Thursday, September 23, 2010

Drink & Be Pregnant?

A friend of mine emailed me asking my opinion. She's a news reporter and is thinking of doing a story on the potential "switch" in our views of pregnancy and alcohol. She's done her research and feels there is something happening...enough dirt to write a news story!

In some countries pregnant women DO drink a glass of wine every now and then....not here in North America...signs are plastered everywhere "With Child, Without Alcohol"

I shunned when I heard this....and then it occurred to me...I DO know of women who have consumed alcohol while pregnant. Some knowingly...and some unknowingly. When I was 7 months pregnant an older lady offered me a glass of wine...I must have given her the hairy eyeball and she quickly said..I had wine while I carried my kids.....

A friend of mine had several drinks during her pregnancy..once the first trimester was over she said there was no harm....I find that hard to believe. Something about seeing a pregnant girl with a glass of booze frightens me. So does a cigarette for the record....smokers are not off the hook in my book.

Just a few weeks ago for my sisters stagette, a friend came out and drank..and drank..and drank somemore. She prayed to the procelain gods that night...and then last week texted my sister to inform her she could not make her wedding...she was 7 weeks pregnant and too sick to make the 2 hour drive.

Do we have a more relaxed attitude towards alcohol and pregnancy these days? Do you have a strong view on this?

Would you drink and be pregnant?

8 comments:

  1. I drank a couple times with my first and once with my second - before I knew I was pregnant. I told my doctor EVERYTHING and she said that there is no known safe amount of alcohol to consume. She said a (small) glass of wine once in a while would not do any harm. While I took this to mean that (hopefully) my fetus would be alright while I unknowingly drank while pregnant, I didn't touch it for the rest of my pregnancies. My babies were fine.

    Saying this though, I would NOT drink while knowingly pregnant. I've seen too many FAS children and I just can't justify it - no matter how "safe" one glass once in a while would be. There is no safe amount, and therefore it is a risk I'm not willing to make.

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  2. Love your new signature!

    I would never drink knowingly. I did drink while pregnant - in those first few weeks with both boys. When I was worried about it my brother calmed my fears that before the fetus attaches to the uterus there isn't that much exchange between mom and baby. However, I would not do it knowingly.

    And smoking. Don't get me started. No one should smoke, least of someone gestating.

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  3. Ummm...NO WAY! Even when I was trying to get pregnant I cut back on the alcohol...just in case!

    I had a friend who smoked during her whole pregnancy. She said her doctor told her not to quit because it would be too stressful on her and her unborn baby. Sounds like a load of crap if you ask me! You should have seen the dirty looks she got when she would stand outside and smoke while 9 months pregnant!

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  4. Once I hit 37 weeks, my OB said I could have a half glass of wine. I had about 1/4 of a glass. I had sips of beer here and there with both pregnancies, too. I wouldn't have more than that though!!

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  5. I have heard of women drinking while they are pregnant too, and that many doctors say its off limits to avoid people over indulging, but, although I haven't ever been pregnant, I don't think I would do it ~ it's just not worth the risk, to me!

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  6. I have known friends who did drink while they were/are pregnant, and I couldn't help but judge as that ONE drink or TWO drink is not worth harming a child and never being able to forgive yourself!

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  7. No alcoholic drink is worth brain damage to your child. They have no choice, they depend on you to bring them into this world as healthy as they can to have a positive life. It is a purely selfish act to drink or smoke during pregnancy. Parenting responsibility should start the moment you think you may be pregnant.

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  8. It's just not worth the risk. My opinion is that during pregnancy, it's not about us (the mom), it's about the baby (babies), can we not cut alcohol out for a mere few months for the sake of a healthy baby? If you can't make that sacrifice, maybe you're not ready to make the sacrifices required of a mom. And as with smoking, don't get me started.

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