Drinking alcohol during pregnancy

simu

What are people's thoughts on this? All the advice I've received (consultant, GP, websites) has been to stay off it completely and so I have. However, I was looking at a discussion on the topic on another Irish parenting/pregnancy board based on last night's Prime Time (I didn't see that show but afaik it came out pretty strongly against the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women too) and was amazed that most of the posters were still convincing themselves that a glass or two of wine a week didn't matter. So, what's up with that? Is it that the medical staff I've had contact with are overly fussy or that many people just will not give up all drink, no matter what? (I mean ,these posters are not alcoholics or anything, just moderate drinkers). Is this an Irish thing? Any ideas what the attitude is in other countries?

Just wondering!

Ickle Magoo

AFAIK there is no safe limit as no pregnant woman is prepared to enter into testing to see how much alcohol it takes to start causing problems....we know there is such a thing as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome that babies of alcoholics are often born with, so we know alcohol isn't good for babies in any kind of large quantity but without a "safe" level to give, modern opinion is that nothing is best.....lots of woman still go with the older adage of everything in moderation or a small amount won't hurt.....there seems to be a split in opinion as to what damage the odd glass of wine would do, if any.....:)

Crucifix

Better safe than sorry I say. Maybe a glass of wine or two wouldn't do any harm, but that's quite a risk for the sake of getting a buzz going.

crosstownk

AFAIK alcohol passes through the placenta so the developing baby will be exposed to any alocohol consumed. Lots of women I know indulge in a glass of wine with a meal which probably isn't of any harm. But others (my pregnant wife included) won't touch a drop (saves a fortune in taxi fares!).

It's better to be safe than sorry and stay away from it. Not worth it given the possible consequences.

run_Forrest_run

I'm inclined to say better safe than sorry also. My partner didn't touch a drop for the pregnancy (and hasn't really wished to touch a drop since then either). However I do know some people who mention it to me that a glass or two a week is alright, personally I feel they are only saying this as a means to gauge your reaction..they basically want to feel it is OK to do it...I say nothing of course, I am no expert, leave people do as they wish, as long as one is sure it does not harm the little one inside... that's why I say better safe than sorry.

simu

I agree with better safe than sorry.

Well, it pisses me off that people are unwilling to forgo alcohol for a few months. Sure, in most cases the kids will turn out fine but better to reduce risks as much as possible. People are far too relaxed about drink in this country at times. I've had a fair few people encouraging me to have "just one little glass" and it annoys me.

^^^

Zomg! I'm turning into one of those parents.

Sleipnir

Be sure you don't go outside as the carbon monoxide you breath in will also pass through the placenta to the foetus. Better safe than sorry!

A glass of wine once a week will have a negligible effect on the foetus in my opinion. About as much effect as it would have on the adult.

Nevyn

Yes there are owmen who drink and smoke while pregnant,
yes there are those who have the rare drink a glass now and then.
Is it a good idea ?
Personally I think not, yes there are lots of toxins out there but you don't have
to put them in your body and you should consider the medical advise about what is best for you and the baby while pregnant.

simu

Sleipnir wrote:

Be sure you don't go outside as the carbon monoxide you breath in will also pass through the placenta to the foetus. Better safe than sorry!

A glass of wine once a week will have a negligible effect on the foetus in my opinion. About as much effect as it would have on the adult.

Well, it's possible to avoid alcohol quite easily - not so with air.

scrattletrap

When I was pregnant with my first nine years ago the antenatal nurse said that it was fine even beneficial to have a glass of red wine a week but since she was an elderly nun I took no notice of her and stayed well clear.

Crea

I was getting my hair done while pregnant and the hairdresser asked if I was going out. I said no as I couldn't drink and she said "But you can drink cider when you're pregnant". Hmmmm.
At Christmas my father in law was offering me drink. "A few whiskey's won't do any harm":eek:

How big is a glass of wine? In my house it's about 3 units!!

