Occasional glass of wine anyone? - Page 3

[Astraia]

I drank on my birthday, when I would have been.. uh... 5 weeks. I had 2 glasses of wine. My logic was that if SIL hadn't FORCED me to POAS, I wouldn't know i was pregnant and would've drank a lot more, so I would've done it anyway. Logic, I know... not always my strong point.

As it is, I drank in extreme moderation last pregnancy- a sip here and there, mostly becsue i didn't start reading up on alcohol and pregnancy and how overblown the FAS article is until my third tri, and I figured, "well, i made it this far!"

So I've had a glass of wine or a beer for special occasions- fathers day, celebrating the first night out to the IL's cottage, etc- and plan to continue as such the rest of the pregnancy.

While it is possible that one drink COULD harm your baby-- well, there's no proof of it. In fact there's lots of studies showing it very very very likely will not. If someone told me ONE spoonful of jam COULD harm my baby, I'd say, "come back with proof." Why is alcohol any different?

My husband has an adopted uncle with FAS. I know what it can do. I also know that his mother was a binge-drinking alcoholic. Which is why I'm not a binge-drinking alcoholic

[Usually Curious]

Originally Posted by marinak1977

Oh I am so happy that my body just naturally knows what to avoid. Fast food sounds so awful right now. I don't really feel like drinking either (even though I would have half a glass of wine otherwise) Also for some reason sushi grosses me out right now. Normally it's my favorite food!
So, it's lots of fruit and greek yoghurt, and for some reason burritos. Go figure.

Mmmmm, greek yogurt!

[KimL]

i do understand that americans are over-zealous about things like raw cheese and fish and liquer when pregnant. But, honestly, I did a paper on fetal alcohol syndrome waaaaay back in college. It is my understanding that even having two glasses of wine... even one... could cause problems. it's the luck of the draw... "is something major maturing/growing with fetus RIGHT THIS MINUTE while alcohol is passing in utero?" it's that easy and why take a chance? I was honored to abstain from drinking (and smoking and caffiene) while pregnant. it's the least i could do for the blessing of bringing a child into the world. as perfectly as I could.

[paxye]

The thing is that again there is no proof that a few drinks a week will have any negative effects, and there have even been studies that show that children born of women that have an occasional drink are better behaved and have a better vocabulary. I have even read and heard doctors say that it is best to say to quit altogether then to say that a few drinks is OK because women can't be trusted to moderate themselves.

Common sense is what is needed not alright bans without proof and fear mongering.

Pregnant women are scared of so many unnecessary things (sushi???) but then have no problems when it comes to doing tests or interventions that can be life threatening for the baby and the mom.

I haven't felt like drinking lately, but I may very well enjoy a glass of wine at my birthday, a glass of warm cider this fall, or a flute of champagne on new years... and I honestly won't think twice about it...

[KimL]

you know, then REALLY... why do we even bother to be concerned with the side affects of vaccines? or ultrasounds? really... why bother? There's a SLIM chance of a problem. Some cases reported... but really, why worry!

[paxye]

Well that is it... There are risks to pretty much everything depending on what research you look at, and what information you trust and somethings are done without thought to the risks because they are just not talked about in the mainstream or are just disregarded.

Some people are OK with the risks of vaccines, epidural, inducing labour, ultrasounds, doppler use, nitrates, food colouring, eating tuna, having an OB for a normal pregnancy, homebirth, UC, MJ, alcohol, coffee, honey etc... some people are not.

Most of the women on this thread believe the research that states that the occasional drink in pregnancy causes no harm.

[Usually Curious]

Sheesh, do you know what the risks are from amnio? And yet most preggos over 35 are clamoring for them!

[circuitsndaisies]

Originally Posted by Usually Curious

Sheesh, do you know what the risks are from amnio? And yet most preggos over 35 are clamoring for them!

Driving a car is pretty risky too, but most of us don't think twice about doing that when we're pregnant.

Perhaps that isn't the best comparison, but there are so many other "dangers" we could chose to focus on, but don't.

[kitteh]

I haven't done much research into vaccines since this is my first and I'm only 12 weeks along, but so far I'm ok with the slight risk of having an ultrasound, eating fish (even sushi, though I haven't eaten any yet, just coincidentally,) and small amounts of alcohol.

I think that worrying too much about every little thing would just stress me out all the time and I doubt that'd be good for the baby either.

[Bluegoat]

I have some small amounts of wine now and again, or beer, maybe a half glass. If I feel like it. I think the evidence that those amounts are bad for baby is pretty much non-existent. I feel that way about a lot of the food advice pregnant women get - around here they tell you not to eat soft cheese, even from pasteurized milk.

I think that there is much more evidence that things like pregnancy interventions can cause issues, although they also have a place and purpose. In a way, it seems to me the problem is much the same - taking an idea that has a certain validity and scope of use, and going way beyond that.

FWIW, I find a lot of talk about the dangers of vaccines overblown in the extreme, and I don't have a problem with the principle of vaccination. Perhaps I'm just a careless mom all round.

