Alcohol in pregnancy

[goldlion]

But why risk it?

 

[Phexia]

Yeah, why? Do the benefits outweigh the risk?

 

[Linzi]

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?!

I agree with you Anita.

I had a LOT to drink before I knew I was pregnant because it was my 21st. I stopped immediately when I found out, and I have had maybe one glass of bucks fizz at Christmas with my family since. The same with smoking, I was on about 10-20 a day before I found out, now Ive stopped. But on the news this morning it said that the most amount of harm can be done in the first tri.

So if my baby is born with a problem, thats my fault is it?

Im not being funny at all with anyone, and I do see everyones opinions on this. I just think that if the government say 'one or two won't do any harm' why that shouldn't be true.

xxx

 

[tinytoes]

I agree with you Anita.

I had a LOT to drink before I knew I was pregnant because it was my 21st....on the news this morning it said that the most amount of harm can be done in the first tri.

So if my baby is born with a problem, thats my fault is it?

it's not about fault. But in that scenario I guess it would be your fault as you drank the alcohol, even without knowing you were pregnant. like if I fired a gun without knowing it was loaded, i'd still be the person who shot the guy walking past...?!?
I guess the whole mentality of alcohol needs addressing. Not necessarily about pregnancy, but it's how we treat alcohol. We abuse it. Most of us do. We drink to get drunk and not necessarily to enjoy the taste. it's a problem the UK has particularly. If we didnt binge we'd be in a better place.

But plenty of people do what you did and things end up fine..but thats not to say it's a good way. But for you individually theres clearly no point in worrying as what done is done. You can only deal with now and you're doing good.
I guess binging increases the risk of miscarriage as well as potential other affects?!

oooh get me getting all moral...hehehe, must be the motherly-ness brewing in me! haha
this poor baby...he'll have no chacne of going out getting drunk and rolling in at all hours and living teh life of riley (whO?! hehe) when he's a teenager!...I'm already becoming a dragon! haha

 

[anita665]

I also understand why some people think why risk it but then you can say that about loads of things that people do when pregnant which could possibly carry a risk. One example is binge eating & putting on too much weight which increases your risk of pre eclampsia but we seem to see it as acceptable and one of those things. It sounds silly but we are much more likely to end up in an accident having a day out but we don't stay at home just incase. For other people they feel why should pregnancy mean that you stop living and whats wrong with a little of what you feel like as long as there's no real evidence that there is a risk.

As long as people are making an informed decision I don't think it's fair to judge either way.

 

[Serene123]

I think you can judge someone for bringing harm to their baby in a number of ways. Drinking is one of them. There's no proof that it DOESN'T harm the baby.

 

[Karen23]

I agree with anita - there are lots of things that you could be doing that could potentially harm the baby but some are more acceptable than others. There are loads of chemicals out there in all the products we use / consume, from cosmetics to household cleaners to pesticides on our fruit and veg but how many people are avoiding all of them? There are no conclusive studies saying that for 100% definate they will never do any harm to your baby.
At the end of the day you have to do what is right for you and what you feel is right for your baby.
Interesting discussion though!

 

[Amanda]

This is obviously a very raw topic, and lots of people have very strong opinions about it. In the UK, they are advising NO alcohol in pregnancy, but only because of the very small minority who will abuse it if they say the odd glass is okay. Basically, they think we're all stupid here!!

Anyway, in my opinion, the odd drink is okay. After being pregnant during the hottest summer on record, I used to really look forward to my Friday afternoon down the pub. I would have 3 pints of lager shandy maximum. Really it was more like a third of a pint of lager, made up to a pint with lemonade, then loads of ice. YUM YUM! I probably had a pint over 4 hours. And this was once a week. It kept me sane!!

In the last month, I had a severe craving for gin and tonic. It was really really strong. I admit that then I did change my shandy to G&T, but it was one shot of gin with shedloads of ice and lemon, and topped up with tonic. I could easily have drank a whole bottle of gin - neat - but I didn't. I knew the risks, but the cravings were sooooo bad that I was unable to think about anything else!! I can still remember the feeling of stress relief when I took that first sip.

My opinion - don't shoot me for it!

And I think some of the other things that some women do while pregnant are a whole lot worse than the odd drink.

 

[anita665]

Yeah but theres no proof that loads of stuff doesn't harm your baby. With the amount alcohol has been studied they've not found any real evidence that it's harmful in small amounts.

Most people don't drink honestly think that they are harming their babies. They drink thinking a small amount won't hurt and we can't say for sure whether they're right or wrong.

I did drink in early pregnancy but only a very small amount thinking I wouldn't be keeping the baby anyway since OH was dead against it & now I don't drink at all because I know I personally would worry but the rational part of my mind still knows that the chances of it causing a problem are really tiny. I stay away from alcohol more for my own sanity! I tend to worry about everything.

I love debates like this.... need more stuff to debate!! It keeps me away from mindless activities like computer games!

 

[Ragirl]

I'm so glad this subject has come up! I've been having an internal debate with myself. My midwife told me one glass of wine, with dinner, once per week, was perfectly fine. It does no more harm (she said) than ultrasounds, diet sodas, gaining too much weight, and the long list of other things we do...basically, it does no harm. But when I had a glass at a family celebration a few weeks ago, my father went off on me!! So I've been struggling with the issue. On one hand, I really enjoy wine. I only ever (pg or not) have one glass with dinner, I LOVE the taste of it, and I almost never drink to get intoxicated. Yet the other part of me wonders, "Am I an alcoholic since I desire that one glass every now and then." My father said, as many of you, "Why take the risk?" What I have kind of come to is that I don't see it as a risk. For the many, many generations before, women occasionally drank when pg. Women in other countries still do. My midwife said it is fine. I know many women who would not give up chocolate for 9 months if told the little bit of caffeine in it might possibly cause harm to the baby, though there is no evidence it will. Wine, for me is no different. I enjoy taste. I miss it like some women would miss chocolate. I don't think this makes me some alcoholic or horrible mother. In the end, I do think women should decide for themselves and I think, in the end, it all balances out. There is some new research coming out that says ultrasounds could, maybe, cause problems. I don't know if that is true or not. But I figure, if I do have the occasional glass of wine but never get an ultrasound, my "risk" for harming my baby is no different than the woman who gets ultrasounds but doesn't drink wine. I feel pretty confident, both of our babies are going to be just fine and go to Harvard together

 

[Lizziepots]

I used to drink a bottle of wine a night after work so was truly a heavy drinker.
I am definitely in the one glass of wine won't hurt camp. I haven't touched a drop though. TBH I'd want the rest of the bottle!

