Alcohol in pregnancy

[emmajane]

Hi all,

I have just watched on the news that NICE have now changed their guidelines about the amount of alcohol women should drink in pregnancy - to nothing. The whole thing is so confusing.
x

 

[Phexia]

What's confusing? You shouldn't drink while pregnant, period.

 

[emmajane]

First of all they say the evidence says a glass of wine is fine and now their argument is that as women are finding it confusing, they are going to say that we can't. I haven't had any drink, but I do think it is hard for those women who have thought it is ok.

 

[doctordeesmrs]

I didn't know that i thought that you were never allowed alcohol in pregnancy.

 

[Phexia]

There's a bit of cultural difference I think. Over here it's NOT consider ok to have one glass or any alcohol at all. Women who would be spotted drinking even small amounts while pregnant would have to deal with social services. This is not new evidence that even a small amount can harm the fetus.

 

[Carley]

But they have also proven red wine can be good for you in pregnancy...

 

[tinytoes]

in UK it was generally considered OK to have a small glass of alcohol once or twice a week. There is still no definate evidence as to the effects, if any, so I think they've agreed it's best to avoid it fully - especially in teh first tri.
I too havent had a drinke xcept the odd sip of my OH's wine to see if I'm missing out (I generally taste it and am happy to bne missing out, red wine really doesnt do it for me anymore....oooh but roll on the summer when I can have a nice cool glass of beer sitting in teh garden....I read that half a pint is 1 unit and it takes 2 hours the alcohol to be got rid of from beast milk. so I'll be timing or expressing!!!....so alcholo clears ata rate one one unit every two hours...but sint the milk made and stored?...i dont understand it all..best do some reading before baby arrives!!)

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Hey! Maybe there is a cultural difference but I think its up to the individual ok? I have had the odd glass of stout once a week which is packed full nutrients and iron and is so nice to chill out with after work as I have a very stressful job. I would never have more than one or two units a week though. My mum did the same with me and my sister and she is going to Cambridge next year and we turned out ok. The other thing to bear in mind is that professional advice always sways on the careful side in case of any professional negligence issues that arise at a later date especially after the thalidomide scandle. Women are intelligent enough to make up their own minds about it I dont like the nanny state telling me how to run my pregnancy.

 

[anita665]

The alcohol thing really annoys me because to say you can't have any scares those who may have has a few before knowing and also it's highly unlikely that a small amount of alcohol is going to do any harm. Of course peoples idea of 'small' varies though!

In the UK we are so over the top about being careful during pregnancy. It's like we want to be wrapped in cotton wool. You shouldn't eat runny egg yolks or bre and stay away from the evil stilton!! In reality it's stupid because the chances are so slim of getting ill. In other countries people would still have a glass of wine with a meal during pregnancy and not see it as a problem. In this country we are stupid with alcohol though and abuse it so see it as a bad thing but in other countries where there is less of a problem with that they'd see it as something not good for you, like chocolate so you shouldn't have too much but a little doesn't hurt.

 

[studentdad]

I also get really annoyed by the whole alcohol thing - there is no evidence that small amounts of alcohol infrequently causes any harm at all. Problems occur with the minority who binge drink and consistently drink lots of alcohol and I don't see how making the responsible majority feel guilty is going to change the behaviour of this minority. And to claim that women were confused by advice that they should limit themselves to 1-2 units 1-2 times a week is beyond patronising - do they think women lose the ability to think as soon as they become pregnant?

I completely agree that the state and other similar nazi-like agencies should butt out of pregnancy - it is an individual thing. That whole list of foods women should avoid really annoys me - does anyone know the risk of getting salmonella from runny eggs in the UK? Practically zero. The risk of getting hit by a car on the way to the supermarket to buy the folic acid is hundreds of times higher. Maybe we should just lock pregnant women up in a padded cell for 9 months.

Ok, rant over, I just get so annoyed when the government sticks its nose in and makes responsible intelligent people feel guilty

 

[Phexia]

I'm sorry but it's not true, small amounts can be harmful.

 

[Linzi]

I also get really annoyed by the whole alcohol thing - there is no evidence that small amounts of alcohol infrequently causes any harm at all. Problems occur with the minority who binge drink and consistently drink lots of alcohol and I don't see how making the responsible majority feel guilty is going to change the behaviour of this minority. And to claim that women were confused by advice that they should limit themselves to 1-2 units 1-2 times a week is beyond patronising - do they think women lose the ability to think as soon as they become pregnant?

