off coffee (this was independent of nausea, which came and went in the first trimester) - which I think was my body steering me clear. I don't like the puritanical, controlling edge to some of these zero-alcohol recommendations, but do feel the old one-or-two-units-once-or-twice-a-week recommendation to be a bit much.

thanks for that hattyyellow - good stuff. I'll alter my last statement - it's all about common sense... and some good scientific research...

surely forgot to say congrats on your pregnancy is it your first?

will be interested to see what the final NICE guidelines say in March this year..

Thank you! Yes my first and still very early days (Doc says I'm 7 weeks although I think I'm less). Not telling anyone yet as we are being cautious, but generally feeling good about it all both mentally and physically. So feeling very fortunate at the mo.

The 'Nice' quote gives correct advice. But if you are a bit thick - as the government seems to think most people are, you need to distill it down to a YES or NO answer. And given the same government also thinks we are a nation of binge-drinking floozies the answer comes out nearer to NO it is not safe to drink. So while there is b*gger all evidence that an occasional and minimal amount will do harm, the interfering and ill-informed public are given a stick with which to beat pregnant women.

Sorry if that makes no sense - but I enjoyed writing it

My experience of pregnancy was that most people were suprised that I wasn't drinking..in fact I got really bored of having to concoct an explanation of why I chose not to do so...

In fact heavily pregnant women smoking whilst attached to drips outside the maternity wing of my hospital didn't raise an eyebrow from most people passing...which amazed me...

I think most people go along the lines of "I drank when I had my children in the 50's, 60's, 70's etc and it didn't do them any harm"...

Until a conclusive decision is made (which will always be hard because how many pregnant women rather than substitute animal mothers would ever be used in research?) I do think it's better to advise no - nanny state or not...

It's suddenly very noticable what a big issue it is to NOT drink. Trying to come up with excuses on nights out gets tricky at the mo as no-one knows... so I'm trying to drive everywhere!

My gut instinct is that not drinking is sensible. I want to minimise risks and at the moment have no real desire to drink. But I'm sure this will remain a big area of debate for a long time to come.

The liver metabolises 1 unit of alcohol very effectively so that no alcohol would affect your unborn baby. I agree with HeadHeartorHormones, the government assume we are all too stupid to understand that one drink means exactly that and any more will potentially cause harm so its easier to say none at all.

I know someone who drank half a guiness everyday in both her pregnancies and both children went to Cambridge!!

surelyyoucantbeserious,
Personally I don't think I'd drink, because i don't enjoy drinking enough to bother, but I'm sure the occasional drink here and there would be fine.

And if you want to find some people due in September, there's an antenatal thread you could join

I'm also due in sept and I personaly believe that most women don't go out getting hammered when their pregnant so 1 or 2 drinks every now and again isn't going to hurt. Also I was told that Guiness was good for u when pregnant as its full of iron so they can't have it both ways! I am also having some issuses with the excuses I'm having to come up with as nobody knows that I'm expecting. I'm sure my friends think I'm making it up or trying to avoid them!

im due in sep too 5th
i wasnt told you couldnt drink but i dont anyway. i dont want anything bad to happen. i just said im on antibiotics for a really bad chest infection. seems to work well

i'm due in August and neither the MW or my GP even mentioned alcohol to me. I'll do as i did with my daughter.. a small but devine glass of red wine on a friday night and thats it.. i think as long as you use common sense your ok,.. its clearly not ok to binge drink but 1 small drink is not going to hurt you.

Becks do an alcohol free lager that tastes exactly like the proper stuff.
I work with doctors/professors etc and they told me when I was pregnant that 1-2 glasses of wine a week would actually be beneficial as it would relax me.
Who knows what the next 'research' will uncover

Yes i might need to announce a 'detox' for a few months to get round the situation.. antibiotics is a good one though, might borrow that!

Thanks - I'll have a look for the Sept antenatal thread...

Congrats Sept gang!

Come and join us!

My doc also said current guidelines are none but he thought that the odd drink would not be an issue.

I am due in August. I was aware that the current guidelines were no alcohol but when I had my first the guidelines were 1-2 units a week so I shall be sticking to that. I drank guinness in my first pg and my iron levels were excellent. Fair enough if you are not bothered about drinking but I like a drink and I don't think 1-2 units a wk will do any harm.