Is there any objective source of information on light drinking during pregnancy?

[Anonymous]

I read the pub med studies and relied on the advice of my midwives, who said a drink or two a week was ok.

[Anonymous]

If you only plan on having one drink during pregnancy, then why bother at all?

Obviously you are researching because you want to have more than one drink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The last few posters prove my point about hysterical, emotional, and overwrought. Thanks to those who provided thoughtful and on-topic answers. There will always be a subset of the population who believes that anyone who ever has one drink has a problem -- I can't help those people. How do you know that I'm even pregnant at the moment? I was just asking for information, but this topic always brings out the extremists.

But why do some of these posters HAVE to drink? i mean clearly if you go 9 months and heck, treat yourself to a sip a few weeks before delivery or something like that sure - no big deal. No need to worry and no need to do massive research on the topic. But if you are desperately searching to find out the bare minimum you can get away with on a daily basis... that is something different!!

[Anonymous]

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AlcoholAndPregnancy/

Fwiw, the CDC says that smoking and drinking are bad for your baby. This should be rather obvious, but apparently not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Geez, PP. A sip or two before you know you are pregnant or at a wedding is one thing, but the OP and crazies like you are obviously looking for studies to make you feel better about drinking regularly. Admit it. I didn't drink during my four pregnancies because the health of my babies was more important than my own needs....it's called being responsible. I know two couples who adopted babies with FAS, and they are praying that the kids develop normally. So far, so good....just mild delays...but they are still too young to tell what ultimate delays/disabilities they will have. And, I'm a policy analyst who has done a great deal of work related to child welfare, so I've read the studies, sat through trainings, and met older teens/young adults with FAS. Seriously, ladies....just stay off the sauce during pregnancy. If you can't....or don't want to...then you are simply selfish.

I gotta say... I completely agree with this.

[Anonymous]

The big epidemiological studies out of Britain and Australia have shown no harmful effects for moderate drinking (2 or less drinks). I don't have a citation but it should be easy to google. The British study was on nurses' health and had over a thousand participants. It is less than 4 yrs old and would not have been available when the previous posters searched. There is so much stigma in the US not much research is available here on moderate drinking. FWIW I lost a pregnancy at 21 wks despite following all the rules and not drinking a drop. My second pregnancy I had a little wine and now a healthy 2 yr old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The last few posters prove my point about hysterical, emotional, and overwrought. Thanks to those who provided thoughtful and on-topic answers. There will always be a subset of the population who believes that anyone who ever has one drink has a problem -- I can't help those people. How do you know that I'm even pregnant at the moment? I was just asking for information, but this topic always brings out the extremists.

But why do some of these posters HAVE to drink? i mean clearly if you go 9 months and heck, treat yourself to a sip a few weeks before delivery or something like that sure - no big deal. No need to worry and no need to do massive research on the topic. But if you are desperately searching to find out the bare minimum you can get away with on a daily basis... that is something different!!

Many of us enjoy the flavor of alcohol and the ritual. I suppose you could ask the same question of the mom who really likes ham sandwiches and French cheese? But that would have the same moralistic frisson would it now? That is the whole point of OP's question - how to separate out the moralizing from the useful data. Nobody here wants to get trashed while pregnant, but many of use would enjoy say half an ice-cold beer with dinner on a hot day, or an ounce of nice red wine when somebody opens a good bottle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Geez, PP. A sip or two before you know you are pregnant or at a wedding is one thing, but the OP and crazies like you are obviously looking for studies to make you feel better about drinking regularly. Admit it. I didn't drink during my four pregnancies because the health of my babies was more important than my own needs....it's called being responsible.

There is nothing responsible about breeding like a rabbit. Much better to have one or two kids, including the odd glass of alcohol, like a human, than to breed like a sow without regard to our impact on the earth.

[Anonymous]

People who enjoy the ritual of alcohol and can't stop during pregnancy have a problem. Period. Drink water out of a fancy wine glass. Or sparlkling water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who enjoy the ritual of alcohol and can't stop during pregnancy have a problem. Period. Drink water out of a fancy wine glass. Or sparlkling water.

Go back to your cave.

[Anonymous]

No worries, PP. My family of six isn't leaving a big carbon footprint or harming the earth as I don't drink imported wine that is flown or shipped cross country...especially while pregnant.

[Anonymous]

The latest CDC reports indicate that one out of thirteen pregnant women drink during pregnancy. Wonder if THAT has anything to do with all the kids with developmental/learning disabilities, behavior issues, etc. We'll likely neve know because what mommy will readily admit to drinking regularly during pregnancy after her kid is diagnosed with something...because then she'll have to admit fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who enjoy the ritual of alcohol and can't stop during pregnancy have a problem. Period. Drink water out of a fancy wine glass. Or sparlkling water.

Go back to your cave.

No, it is the anti-alcohol breeders that belong in a cave. Alcohol was one of the ssubstances that made us human. Uncontrolled breeding could take us back innto the dark ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who enjoy the ritual of alcohol and can't stop during pregnancy have a problem. Period. Drink water out of a fancy wine glass. Or sparlkling water.

I agree with this and I'm a big drinker - really looking forward to that post-pregnancy glass of wine. That said, there's just no reason to drink during pregnancy.. None. If my baby had any issue at all that could gave been caused by the alcohol, I'd feel immense guilt. If I can feel a buzz, it's bad for the baby. And if I can't, why drink? As I said, I'm someone who probably drinks too much non-pregnant. Wouldn't touch more than a sip while I am.

[Anonymous]

It's not uncontrolled breeding if you can afford a comfortable lifestyle. I think the PP who thinks anyone who has more kids than SHE has is a "breeder" is just jealous. She probably lives in a shoebox, works long hours, and needs wine to survive. So sad.