[gabeyho]

I have to admit to the occasional glass of wine or beer in all my pregnancies. I wait until after the first trimester, but in moderation I don't see how it can possibly cause any problems....I usually can't finish the whole thing anyway! And for the record, my kids are perfectly healthy geniuses!

[gabeyho]

much agreed

Originally Posted by paxye

The thing is that again there is no proof that a few drinks a week will have any negative effects, and there have even been studies that show that children born of women that have an occasional drink are better behaved and have a better vocabulary. I have even read and heard doctors say that it is best to say to quit altogether then to say that a few drinks is OK because women can't be trusted to moderate themselves.

Common sense is what is needed not alright bans without proof and fear mongering.

Pregnant women are scared of so many unnecessary things (sushi???) but then have no problems when it comes to doing tests or interventions that can be life threatening for the baby and the mom.

I haven't felt like drinking lately, but I may very well enjoy a glass of wine at my birthday, a glass of warm cider this fall, or a flute of champagne on new years... and I honestly won't think twice about it...

I have to agree with you on this one, and I eat MORE sushi (REAL sushi) when pregnant, than I do otherwise, because it is what I crave....Sushi, and chardonnay. mmmmm...now I'm hungry! :

And like I said, my kids are healthier than most who do the typical abstain from everything but dry toast and water. Conventional wisdom is no substitute for common sense.

[dillonandmarasmom]

I do. I have had a glass a couple of times each week for a while now. The CNM i saw first told me a glass every evening, especially red, was fine.

[rlmueller]

Lactivist Lushes

For us that indulge, there is a lactivist lushes Thread over in Lactivism

[ratrodgrl]

Originally Posted by gabeyho

I have to admit to the occasional glass of wine or beer in all my pregnancies. I wait until after the first trimester, but in moderation I don't see how it can possibly cause any problems....I usually can't finish the whole thing anyway! And for the record, my kids are perfectly healthy geniuses!

and no bias on your part, right?

I'm joining the drinking-in-moderation camp this time around. I think there are so many things that really are personal choice in pregnancy... there are risks in simply breathing the air, and I won't live my life in fear. Common sense, of course... I could barely drink 1/2 glass of wine at this point, and I wouldn't be finishing off a bottle on my own! But if I want some wine I'll have a bit. Ditto beer. I'm more leery of hard alcohol but not if I'm mixing my own drink and know exactly how much is in it. I guarantee you that Michelangelo's mom drank vino while pregnant... ditto many famous minds and talents of our recent past. I know Japanese women don't stop eating raw fish just because they're pregnant, and French women don't stop drinking wine (nor the Germans beer, I could go on & on). I'm a lot more relaxed this time around and having read the info on drinking I'm comfortable with the amount that I'm taking in.

Funny story... when pregnant with DS I refused some alcohol and my grandma looked at me in amazement. After I explained why, she said, "When I was pregnant with your mom & aunt they didn't tell us to cut any of that out so I continued to smoke and drink while pregnant!" I can verify that they were both big healthy babies, and smart normal (well, define normal) women. There's too much info & fear-mongering out now-adays.

[Kidzaplenty]

Well, I am seriously considering having some champain this week-end (though I don't really know what kind is good). I think our anniversary should be celebrated in style! And I won't be worrying about having a single drink.

There is more of a risk to the baby in the water I drink on a daily basis, the air I breath, and the fresh grown foods I buy from the grocery stores that are grown in soil watered and "airated" by the above stated polluted air and water, than having a drink now and then.

Now, if we lived in a perfect world with perfectly clean and healthy air and water, well, then the risks would be different, IMO.

[paxye]

Here is a great paper I just found...

It is long but a good read.

ABSTRACT

Since its discovery almost 30 years ago, the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has been characterized in the USA, as a major threat to public health. In part because FAS resonated with broader social concerns in the 1970s and 1980s about alcohol's deleterious effect on American society and about a perceived increase in child abuse and neglect, it quickly achieved prominence as a social problem. In this paper, we demonstrate that, as concern about this social problem escalated beyond the level warranted by the existing evidence, FAS took on the status of a moral panic. Through examples taken from both the biomedical literature and the media about drinking during pregnancy, we illustrate the evolution of this development, and we describe its implications, particularly how it has contributed to a vapid public policy response.

http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi.../35/3/276#SEC4

[annettemarie]

I've removed several posts from this thread.

Please keep a couple things in mind:
1. DDCs aren't "closed" forums; anyone is welcome to post.

2. That said, we expect ALL our members to post respectfully and without casting suspicion upon others.

Feel free to PM me with any questions or concerns.

Annette

[ratrodgrl]

Originally Posted by paxye

Here is a great paper I just found...

It is long but a good read.



http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi.../35/3/276#SEC4

thanks for the link, it is very informative. I'm curious to read the books listed at the bottom, which apparently quote the article or used it to some extent.

[misswerewolf]

this topic again...

I don't follow fear-mongering behavior or any kind of alarmism. Since my parents are immigrants from a more relaxed country, this may be why I'm very much into the concept of moderation. My partner is European, so his perspective on this stuff is relaxed as well.

So, yes, I drink wine during pregnancy. Bottom's up!