A new campaign in Australia is aiming to discourage women from taking even a few sips of alcohol during their pregnancy. The initiative cost $350,000 and has support of the state government.
They are recommending that women who are either pregnant or trying to get pregnant refrain from drinking alcohol altogether -- because there is not concrete proof of whether or not small amounts of alcohol have an effect on the unborn baby. They have concluded it's just not worth the risk -- and I have to agree with them on this one.
When I first found out I was pregnant, I can remember going out to dinner with my husband and seeing a heavily pregnant woman at the table next to us sipping a glass of red wine with her meal. And while I'd heard from quite a few people that it was perfectly safe to have a glass here and there while expecting -- something about watching her drink that wine with a baby bump really turned me off. (And I wasn't the only person in the restaurant who was staring at her & judging her up and down.)
From that point forward, I knew there was no way I would dare go near alcohol until after my son arrived. But that doesn't mean I wasn't tempted to break down and have one tiny little drink -- especially on New Year's Eve. We celebrated at my parents' house that year, and I remember wanting to have a taste or two of champagne in the worst way. I almost gave in and took a sip -- but then I thought about the potential negative effect it could have on my baby, and I refrained.
Plenty of pregnant women have enjoyed a glass of wine or two and wound up delivering perfectly healthy babies, but savoring a little vino just doesn't seem worth the risk of having something interfere with your unborn baby's health or development. There's plenty of time for happy hour after the baby arrives -- and that's when moms really need a drink to unwind anyway.
Have you had any alcohol during your pregnancy?
Image via Hans Voorn/Flickr
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Comments 46
Yes, I drank a little during my pregnancy. I don't regret it at all, and don't care if I was/am judged for it. And, I would absolutely do it again should I find myself knocked up once again.
In my opinion, eating fast food/artificial CRAP is way worse than a glass of wine. I refrain from both, but I know mothers who eat McDonalds and kool aid all 9 months and in my opinion, that is much worse. I would judge those women before I judged this woman in the restaurant.
I did have a glass of wine every now and then while I was pregnant, and both my kids were born perfectly healthy. With that said, I would NEVER drink in public with a pregnant belly, there are just too many busybodies out there who think it's their job to mind other peoples business.
I think I may have been that heavily pregnant woman in the restaurant you were judging--ha ha. It's ok, I flipped you all off in my mind and went about my business.For what it's worth, I had two very healthy pregnancies and two very healthy boys while enjoying a glass of wine maybe once every two weeks during my last trimester. I enjoyed Every Drop. And if you're not already clutching your pearls, you should get a handful now: I did it during breastfeeding too. A glass. Not a bottle--a glass. And it was delicious.
Yes I did. Always in my third trimester. With my last pregnancy I craved red beer made with spicy V8 so badly I was almost in tears. When I finally drank one I it was like heaven. I also had the occasional small glass of wine with my pregnancies. Judge all ya want. I really don't care.
and Walden76--hear hear! I think you are SO right. Fast food and crappy eating gets a pass from so many people while a sip of wine (which has many, many studies touting the benefits) gets the pitchfork and torches treatment. It would be funny if it weren't so annoying.
Yep, just like women who choose not to breastfeed are asking to be judged, mothers who smoke cigarrettes are asking to be judged, oh dear should i continue?!