Drinking in pregnancy...

Thumpette wrote: »

I was heading towards 10 days overdue when I was pregnant with my first son. Hadn't touched a drop of alcohol for the whole pregnancy but was trying all the normal old wives tails to kick off labour. My friend (who's a midwife and has 4 healthy children) told me that the way she always gets started is a bottle of wine. I didn't have a bottle, but I had one small glass. 36 hours later we found out that his heart had stopped beating and he was stillborn.

He was perfectly healthy but his placenta function wasn't great towards the end. I'll never know if that glass of wine made a difference (doctor's say no) but in my heart I will always wonder if it might have been the final strain on an already silently failing placenta.

It makes me so angry so see women drinking and smoking in pregnancy. It's selfish and deluded. How hard is it really to make small sacrifices for the well being of your child. All this 'nanny state' and 'demonising women' and 'it was alright for hundreds of years' is just people kidding themselves.

That is tragic, I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you'll eventually no longer blame yourself or wonder about it.

Thumpette I'm so sorry for your loss.

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Yes, we can't expect silly women to make an informed decision about their alcohol consumption can we, let alone understand the meaning of the word "moderate"

My daughter is 5 and The advice when I was pregnant from the NHS was 1-2 drinks once or twice a week. When I was in early labour I was told by the midwife to relax in the bath with a glass of wine. Do you think that the NHS was putting thousands of babies at risk for FAS for years with that advice?

There is plenty of evidence that moderate drinking does not cause harm. Being obese or even travelling in a car are more dangerous for pregnant women and their babies. Is anyone suggesting that mothers who do those things are also selfish?

The research at the moment suggests that there is no safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/10/13/peds.2015-3113

Moderate levels of alcohol use does not cause fetal alcohol syndrome but may contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Some of the effects may be subtle at the milder end of the spectrum, such as behavioural difficulties from a poorly developed frontal lobe as well as learning difficulties. It can also be associated with certain facial features like a low nasal bridge.

The danger of a topic like this is that it gets throw into the area of women's rights and why can't women make an informed decision about their alcohol use etc. etc. The reality is that most people have no idea of the effects of alcohol on a developing fetus and so a zero tolerance approach is needed. The day that people are concerned a few drinks might led to a lifetime looking after an intellectually disabled child then a less paternalistic approach can be taken.

Interestingly, men also should be concerned about their alcohol use. Use of alcohol up to 6 months before the point of conception can lead to DNA abnormalities in the sperm that can result in health problems for the child. It's not at the same level of risk but if women should have no drink during pregnancy then it's only fair the father should have no drink prior to conception and ideally during pregnancy.

I've had 6 pregnancies since 1998. I've just given birth to my 6th baby on Tuesday, 18 years ago pregnant with my first the advice was everything in moderation. There was no talk of fetal alcohol syndrome, It wasn't a term used then. Advice sometimes given was to drink a small glass of Guinness, for iron!!
I would have had the occasional drink.
I was also able to take ibuprofen for pain relief for the entire pregnancy as I'm allergic to paracetamol.

Second pregnancy 3 years later, same advice but not allowed take ibuprofen in the first trimester.

Third, 7 years later (10 after the first) advice was no alcohol. Ibuprofen only in the second trimester.

Same with the 4th 2 years later for alcohol. No ibuprofen allowed at all
5 and 6th pregnancies in the last 3 years again no alcohol or ibuprofen.

The reason I highlight ibuprofen, there was no indication in my earlier pregnancies that ibuprofen was harmful. Likewise with alcohol. As studies show and new information comes to light women can make more informed choices on what or how much to drink. As any medical professional will tell you, they don't know what limit is safe so therefore must assume that avoidance is the only safe measure.
Likewise with medications and some foods like liver, soft cheeses etc. What one pregnancy will tolerate another won't.