 

[anita665]

I'm so glad this subject has come up! I've been having an internal debate with myself. My midwife told me one glass of wine, with dinner, once per week, was perfectly fine. It does no more harm (she said) than ultrasounds, diet sodas, gaining too much weight, and the long list of other things we do...basically, it does no harm. But when I had a glass at a family celebration a few weeks ago, my father went off on me!! So I've been struggling with the issue. On one hand, I really enjoy wine. I only ever (pg or not) have one glass with dinner, I LOVE the taste of it, and I almost never drink to get intoxicated. Yet the other part of me wonders, "Am I an alcoholic since I desire that one glass every now and then." My father said, as many of you, "Why take the risk?" What I have kind of come to is that I don't see it as a risk. For the many, many generations before, women occasionally drank when pg. Women in other countries still do. My midwife said it is fine. I know many women who would not give up chocolate for 9 months if told the little bit of caffeine in it might possibly cause harm to the baby, though there is no evidence it will. Wine, for me is no different. I enjoy taste. I miss it like some women would miss chocolate. I don't think this makes me some alcoholic or horrible mother. In the end, I do think women should decide for themselves and I think, in the end, it all balances out. There is some new research coming out that says ultrasounds could, maybe, cause problems. I don't know if that is true or not. But I figure, if I do have the occasional glass of wine but never get an ultrasound, my "risk" for harming my baby is no different than the woman who gets ultrasounds but doesn't drink wine. I feel pretty confident, both of our babies are going to be just fine and go to Harvard together

I don't think craving the odd glass of wine makes you an alcoholic. I have 2 alcoholic parents and used to really worry when I was in my teens if I got a craving for an alcoholic drink incase it meant I had a problem. Then one day I gave in to my craving for Baileys and had a bottle which lasted about 2 weeks. Thats how I knew I didn't have a problem. It was just a regular craving & then I moved onto the next which was probably something like cheese or apples.

 

[emmajane]

Ok - I seem to have opened a can of worms!! I didn't realise there was such a difference between different countries. I know new research comes out all the time, but in years gone by (maybe up to 10 yrs ago?) some alcohol such as Guinness or Stout was actually recommended by Drs.

 

[missjess]

Personally I don't think a glass of wine is worth risking the health/wellbeing of baby. Even though there are no proof of harming the baby, I wouldn't take any chances. What is 9 months compared to a lifetime ? You can't stay away from something that may be bad for your baby's life for 9 months? ...

But that's just my opinion. I wouldn't risk anything, I want whats best for my baby and 9 months without drinking a sip is a small price to pay to avoid unwanted risks.

 

[Linzi]

Ok - I seem to have opened a can of worms!! I didn't realise there was such a difference between different countries. I know new research comes out all the time, but in years gone by (maybe up to 10 yrs ago?) some alcohol such as Guinness or Stout was actually recommended by Drs.

Yup, my mum and a lady from work were told to drink 1/2 a Guiness each day to keep their Iron levels up Strange how it changes

I think it's so confusing because there keeps being different warnings sent out. If they had just said right from the start 'don't touch alochol while you're pregnant', then there wouldn't be so much confusion.

xxx

 

[Gabi]

I don't believe that any amount of alcohol during pregnancy is safe.
My mom drank while she was pregnant with me. Ok not alot but she had the occasional glass of wine. She told me it was safe and I said I couldn't care less. I've made my decision not to drink at all. I don't see why I should risk my baby's health by having a glass of wine with a meal.
And with the heartburn I'm suffering with I don't really want wine lol

 

[tinytoes]

I haven't touched a drop though. TBH I'd want the rest of the bottle!

heheh here here!

 

[darkheaven]

i think its all mad women have been having babys for yrs and the nots are getting bigger why do they all say stay in dont breath car fumes dont do nothing other wise we will scare u all so much that we will be able to head f uck u i think we have all got common sence we know whats ok for us lets just be big and brave and do what we think is right

 

[Serene123]

I think if you want to intoxicate your baby that's your business. I can't look at this thread anymore it gets me abit rattled.

 

[dreamcatcher]

lets all put this whole can/cant do thing in a little perspective. the human race has been about for a hell of a long time. most of this we did not know nothing about pregnancy apart from it take 9 cycles for that big silver thing in the sky to come and go then a small person comes out the woman( uuuug uggggg lmao).
am sure your average cave woman did not think oh am pregnant must stay away from raw meet and fish and as for shell fish that a big no no,,,through the many many many many years since that time yes our medical knowledge has grown immensely but every year almost every day something that was good for you is no longer and something that you should avoid is now great for you. so from our own history and what the human race has been through to get us this far i think we should learn this....if you fancy a glass of wine a ciggy some soft cheese some pate a soft boiled egg or whatever it may be that you crave just have a small amount it aint repeat AINT going to harm you or ya baby coz woman have been eating drinking and doing whatever the hell they wanted to for many more years than anyone knows and WE have survived.