The_Minister

I think a study recently came out that indicated that any alcohol at all was bad. I'd play it safe (or at least have my girlfriend do it)

embee

I abstained completely from alcohol when I was pregnant, and it certainly wasn't difficult. If anything, I'm not interested in drinking anymore at all, even though my daughters 3 months old.

Better to be safe than sorry is the best way to go.... Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is a horrible legacy to leave your child.

run_Forrest_run

Sleipnir wrote:

Be sure you don't go outside as the carbon monoxide you breath in will also pass through the placenta to the foetus. Better safe than sorry!

A glass of wine once a week will have a negligible effect on the foetus in my opinion. About as much effect as it would have on the adult.

The difference is adults have the choice to take a drink but the unborn child does not have that luxury so some selflessness is required...but not a trait held by all adults obviously....now back into my oxygen tent!

run_Forrest_run

embee wrote:

I abstained completely from alcohol when I was pregnant, and it certainly wasn't difficult. If anything, I'm not interested in drinking anymore at all, even though my daughters 3 months old.

My girlfriend is the same, she was off alcohol throughout the pregnancy and now the babs is 4 months old and my girlfriend has hardly any interest in drink...me also...but that's because a crying baby at 6 in the morning with a hangover doesn't mix...so I just don't bother drinkin really!

Talliesin

Sleipnir wrote:

A glass of wine once a week will have a negligible effect on the foetus in my opinion. About as much effect as it would have on the adult.

Of course alcohol will not have the same effect on a foetus with a developping brain, thyroid and liver as it will have on fully-grown adult. Alcohol is a chemical not a magic elixir, and the effects are a matter of chemistry and biology, not morality or mental equilibrium. Just size alone means the effects would differ (this foetus is small, this fully-grown adult is far away...)

Studies do suggest that around one or two drinks a week would have neglible effects, especially after the first trimester. It has even been suggested that very small amounts of alcohol will not pass through to the foetus, however there is little that is conclusive, and most experts' advice remains that abstaining from alcohol is probably the safest course.

FAS is a different thing to merely negative effects of alcohol. FAS is only found when mothers drink lots of alcohol during the first trimester, and hence generally only found amongst alcoholic mothers who find it hard to stop drinking heavily, or women who are at the very least drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol when they don't know they are pregnant. The rates then to be less than 1 per 10,000 live births, though in some areas (some Indian Reservations in the US for example) with wide-spread alcoholism the rates can be higher.

FAS and alcohol-induced miscarriage aren't risks with drinking a couple of glasses of wine or a few beers, but rather such light drinking may have a subtler negative effect on the development of the child.

fobs

When pregnant on both my pregnacies I did have a glass of wine with a meal in the last month or two and my consultant advised a glass of wine at the last weeks weeks would be relaxing and also beneficial and said the odd glass of wine was no harm. I didn't usually bother with having any but did have the odd one at a meal out (again this would be rare).
I think we are bombarded by studies for/against most items we consume so would not be overly concerned over the odd glass of wine with food during pregnancy bt everyone needs to decide for themselves!

tred

See the issue with Alchohol aswell is that everyone has a different tollerance and dependng on your matabolism and how you break it down. My wife had a rare occasional glass at the end. And sometimes she wouldnt finish it. Our son is fine and healthy thank god. I cant understand anyone that smokes during a pregnancy. Breathing in toxins and passing them direct to the unborn child is shocking. I know of 2 young mothers, where there kids are abot 11 now, and both of them drank and smoked during pregnancy, both babies were very jaundicy when born for starters which can happen I know. One has had some slight learning disablitys that have come to light since school. We cant say it was down to the boozing and smoking, but I notice they never mentioned it and see theytry and forget they did that. I mean nightclubbing ever weekend solid during most of pregnancy.
I also think there is an amazing difference between ten years ago and today. there is way more access to information through the web and TV than there was ten years ago. The amount of times my wife went to the web to check up on stuff. And she got much better information than she would frmo parents who forget a lot about their own experinces!

simu

tred wrote:

The amount of times my wife went to the web to check up on stuff. And she got much better information than she would frmo parents who forget a lot about their own experinces!

