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

Original poster

I drank 3/4 sips of alcoholic cocktail with a straw by accident

28 replies

SharpMentor · 30/01/2025 00:50

Im currently 11 weeks pregnant and I accidentally drank like 3 or 4 sips of gin and tonic cocktail with straw. I told the waitress that im pregnant and to make sure to be safe to give me the non alcoholic cocktails. She was so polite so offered me a cocktail without alcohol but which it turned to be with alcohol on it. Deep down i felt weird so i took 1 sip with straw then asked my husband to try, then my brother in law and unfortunately they couldn’t taste the gin and tonic on it and said for sure it is alcohol free, you can drink it. Then i took the second sip with straw and asked the waitress again, it is 100% alcohol free. She said yes of course. So i took the third sip with straw just little bit and the person that made the cocktail came to me in a hurry and told me that the cocktail was with a little bit of gin and tonic like 10% so they replaced with a nonalcoholic one . I was soo lostt and worried and not myself at that moment. All i was thinking was my babyyy. Please am i being paranoid or whatt. Can 3/4 sips of cocktail with gin tonic, i drank it with a straw slow and not too much just 3,4 sips can it harm my baby im literally soo soo worried 😧

OP posts:
Gymsharkmum · 30/01/2025 00:52

you Will be absolutely fine baby will be fine

PullTheBricksDown · 30/01/2025 00:54

You'll be fine. It's so little an amount. They say zero for various reasons, not all scientific but that's so little it won't do anything. Don't worry, your baby is fine.

Timetoheal4good · 30/01/2025 00:54

Everything will be absolutely fine. Honestly.

OwlInTheOak · 30/01/2025 00:54

Baby will be absolutely fine, caffeine or sugar probably do more then a one off couple of sips like that!

PennyApril54 · 30/01/2025 00:55

This is nothing to worry about. Just forget it happened. There is no issue with this. The anxiety caused will be more of a problem than the drink itself! Put it out your mind, don't think about it ever again and get a good sleep. Take care

BlueAlbatross · 30/01/2025 00:56

This is fine OP. Please don’t worry. You haven’t done any harm to your baby. Relax and enjoy your pregnancy.

Juliagreeneyes · 30/01/2025 00:58

You and the baby will be absolutely fine. Your liver will process the very very small amount of alcohol and it won’t get anywhere near your bloodstream or the baby!

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 01:11

So now you have been reassured why don't you just order a coke or water or orange juice or anything like that. Then you won't need to get so worried. Also maybe read some up to date pregnancy books and look up fetal alcohol syndrome.

AliceMcK · 30/01/2025 01:11

I did a pregnancy test as I had a week full of big drinking events coming up, literally 5 days of work events day and night drinking ( big drinking culture and industry). The test was negative so thought ok, let’s enjoy the week. By the 4th night after several spirits I didn’t feel right, I was drinking but not getting drunk and something just felt off. DH and I left early, the next morning I did a test and it was positive.

I was about 8 weeks gone when I did the test. My GP ex paediatrician said I’d be fine, most women don’t find out straight away and drink in the early stages without realising.

Alcohol is only a danger if you’re drinking lots and regularly. My GP told me it was fine to have a glass or 2 of wine every week ( not in the uk) I didn’t, I was too paranoid, plus the smell, especially beer 🤢 But I do know women who did have an occasional drink especially towards the end and all babies absolutely fine.

QueSyrahSyrah · 30/01/2025 01:18

With kindness OP yes, you are being enormously paranoid.

FAS is a problem where Women drink heavily and/or regularly during pregnancy, not 3 sips of a gin and tonic once. Plenty of Women drink as normal before they know they are pregnant with no ill effects. Plenty of women have the occasional drink while they are pregnant with no ill effects.

Pregnancy and then parenthood is going to be very long and hard at this level of anxiety; if it's regular feature of your life please seek help for it. In the meantime please do some reading around pregnancy. Start with Expecting Better by Emily Oster.

sel2223 · 30/01/2025 03:18

Please don't worry OP, a one off mistake where you had a few sips will not cause any harm to your baby whatsoever. Some women go the entire 9 months without even knowing they're pregnant!

Thebellofstclements · 30/01/2025 03:42

You'll be absolutely fine. The advice is zero because it just makes it simple. To actually harm the foetus you need to drink A LOT, and amount most people would equate with real alcoholism, regularly. Doctors used to prescribe Guinness (half pints) into the 70s.

Overthebow · 30/01/2025 03:46

A few sips is very unlike my to harm your baby. It’s a one off, it’s not your fault.

blackberryhill · 30/01/2025 04:19

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 01:11

So now you have been reassured why don't you just order a coke or water or orange juice or anything like that. Then you won't need to get so worried. Also maybe read some up to date pregnancy books and look up fetal alcohol syndrome.

