"Drinking in pregnancy" poll « Back to Group Discussions

[travelmumma]

Hey Mummas, 

Thought I would start a quick poll. Will you be drinking this pregnancy?

Feel free to add a comment too if you like!

[nhklh]

I don't usually drink alcohol anyway.

[kawa kamuri]

I crave margaritas bigtime and may or may not have about half of one. 

[tropicana74]

I just play it by ear. Definitely nothing in the first trimester! With pregnancy #1 I did have a 1/2 margarita the week before my due date. I don't remember drinking anything with #2 except a few O'Doul's (non-alcoholic beer) that someone had given DH as a gag gift. I don't remember drinking anything else.

I did have a taster...about a 1/4 of a glass (maybe less) of wine with dinner the other night. I could really take it or leave it.....

On a side note, I have read a lot of HB birth stories recently where the MW told the mom to have a shot of liquor (to relax) and go to bed or take a bath....

[Mamabeakley]

I don't drink at all anyway.  My body is pretty sensitive to substances (meds, caffeine) so the one time in my life I drank a few sips of wine I went right to sleep and I figure I can go to sleep all by myself.    Also, there are substance abuse issues in my family and I'd rather avoid exposing my babies to anything potentially addictive through my body, even though I don't seem to be an addictive personality at all.

[kel]

I normally drink red wine pretty often, but really have no trouble giving it up for pregnancy - I don't crave it or anything.  Summer drinks like margaritas, etc - yum.  But I never drink at all during the 1st/2nd trimesters - beyond an occasional, oh that looks good - can I have a sip of yours, sort of thing.  3rd trimester - way toward the end - I have on occasion had a half of a cider or something.  And after the birth - celebratory champagne. 

[esp831]

Hehe, I'm an "other."  I have had a teensy sip of DH's beer maybe twice this pregnancy, because it sounds so yummy.  But then once I taste it, it's not so yummy.  I always thought I would be open to a little wine once or twice in late pregnancy, but it doesn't sound good at all so I've never had it while pregnant.  I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for having a little nip here and there, but it just doesn't sound/taste good to me.  When I'm not pregnant or nursing, I definitely enjoy a couple of drinks a week.

[Anyitara]

I'm not much of a drinker anyway, just a glass or two of wine on special occasions, so it's been pretty easy for me not to drink.  Not at all sure what to do with that bottle of white in the pantry, though!

[hotsauce]

Eh, I think people are way too paranoid about this sort of thing.  I'm normally a pretty heavy drinker.  Glasses of wine almost every day and I also enjoy dark beers and a dirty martini or whiskey on the rocks a few times a week.  I have had one stout beer this pregnancy and about 3 oz. of red wine sipped over a two hour period at a Taj Mahal show.  I will be having a glass of red if I feel like it from here on out.  Everything I've read, namely the 2006 study done by the British whatever of gynocology and obstetrics which concluded that moderate amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy had NO affects on children (they followed the kids until they were 5 years old), has caused me to think we're just super uptight about this and it's really ok in moderation.  BTW, 'moderate' according to the study was SEVEN units of alcohol a week, or seven small glasses of wine a week.  My midwife is totally cool with it, even suggesting its relaxation benefits outweigh the stress and anxiety we mamas feel about, oh, pretty much everything during pregnancy.  I just tend to think our cultures attitudes about this are pretty ridiculous when no pregnant woman I've ever known has fretted as much about the blue dye in that sour candy she's been eating by the bag, or ultrasounds scrambling the fetus' cells, or hormones in their beef/dairy, or really anything else for that matter.  What about all the crap medications people take or even prescriptions they need to take that may not be 100% 'safe'?  In Japan the rule of thumb is no more than three beers a day, here in America you'd get severe judgement from a waiter for ordering a glass of malbec with dinner (even though, technically, it is illegal to refuse alcohol to a pregnant woman).  I had maybe three glasses of wine when pregnant with my son but that was before I had done my research.  This go round, I'll be more open-minded and reasonable.  I know what moderation is and isn't, and I tend to agree with my midwife.  When faced with hip pains, back pain, and insomnia I think a small glass might be just the right medicine.  

[TheDivineMrsM]

I had sips of wine with DD and had 3/4 of a glass when I was pg on Thanksgiving. She was born 3 days later. I may have a sip or two this time, but I can live without it until the baby arrives. 

What I really miss is SUSHI!

[cieloazul]

I have 7+ years of recovery, so that's a "no" for me. I do use alcoholic preparations in ritual and for healing, like communion and tinctures. I would be open to having a sip of something during labor to relax. And I plan to include dark beer in my galactagogue toolkit after baby is born. Gosh maybe I should have voted "other"!

[kaleiskind]

I've never been a big drinker, anyway. Mostly just holidays and vacations, and I haven't really wanted it, but I might have a sip or two around the holidays, if I'm feeling like it. What I really want right now is a giant cup of coffee. I know I can have a small cup, but it's been so long I'm afraid I'd be climbing up the walls after my first few sips.

[mamadiamond]

i drank in 2nd and 3rd trimesters with dd, and will again this time. only one glass of wine or one beer, and only once a week. i crave beer big time when pregnant....it's probably the hardest thing for me to (mostly) give up out of all the no-no foods and drinks.

[sunseeker]

I drink a little, like a half glass of wine with dinner, not every night. I agree with hotsauce - in the US, this has gotten to be a huge issue, far bigger than the research available backs up. Clearly, no woman should drink heavily while pregnant, but as far as research, nothing indicates that small amounts now and then cause a problem. And pregnant women are the target of such criticism and restriction. I drank very lightly during my two other pregnancies, no problems resulted. I also drink coffee in the morning :)

[kel]

I think it's like anything - you just have to make informed decisions and practice in moderation.  I don't feel the need to drink, so to me it's just kind of like, why take the chance.  Soft cheeses on the other hand;)  As far as drinking goes, I think for the most part the warnings are a good thing - for women who would normally be drinking a lot, for teens - and just as a general reminder that what we put into our bodies when we're pregnant matters.  Fetal alcohol syndrome is real and it is 20xs more common in the United States than in any other country.  But it happens from heavy drinking - that's been proven.   

[tropicana74]

Originally Posted by TheDivineMrsM 

What I really miss is SUSHI!

AMEN! Here too! I actually can't stop thinking about it. I told DH we probably need to go out for sushi and I can at least have the rolls with no raw fish. I figure maybe just the seaweed, rice and wasabi crunching around in my mouth may help my craving...maybe?!

[junebug1]

i read the first posts in this thread earlier this morning...and have been craving a margarita ever since!

[kel]

tropicana - We went out for sushi last night - yummy!  I just got the ones without raw fish.  Still pretty satisfying! 

[kaleiskind]

I had sushi for lunch today--cucumber rolls and inari. I also love sweet potato tempura rolls. I'm still full, which is saying a lot these days!

[tropicana74]

Aaaaah, you girls are killing me! We are definitely going to do sushi this weekend!