Indeed. I don't know what I would have done without "Dr. Google" tbh!

mell61

Sometimes its a wonder we got out of the womb alive with the drinking and smoking our mums managed, in the days before statistics and Google

Torak

mell61 wrote:

Sometimes its a wonder we got out of the womb alive with the drinking and smoking our mums managed, in the days before statistics and Google

yeah.. because women used to hammer back the alcohol in the Good old days... :rolleyes:

In fairness, its difficult to judge without figures, but common sense would lead one to believe that alcohol can cause harm. You would not give the baby alcohol in its bottle (notwithstanding any traditions about whiskey for a good nights sleep. lmao..). By the same token a pregnant women would not take alcohol in general during the pregnancy. The recommendation would have to be no, and for most it is not even a question..

To each their own...

Slutmonkey57b

Sleipnir wrote:

Be sure you don't go outside as the carbon monoxide you breath in will also pass through the placenta to the foetus. Better safe than sorry!

A glass of wine once a week will have a negligible effect on the foetus in my opinion. About as much effect as it would have on the adult.

This is proof that Irish people will never, NEVER cease to have the ability to justify every negative thing I say about this society.

If you can't forgo alcohol and smokes for a few months while you're pregnant, then.. umm... there's nothing I can say really. Read the tardblog for a little insight on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome maybe. Morons.

tj-music.com

mell61 wrote:

Sometimes its a wonder we got out of the womb alive with the drinking and smoking our mums managed, in the days before statistics and Google

Statistics and google shouldnt be needed to make people aware. It is not rocket science to know that alcohol is not healthy for the unborn child and every woman who drinks during pregnancy is irresponsible and should be hanged from the highest tree if the child suffers from it. Sick and tired of this "just a little drink won´t do any harm" ****e.

tred

tj-music.com wrote:

Statistics and google shouldnt be needed to make people aware. It is not rocket science to know that alcohol is not healthy for the unborn child and every woman who drinks during pregnancy is irresponsible and should be hanged from the highest tree if the child suffers from it. Sick and tired of this "just a little drink won´t do any harm" ****e.

stay off it...i have seen the results of a heavy drinking mother that smoked....13 year old with lots of learning disablitys...

MonkeyTennis

Ok people a touch of reality and common sense here. My girlfriend had a couple (I mean 2)of glasses of beer a week. It can reduce stress levels and actually provide essential vitamins. Her doctor told her that it was absolutely fine and all properly sourced research backs that up. Sheesh.

tred

MonkeyTennis wrote:

Ok people a touch of reality and common sense here. My girlfriend had a couple (I mean 2)of glasses of beer a week. It can reduce stress levels and actually provide essential vitamins. Her doctor told her that it was absolutely fine and all properly sourced research backs that up. Sheesh.

New research coming from the US and UK are saying to stay clear as a lot has to do with how you break down the alchohol. Everyone has a different metabolism. I cant see a few beers doing any harm....but then again is it worth taking the chance???.....If you think about it, in our parents generation, it was unusual enough for the ladies to be out in the pub having a drink, never mind if they were expecting( I am not being sexist, stating a fact1!) . Now were seeing the next generation coming through, and its probably going to be 20 years before they have full studys on the effect...if they have to do studys to see the effect of something then its enough for me!...