I completely agree that the state and other similar nazi-like agencies should butt out of pregnancy - it is an individual thing. That whole list of foods women should avoid really annoys me - does anyone know the risk of getting salmonella from runny eggs in the UK? Practically zero. The risk of getting hit by a car on the way to the supermarket to buy the folic acid is hundreds of times higher. Maybe we should just lock pregnant women up in a padded cell for 9 months.

Ok, rant over, I just get so annoyed when the government sticks its nose in and makes responsible intelligent people feel guilty

I 100% agree with you.

I wont start ranting about it, because I wont be able to stop.

xxx

 

[Linzi]

I'm sorry but it's not true, small amounts can be harmful.

How do you know? Our government and health agencies in the UK are telling us that there is no evidence whatsoever. Im sure if ANYONE anywhere in the world had proved otherwise that we would be told about it?

xxx

 

[tinytoes]

alcohol kills of adults brain cells...so why not baby ones!? I figure that if I dont need it then i'll avoid it.

Alcohol is a drug. I'm avoiding all drugs. Legal, prescription or otherwise. Just in case.

 

[Phexia]

There are years since our medical director of health warned about alcohol consumption during pregnancy, I think it was in 2002. Although we live in the middle of nowhere we're just a regular european country and I'm sure he has legitimate reasons and some proven research on the matter. I have no idea why the difference between countries.

In fact the medical director of health says that small amounts can harm the fetus because the alcohol travels through the placenta and the baby's organs arent developed enough to process it. He says that evidence point to the fact that although small amounts of alcohol won't cause significant damage like fetal alcohol syndrome there are some behavioural and learning problems associated with it.

I don't understand why anyone would risk that when you can just lay off the alcohol for 9 months, it shouldn't be that hard. I mean if you just google it you see that either it's not reccommended or "unknown effects" Why risk it?

 

[goldlion]

I'd rather just stay away from alcohol completely. I don't know what affect it will have on my child, whether it be good or bad, and I'd rather not compromise my baby because I needed a glass of wine. I can wait until she's born.

 

[Karen23]

I think that the government isnt really helping itself (or us) by making these new statements every few months or so.
I think it is a personal thing when it comes to very very moderate drinking, especially given the conflicting advice. I know in France for example drinking when pregnant is seen as dreadful - all the bottles of alcohol have a picture of a pregnant lady drinking with a cross through it.
I'm not drinking at all as i figure that i shouldnt risk it. if you have been drinking then i dont think you should beat yourself up about it as the chances are you'll be ok.
I think the key thing to understand (as far as i think anyway) is the terminology they use. "there is no evidence of harm" is very different to "there is evidence of no harm". As they cant do experiments on pregnant ladies, the former rather than the latter statement will always apply. it would be equally true to say that "there is no evidence of no harm". Even when they do collate data through surveys and the like, because the conditions cant be controlled and there may be other environmental or genetic factors influencing the results you could never say 100% what the effect of small amounts of alcohol (or any other toxin really) is.
I know lots of women who drank the odd glass of wine (as in about one a week) and lots who stayed teetotal and none of them have had any problems with their babies.
Anyway, just my ten pennies worth!!

 

[Serene123]

Why would you even want to drink when pregnant?
I feel the same about smoking.
If there's any chance you're going to harm your baby atall, why do it?
My opinion. No need to jump on me about it..

 

[oOKayOo]

I think its all out of porportion, drinking the odd glass of wine (a small glass) say when you go out for a nice meal or something through out the whole nine months wont do anything,

My mum , mums mum etc all said they have had the odd glass of wine with there meal when they were pregnant, and it so silly how the new times what you can and can not do are being put out. I had a couple of sips of champange on new years to celebrate. Nothing will happen.

Even people that are dependent on alcohol can have children with NOTHING wrong with them... sort of says something doesnt it?? It can happen of course but only when you continue drinking heavily and even then some people give birth to healthy children. A small glass of wine or two through out nine months wont do anything. Otherwise why do the guidelines change, one min its so many units a week then none then one glass i mean come on....

This is my opinion no jumping down my throat

 

[anita665]

I think it's up to the individual whether they drink a small amount & other people shouldn't make women feel bad for their choice. Some women avoid prescription drugs too and want a natural birth but not everyone is the same.

To me personally it seems really over the top to go cutting out completely every little thing which could possibly harm your baby with no proof that it really will. In fact it's very unlikely.

I'm not saying at all that I agree that women should drink a lot though. Obviously a lot of alcohol & regular drinking is very risky a glass of beer or wine every few weeks isn't likely to be a problem. Where is the proof that even a small amount of alcohol can be a problem?! A baby may be born with a problem but if the mother has had only a really small amount of alcohol how can you say that is for sure that is the cause?!