any alcohol?

Hey there,

I haven't drank anything this whole pregnancy that had alcohol in it, I only had a couple of beers every month prior to this anyway, so I've never been a big drinker.

My question is, what's the go with drinking in pregnancy these days?

When I was last pregnant, the occaisonal drink was considered okay...I had 3 beers during that pregnancy for celebration at some point or another, but only in 2nd and third trimester, and only 3 the WHOLE pregnancy spread out by months, and they were only light beer (low alcohol).

So, on Christmas day...is it safe for the baby for me to have one light beer? I can't seem to find a straight answer on this anywhere on the internet and since so much has changed in regards to listeria etc, since I was last pg, I'm wondering if now they say no alcohol at all now?

I can live without my christmas beer, same as my christmas ham and prawn ****tails.
Anyone have any ideas on what the standards are these days?

Some will say no to any alcohol but me i would say one wouldn't hurt.
Last night i had a glass of wine mixed with lemonade it was so nice.

I think it's okay as long as your not going to go and drink too much.

Go for it. Alcohol is good for the mother - it encourages mild relaxation, lower stress levels and is good for your heart. That's just one small drink though!

25 years ago, there was so little female binge-drinking that no-one banned alcohol from mothers. Now, people don't have a drink, they go out to get drunk, so that's why the blanket ban occured. If you drink sensibly then there's not a problem with a very occasional small drink (from one of the few times I take in and obey to the letter what the midwives tell me!).

Caro, glad to know I'm not the only one craving it - I really, really want the odd beer or white wine, but DH won't let me! Won't even keep it in the house just in case (unless he wants it, then it's out to the shops). I was beginning to wonder if I was an alcoholic, especially seeing how much alcohol we have in the house just sitting there (very strong home-brew wine, which I'm only having tiny sips of when DH wants some) now I'm not drinking - I told DH that the rosehip wouldn't last past August, but we still have over a dozen bottles in the house. And nine gallons of plum and bramble (two different wines) ready to go when this one comes out...

I stayed away from it entirely... but that's me :) I haven't had a drink since July 2005! LOL. I actually don't know the facts and figures on how much is "allowed" as I had decided I wasn't going to have any.. pre-pg/pg/breastfeeding.

If you can live without it, then you might as well go without :)

Sod it! I will certainly be having a drink on Christmas Day. I have never had more than 2 in one evening (light beer or SMALL glass of wine) and never more than 3 evenings in a week. I found the best thing to do to stretch it out over the evening is to drink a shandy, half beer, half lemonade and then you can enjoy all evening without having too much.

If you feel bad about it then don't do it but I think it would be fine. I'm sure I even read somewhere that drinking Guiness whilst pregnant is good for you and the baby! That might just be the drunken Irish side of my family though!!!

My reasoning was that if I can't drink alcohol while b/f.. surely it's more important when the baby is entirely dependant and attached to you inside and developing. But once again - that's just me. LOL.

I wasn't overly paranoid with my intake of anythign during pg, it's just that caffeine and alcohol I was happy to give up entirely. Some people can't do without the odd coffee or drink, so each to their own :)

I've had half a glass of champagne each of the last two Fridays, but that's all so far. This past Friday, I REALLY wanted it and actually felt fantastic after I had it, but I wouldn't have more than a glass of wine.

I'm surprised at how much I have NOT wanted wine throughout the pregnancy since I was a pretty big wine drinker before TTC (at least a bottle, usually two, a week). Until last Friday I hadn't missed it at all.

Tara, when i was pg with Kimberley i didn't know until 13wks before i found out i had drunk wine, eaten brie and blue vein cheese and even been on a roller coaster and other rides at disney world in Paris. Kimberley turned out just fine.

I've stayed right away from it. There was an ad on tv in Adelaide saying 'there is no safe amount during pregnancy'- I think that really stuck with me. But it's everyone's choice :)

I was already 13-14 weeks pg when i found i was pg with Mya. I had been down at a 2 day music festival a couple of weeks b4 i found out,so i had my fair share of drinks that w/e. I also liked to have a few drink on the w/e & stuff. Mya turned out just fine. But i stopped as soon as i found out. Not entirely, i admit i had a few glasses of wine here & there throughout the pg, never more than 1 or 2 tho.
This time round, i really crave beer every now & then(especially in this heat). So i usually have 1-2 shandy's made with light beer. 1 stubby makes like 2 shandy's maybe even 3. Usually after 1 my cravings fulfilled & i give the rest of the stubby to DF.
I will be having a glass of wine or a shandy on christmas day

My obstetrician said one glass of wine every 2 weeks is fine. personally I didn't drink any till I was 30 weeks with the first one, and then I had about one a week from then on. I was admitted to hospital a week early with high blood pressure, and we were allowed wine and beer with dinner, so it can't be that bad near the end of pregnancy if they give it to you in the hospital!

Go the shandy! Love the shandy ... I drink it in summer anyhows, so won't be stopping on Xmas day. But then again my BIL and SIL are a heart surgeon / GP so I'll just check with them (more for the politics than anything).

If you're really craving wine, there's a really scrummy "sparkling grape juice" in woolies that's almost as good as sparkling shiraz.

I've been told alcohol in small quantities is ok, so a light beer on Xmas day would probably be just fine. But then I have also read any alcohol at all is BAD.
I havent had any alcohol at all during my pregnancy.

Before i found out i was pregi with bubs when had a pretty cheerfull bday party for kidlet 3# and i must admit i felt pretty bad when the test came back postive but ob laid my fears to reast and said alot of woman do drink alot before finding that they are pregi so not to fear to much he also said that alcohol is a problem for bubs when it is consistently in your system so one light drink every now and them if fine but only 2nd and 3rd trimester. I tell ya if it wasnt for a crown shandy i would be a mess and on chrisi day there's know way it wont go by with out one.
Merry Christmas to all

Kittykat

Tara - the odd drink during pregnancy is fine. There has been recent research that has prompted people to say that you shouldn't drink ANY alcohol during pregnancy however this research is not highly regarded by most people in the alcohol and other drugs field. So, on Christmas Day, relax and have that light beer!

MG

Since i've entered the 2nd trimester i've had an occasional half a glass of wine or a couple of shandies. I did the same in my last preg and Ella turned out fine. I do find that i do not have the desire to drink more than a small glass though as i get a bit dehydrated so i take that as a sign to stop.

One or two drinks a week/fortnight (after 1st tri) should be fine. My PIL are from Malta and they said that it is considered normal for woman to have a glass of wine with dinner and babies turn out fine.

The icecubes is a good suggestion for watering wine down. Enjoy your Christmas drink ;)

I didnt know I was preg with Maddy til about 15wks & Alcohol wasnt the only substance I had indulged in most days!!!
There were many a time out partying not getting home for 72 odd hours!
When I rewturned to OZ & told my OB, he said many babies are conceived over Christmas/New Years when Many persons are blind drunk & so not to worry...

With Indah I'd have a beer every now & then, but maybe 2 or so nights a week & so far I have had half a glass of Champagne last Sunday & a light beer coz my body literally craved it when i had bad M/S...


I am certainly not saying go fourth & get blind.... To each their own & it's entirely your choice!

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With BF you can drink so long as you express and throw it out after so its fresh for the baby

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Shame you can't throw out what's going through the placenta tho huh.