PetraMac

A GP friend of mine says the "no drink during pregnancy" maxim is more to discourage people from over-indulging during pregnancy rather than a hard and fast rule. This same friend had one or two glasses of wine a week during her own pregnancy. I was teetotal for all 9 months of mine because of the advice you generally hear, and boy was it hard. My friend says there was no need to be so strict on myself. Why are women always so willing to punish themselves? Next time, I will live a little and have the odd glass of wine or beer. 9 months of your body not being your own with several hours of excruciating agony at the end is bad enough, we deserve the few treats we can get (always applying common sense, needless to say)! The most important and sensible piece of parenting advice I have learned since becoming a parent myself is: a happy mother is a good mother.

Slutmonkey57b

Oh! My! God! Like, I had to not drink! and Like! it was So Terrible!
If you can't forgo alcohol and smokes for a few months you've no business getting pregnant (that goes for smoking dads as well). Irish society's dependance on alcohol is pathetic, it really is.

Here's a list of other things that in 90% of cases won't definanlty harm the baby but probably aren't a good idea while pregnant that don't have long-term research to help you:
1) Stabbing yourself shallowly in the belly
2) Signing up for double-blind pharmacological experiments
3) Attending paedophile rapists' self-help group meetings
4) Starring in beastiality porn
If you have any doubts about whether or not drinking a couple of times a week is a safe thing to be doing, that list should have you thinking with both brain cells well into next year.

squire1

Yep, and here is another list of things that MAY harm your baby during pregnancy so you're best to avoid them.

Using mobile phones
Using microwaves
Visiting relatives in hospital
Walking down stairs
Walking up stairs
Crossing the road
Driving a car
Riding a bike
drinking tap water.....

Sorry I don't have any research to back this up but best to be careful, eh?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Nevyn

Slutmonkey57b and squire1 banned from parenting forum for 1 month for being trolltasic.

iguana

Is it also recommended that a nursing mother not drink alcohol? I always assumed it was, but I've recently noticed a few new mothers who wouldn't drink while pregnant but would while breast-feeding?

Nevyn

There are a whole range of foods which may not besuitigle when breast feeding.
I remember having some wonder wonder dark chocolate truffles and they upset my milk for two days and the baby had a very runny bum as a result

Ickle Magoo

iguana wrote:

Is it also recommended that a nursing mother not drink alcohol? I always assumed it was, but I've recently noticed a few new mothers who wouldn't drink while pregnant but would while breast-feeding?

Well, you have the option to "pump & dump" after drinking when breastfeeding & use expressed milk cup or bottle fed for babs which isn't an option during pregnancy....

AnitaMcCluskey

I am currently 6 months pregnant and I haven't touched a drop because just the smell alone made me ill, however, my brother's wedding is coming up next month and I plan to have a couple of glasses. After reading the facts on the internet, i decided that I should speak with the doctor at the hospital who informed me that it would do no harm as it can relieve stress. I told him about what I had read on the internet and his response was that if we do everything that the internet advises a pregnant woman should sit in a bubble for the nine months and it was a wonder how anyone gave birth to healthly baby before the internet! I decided to take his advise and have a glass or two.

delly

I kind of see this topic as black and white. If there is any doubt or possible side effect of consuming alcohol while pregnant, then it shouldn’t be done. I just can’t see why you would take a risk even if there is a 1% chance of side effects. End of.

Now I know that your GP might say that the odd one here and there is ok to help with the stress or whatever, but seriously, why chance it?

As a side note, maybe my dependence on alcohol is not that high, as I’ll happily go on a night out and not touch a drink in order to drive home if it’s a convenient option.

RandomOne

mell61 wrote:

Sometimes its a wonder we got out of the womb alive with the drinking and smoking our mums managed, in the days before statistics and Google

You said it! And let's not forget that pregnant Mum's used to be prescribed stout not so very long ago.

AnitaMcCluskey wrote:

I told him about what I had read on the internet and his response was that if we do everything that the internet advises a pregnant woman should sit in a bubble for the nine months and it was a wonder how anyone gave birth to healthly baby before the internet!

Sounds like a far more sensible opinion than some on here!