OP ordered a non-alcoholic drink and was given the incorrect order. This is like shaming someone who ordered something marked as allergen free and was then given something with an allergen in it - it's the restaurant's cock-up, not OP's fault. Why does she need to read up on FAS when she was already avoiding drinking alcohol?

OP - you'll be absolutely fine. Alcohol naturally occurs in lots of things (including orange juice @TwinklyNight!) so if trace amounts were genuinely known to be harmful then there would be warnings on all sorts of things.

CharlieAndMoose · 30/01/2025 05:32

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 01:11

So now you have been reassured why don't you just order a coke or water or orange juice or anything like that. Then you won't need to get so worried. Also maybe read some up to date pregnancy books and look up fetal alcohol syndrome.

What's with the judgemental tone? She wanted a mocktail and the bar messed up, and rectified the problem. Why does need need to read about FAS when she's clearly taking steps to avoid alcohol?h The sugar and caffeine content if she drank coke all night would be no healthier than the 3 sips of gin she ended up having, and it's known that fresh fruit juice can have the same trace amount of alcohol as the low AF drinks which are 0.5%. (For clarity, I'm not criticising anyone drinking coke or juice in pregnancy, I'm just pointing out that your suggestion contradicts your high and mighty tone).

OP, you're worrying unnecessarily as PPs have already explained. Relax, enjoy your pregnancy and keep going on those nights out while you can! I've been enjoying mocktails and AF beers on a weekend throughout my pregnancy as I make the most of socialising as normal before my life changes - baby is all healthy and wiggly at 21 weeks now.

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 06:21

I'm not judgmental! Because I said skip mocktails? OP is anxious over 3 sips so she doesn't understand fas that much.
I agree with the sugar in the juice ect just suggesting drinks that are alcohol free.
SharpMentor if my post made you feel judged I apologize as not at all my intention.

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 06:25

Actually I just reread what the server gave op, I thought it had said a mocktail with a little gin added. But it was a cocktail. I think.

GrazeConcern · 30/01/2025 06:33

Honestly op calm down, the advice used to be that 1-2 drinks a week was ok, and it seemed to be. I agree the new advice to avoid alcohol all together is better and what should be followed, but the vast majority of people over about 14 will have had mothers who had the odd drink here and there through pregnancy.

FrenchandSaunders · 30/01/2025 06:33

I didn’t know I was pregnant at 11 weeks and had spent the summer drinking loads at bbqs and weddings … baby absolutely fine. Don’t worry at all OP.

idkt · 30/01/2025 06:40

I was 11wk 4days when I found out I was pregnant with my first. I was out every weekend binge drinking and drugs I was only young and had no idea I was pregnant. Obviously stopped it all when I found out. Baby was fine don't worry yourself over a few sips

MrsSethGecko · 30/01/2025 07:08

I only found out I was pregnant at around 10 weeks and before that I'd been drinking half a bottle of bourbon at weekends and smoking 10 a day. Baby was fine. Your baby is fine.

Comedycook · 30/01/2025 07:25

Its fine...when I was pregnant many years ago NHS advice was that 1/2 units a week was fine.

sel2223 · 30/01/2025 08:04

TwinklyNight · 30/01/2025 01:11

So now you have been reassured why don't you just order a coke or water or orange juice or anything like that. Then you won't need to get so worried. Also maybe read some up to date pregnancy books and look up fetal alcohol syndrome.

Honestly, is there any need

Original poster
SharpMentor · 30/01/2025 10:41

Thank you all for the messages, it really made my day. As a person that never drank alcohol in my entire life it was something out of my hands, it may sound funny but really i never drank alcohol or beer or whatsoever, and I felt so worried since it’s my first pregnancy🥹. So talking with you really calmed me so so much. I appreciate every advice from all of you. I couldn’t be more happier. You all made my day. As a first time mom you all absolutely made my dayyyy😍😍 i wish you guys nothing but the best in life. Im so thankful for all of you taking your time to respond to my question. Love you all

OP posts:
DeepFatFried · 30/01/2025 11:00

This was no risk at all to you OP, and just think of the advice given (by doctors) to our grandmothers: Guinness and stout (presumably in moderation) was good for pregnant women! To no ill effect (in moderation). Most research indicates that there is no risk if alcohol intake is less than 1.5 units a day.

HOWEVER It was a very serious mistake by the bar / restaurant. Customers could be on medication or treatment fir which alcohol- free is vital, a recovering alcoholic, the designated driver…plus it is your right to choose whether you drink any alcohol or not. I would follow up with an e mail to the management. It’s good that they were polite, and quickly realised their mistake … but ill trained bar / cafe staff killed someone in my neighbourhood by not properly washing a blender between different drinks (nut allergy).

They need to tighten up their practices.

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