February 11, 2009
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Drinking While Pregnant
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Tonight was my night for a cocktail. Days from delivery, and darn it, it was good. As I slurped, my friend and I recounted how we use to sit on the armrest of our parents' cars. Who had a car seat?
The doc says I can drink now… a little… I didn't do shots and probably won't have more than a sip of beer in a few days. But from what I hear, it's better to drink now than when I nurse.
Hope my son won't be too short.
I've had a few 1/2 glasses of wine during this pregnancy. I hear that as long as you can't really feel the effects, neither can the baby. (Although 1/2 glass is quite effective when you've had nothing for 5-8 months!)
At our 20 week ultrasound, they told us that they were almost positive the baby had a hole b/w his ventricles. I was so stunned and upset. At dinner that night, I ordered wine, because, "Me having a little wine is the least of this baby's problems." Everything was normal when the specialist saw us the next day- whew.
Some people are militant no alcohol, and that's their prerogative… it irritates me when they judge me, though- hello, are you my doctor?
I do find that it's more common for people NOT to freak when they hear you've had a few sips of beer or wine, though.
I'll admit to having a few sips here and there during my pregnancy. And I felt no guilt for it! Especially when I drank wine! HELLO! Good for the blood right? So without going into a long, controversial, opinion stuffed comment I'll just say this: remember that beer is great for helping your breast milk supply!
Cheers!
This is big no, no, no, for me. First not anyone can understand how to mange drinking during pregnancy. This is one the few things that I prefer to just say NO to everybody than educate people about it.
Yes it is true that for 99.9% of women's who will drink with limitation during the last trimester will not have a problem but there is always the .1% who even following directions will have complications.
Few of the consequences can be:
You never know when you can go into early labor. Trust me you don't want a drop of alcohol in your blood. Blood test result will be affected. If you have to get any kind of anesthesia, like a epidorol, you increase your chances of complications.
Birth weight has been shown to be lower in babies born to women who drink . Also for natural behavior of alcohol your body you will suffer a bit of dehydration, which is never good for for a preggy mamma. You need to do everything you can to keep a decent level of amniotic fluid.
About Italy. It's absurd that Italy has a horrible number of cases of baby with fetal alcohol syndrome. In the European Union they have the second highest number just after Spain. In 1992 the Italian government started a very controversial campaign against drinking during pregnancy. Two years later studies prove a decrease of stillborns of 3.% and 12% with fetal alcohol syndrome
I know that my opinion is not going to be so popular, but when you know what you must pull off when you decide to have a child, then giving up alcohol for a least 9 months is part of the deal.
I feel about this just like you feel with circumcision, I'm "dead set against it". It's a subject that doctors have differences in opinions and there is medical research justifying both positions. I even say like the biggest wine aficionado that you can know, that this is the kind of pleasure that can wait. It is not worth to take the smallest chance when it's completely preventable.
I realize that it's a 99.9% chance of no problems, but pretty much nobody ever thinks that they can be part of the .1%, and who would ever want to have that happen to them?
Well, I heard all the studies and doctors that say it's ok, but for all of them there's a study or a doctor that says it's not fine. I think it's probably an individual effect–different for every woman and every pregnancy (like so many things about pregnancy). I had a few sips of things while I was in my 2nd and 3rd trimester, but was instantly overcome with guilt for weeks afterward. It wasn't worth the guilt or the risk for me.
I totally understand not drinking at all. I'm mean better safe than sorry, right? I didn't with Viv either, untill the very end. I'm thinking since he is coming out in 4 days he's already baked.
I never knew that it was a little bit okay so thanks for dispelling the myth. Your video made me chuckle too.
[...] the original post here: Cool Mom - Daphne Brogdon - Drinking While Pregnant » Cool Mom … Share and [...]
I had a half glass of wine, or a 'weak' lite beer now and again in both pregnancies. It was more for the mental pleasure of having the pretty glass, swirling the wine in the glass, a few sips with the food. My doctor said this was fine, and both kids are great, clearly it did not affect them.
But I surely understand why the medical position is a milatant no, as you just can't ensure that everyone understands how to self limit.
Laughing about the delivery comment above, I had a little wine with dinner the night my daughter made a very fast arrival. No time for any epidural, she was born ten minutes after we got to the hospital. So perhaps the 3 oz wine was my only pain killer! (ps no one tested by blood…)
Luca's not short. In fact, he's in the 98th percentile for height. I had one drink a week on average while pregnant. I figure if I survived through my mom's 9-month Caribbean cocktail party, then what the hell!
Amelia, very funny.
In my experience this is very risky! Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a life condition, many children with FAS grow into adults who are not able to live self sufficent independent lives. Doctors can not pin point when it is okay to drink and when it is very unsafe to drink while pregnant. I say spend a few days with a FAS child or teen, let alone raising one, and maybe that will change your viewpoint. How guilty would you feel if you knew you caused permanent damage to your child?
i had on average probably a glass of red wine every couple of weeks…a very very well deserved glass of red wine. sorry, but there is no way i can have a biggo tasty steak without a glass of california cab. oh, i guess i am a real rebel becuase i stopped taking my pre-natals like a month in. feel free to hate me.
I have an adopted sister with fetal alcohol syndrome, and for me, it's a better safe than sorry situation. There's no WAY I'm touching a drop while I'm building a baby…
Giving up alcohol for a few months or even a few years is not asking too much to ensure the health and safety of your child. Feel free to hate me but that's my opinion.
Oh god…the whole drinking thing kills me. Its ok to have a drink once in a while…shoot if anything I think it would help relax your body. It makes me mad everyone wanting to judge pregnant women for having a glass of wine or beer. Good god other countries do it all the time and it is not as such a big deal as here …with everyone elses high standards placed on other people. Those studies done on alcoholic syndrome for babies was studies done on binge drinkers…you know that get plastered once a week or more. So take a chill and have a glass of wine.