In my personal experience, your body is best at letting you know what it does and doesn't want. IF it craves food or drink you normally consider vile, go with it. If you try and eat/drink something you normally like and it repulses you, avoid it. With alcohol, I'd have no issue with a pregnant friend/daughter deciding to have a glass or not - her choice, but as always I'd expect it to be limited/occasional, not the norm. I'm not Irish! - And I wonder what the stat's for French births are!

Nevyn

a glass or not

The difference is in a glass and getting drunk or worse fall down drunk while pregnant.

On my first I did have the odd glass of guiness I was not and still am not a guiness drinker and it wouldnot have been until at least 7 motnhs into my pregancy and then less the 5 over the last few months.
I did have a few glasses of red wine with my second again prolly arround 5 in total over the last 3 months.

I did get what midwifes call 'the goo" it is not uncommon for women in the run up to the last few days pregnancy to get 'the goo' for a few drinks.
The alchol acting as a relaxant and bringing on labour its was not that unsual for women to go into labour while having had a drink or two.

I certainly got "the goo" with both mine and had a glass of baileys ( again A glass, singular) and with in 48 hours was in labour.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is very very serious and the effect are horrible but it is for the most part due to heavy drinking during the end of the first trimester and the second trimester of pregnancy.

Pregnant women shoud not get drunk and should look after themselves and thier child to be as best as they can.

But we should not get into the hysteria like what there is in the usa with the policy on pre pregancy.
Yes Pre Pregnancy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051500875.html

Forever Pregnant
Guidelines: Treat Nearly All Women as Pre-Pregnant

By January W. Payne
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 16, 2006; Page HE01

New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon.

luckat

What *is* all this stuff about alcohol reducing stress? The most stressed people I know are the ones who drink!

My own two cents, more from gut feeling than from any medical knowledge: you're going to have to do without a lot of things you enjoyed as a gay young thing once you're a mother. Might as well get a bit of practice by doing without alcohol while waiting for the baby!

But it's not just a question of steering clear of alcohol. You really need to start eating very well - plenty of fresh vegetables and grains, smallish amounts of lean meat and fish. You'll need to take plenty of gentle exercise. Get proper amounts of rest and sleep.

Once the baby's born, you need to eat milk-promoting foods if you're breastfeeding.

If you want to know about foetal alcohol syndrome (described in one of the following sites as being caused by "women having up to two drinks a day or occasional bingeing"), here you go:

http://www.faslink.org/

http://www.apas.org.uk/new_page_16.htm

Nevyn

Drinking and having and rearing children do not mix as far as I am concerned.
You need to be able to function and have the engery to look after your children and being hung over and children do not mix.

Children suffer from thier parents hangovers as well.

RandomOne

OP:

simu wrote:

I was looking at a discussion on the topic on another Irish parenting/pregnancy board based on last night's Prime Time (I didn't see that show but afaik it came out pretty strongly against the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women too) and was amazed that most of the posters were still convincing themselves that a glass or two of wine a week didn't matter. So, what's up with that?

Is what I answered.

Thaedydal wrote:

The difference is in a glass and getting drunk or worse fall down drunk while pregnant.

Absolutely, but no-one here's advocating excessive drinking.

Victor

I would strongly suggest staying off distilled alcohols.

mell61 wrote:

Sometimes its a wonder we got out of the womb alive with the drinking and smoking our mums managed, in the days before statistics and Google

Take a look at After Hours.

AnitaMcCluskey wrote:

however, my brother's wedding is coming up next month and I plan to have a couple of glasses.

Realise that a couple of drinks on one days is a lot more serious than the same number of drinks spread over a month. The problem with Irish people isn't so much the total litres of pure alcohol consumed, but that we consume them in relatively short periods over the weekend and then stay sober all week.

RandomOne wrote:

You said it! And let's not forget that pregnant Mum's used to be prescribed stout not so very long ago.

Persumably for it's iron content. We have better knowledge of iron sources these days.