Drinking while Pregnant

[ShanandBoc]

I would never take the risk. Not even a drop of alcohol passed my lips when i was pregnant

 

[bumpy_j]

I had the very occasional small drink/shandy, I personally didn't feel like I was taking a risk

 

[JASMAK]

In Canada, we are taught that no amount of alcohol is safe, and so I would be disgusted to see a preggy lady drinking any at all, based on the standards here.

 

[Twister]

I won't drink at all when i'm pregnant, just for my own piece of mind really.

If other people want to have the occasional glass of wine on special occasions or something whilst pregnant then it's up to them as long as it's not in excess.

 

[ShanandBoc]

If other people want to have the occasional glass of wine on special occasions or something whilst pregnant then it's up to them as long as it's not in excess.

But see thats the problem, the line of what is excess is very blurred and whats not excess for the mum can be excess for a fetus, therefore this is why many health professionals all over the world are saying NO amount is a safe amount which suggests any amount could be a potential risk

 

[nosocks]

I'm not ashamed to say that I had the occasional spritzer or shandy throughout my pregnancy. My decision to do that was on the recommended guidelines I have read and the experiences and advice of my friends and family.
I completely respect those who decide to not drink at all.

With different advice and guidelines I think it is very difficult to make the 'right' decision. But no doubt we all agree more than 1 drink, or getting tipsy or drunk, or drinking regularly is completely wrong with evidence to prove it.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I guess I don't understand how hard it would be just to abstain for nine months from drinking?

 

[nosocks]

I wouldn't have found it hard to abstain. I gave up smoking the moment I found out I was pregnant. I just chose not to abstain completely because from the guidelines I have read and the advice and experience from friends and family I made my own informed decision which I will go by with my next pregnancy.

 

[marley2580]

I also have a glass of wine every now and again. I could abstain easily but I choose not to. The placenta is designed to filter out toxins etc, and (assuming it's not overloaded by too much alcohol) should stop the tiny amount of alcohol reaching the baby. I sometimes wonder how on earth the human race survived before all these warnings - it wasn't that long ago that pregnant women were advised to drink Guinness in order to get the iron.

 

[Meredith2010]

I wouldn't have found it hard to abstain. I gave up smoking the moment I found out I was pregnant. I just chose not to abstain completely because from the guidelines I have read and the advice and experience from friends and family I made my own informed decision which I will go by with my next pregnancy.

As above - I gave up smoking the day I found out I was pregnant, and could easily not drink for 9 months if I wanted to. I just don't see the need to abstain when official guildelines and authorities say that the odd glass of wine is perfectly safe and drinking within the limits has never caused a baby to be harmed according to all research done to date.

It is comparable to consuming caffeine during pregnancy - above a certain limit it has been categorically proven to increase the risk of still births and miscarriages, therefore people are recommended to limit their intake and keep within the proven "safe" amounts which is what the majority of people do. There are not many people who abstain from any caffeine whatsoever (no chocolate for 9 months?!), people just keep to the recommended amounts and feel safe doing so. There isn't a big outcry when people admit to have the odd cup of coffee or bar of chocolate - keeping within the limits negates the risk.

 

[JASMAK]

all do respect caffiene (although I did abstain from it) does not cause defects, learning dissabilities so severe that a person can NEVER learn to use the toilet independently or get a job, live on their own. I am just saying...I don't agree with the comparison.

 

[midori1999]

I don't understand the risk at all. It's just nine months! Surely people can sustain enough willpower not to drink for nine months!

I would imagine that most people do have the willpower not to drink alcohol at all during pregnancy, but when evidence suggests small amount are safe, they may not feel they need to.

Just like evidence suggests drinking small amount of alcohol whilst breastfeeding is considered safe. Some people choose not to drink while BF, others are happy to have one or two drinks.

Are the two things really that different?

 

[nosocks]

I know that caffeine and alcohol aren't on the same level.... But it kind of is the same principle. There are guidelines for both and different women will act differently in relation to them. I guess like eating blue cheese, eating sushi- etc. Some people will- others won't.

 

[cat lover]

I have to say I had one small drink on special occasions

 

[tallybee]

all do respect caffiene (although I did abstain from it) does not cause defects, learning dissabilities so severe that a person can NEVER learn to use the toilet independently or get a job, live on their own. I am just saying...I don't agree with the comparison.

The comparison is valid, taking into consideration that

Pregnant women who drank eight or more cups of coffee a day had more than twice the risk of stillbirth compared with women who did not drink coffee during pregnancy

from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC149440/?tool=pmcentrez

In other words moderation is fine, excess is not in the cases of both caffeine and alcohol.

I appreciate this is an emotive topic. Everyone has their firm opinion which is not going to change, respect for each other's views is the way forward

For the record, I did drink alcohol, very sparingly, during pregnancy. I believe the research that says there is no risk at such a low level.

 

[JASMAK]

Those guidelines are not what we go by here in Canada. Obviously everyone is going to do what their doctor recommends, and I think that is the best advice. So, for me, that would be none at all.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

No I did not drink in my last pregnancy and I will not drink in this one either. I am trying to give my baby the best possible head start to life and to me part of that is avoiding any subtsances that can be harmful and that I don't need like smoking and drinking. My baby has everything I have therefore I would feel guilty for passing alcohol from me to the baby. I wouldn't give my newborn it so I won't expose them to it in the womb. Yes I know I eat food and you wouldn't giev that to a newborn etc but I need that for nutriton, drinking isn't a need it's a want. I also find it very easy not to drink, 9 months without alcohol to me doesn't seem that hard although I do appreciate that some women enjoy a drink more than I nessicarly do x

 

[ShanandBoc]

Congrats on ur pregnancy Heather x

 

[Lauraxamy]

One or two drinks while pregnant I wouldn't consider bad, it's upto the individual. However I never drank with either of my pregnancies, I was pregnant for my bday and xmas with my first pregnancy but still didn't feel the need to drink To me a glass of alcohol that I get nothing from was just not worth the risk of harming my beautiful baby.

 

[feeble]

no, i find it hard to have just one out on a night so i am avoiding those nights x