re: Alcohol & pregnancy (D&D)

Quoting Ms.Eagles:" But that's not what she said. She said there hasn't been enough conclusive evidence that links FAS with ... [snip!] ... specified if she was drinking it for the health benefits....which I think you can get the same from a handful of red grapes."

This is true. You still get the polyphenols in the grapes or even grape juice.

I don't see the point in having a glass of wine or beer, I'm love my booze especially wine and cigarettes until I get pregnant and then all my vices get the boot. With some strong will-power I'm not going to get pulled back into my smoking addiction after this pregnancy like I did the last time but as far as alcohol I don't see the point of even a small glass when you don't know the risks...it's not worth the risk. I am going to love my first bottle of wine after my boy is born in February but until then this body isn't my own, it's all his and babies don't drink alcohol.

That's how I feel. In all likelihood it's probably fine but I can certainly abstain for a few more months...I don't need it. Not condemning those who do have a glass of wine here and there though!

It's fine to drink small amounts. There hasn't been a single study on light to moderate drinking, just heavy drinking. Most of the studies that suggest alcohol is dangerous to a growing fetus were done with women who drink one or more alcoholic beverages per day. There has been NO evidence to suggest that light drinking can cause harm to a growing baby.

With that being said, I drank a glass or two of wine a week while I was pregnant and my son was just fine. My mother did the same with me and my grandmother did the same with her children. A majority of my peers also drank roughly the same amount while pregnant and none of them have had any issues. All of their children are perfectly healthy to this day. I was surprised by the number of women who offered me wine at dinner parties and such when I was visibly pregnant and I eventually came to find out that most women have had at least one drink while pregnant. Unfortunately they feel they have to hide this which subsequently perpetuates the idea that drinking while pregnant is shameful.

I think it's interesting how the medical community is now telling pregnant women to restrict themselves in all kinds of ways (from fatty foods to alcohol to exercising too much and everything in between) but there are higher rates of autism and other diseases than there ever were back when women regularly drank alcohol while pregnant, ate poorly, smoked, etc. I'm not saying pregnant women should smoke cigarettes and drink all the time because that obviously causes damage to a fetus but it definitely isn't the end of the world if a woman has a few drinks during her pregnancy.

When my doctor found out I had 1 yes only 1 cup of coffee a day during pregnancy he said he would rather I drank red wine than coffee if I had to drink one of the 2. While I am sure both are not great for the baby I do think that people can jump on a pregnant woman for having a small glass of red wine when they themselves are knocking back the coffee and other caffinated drinks.
Also, one drink during pregnancy will not lead to fetal alcohol syndrome so any woman claiming her baby's fetal alcohol syndrome was from one solitary drink she had during pregnancy is in denial about her drinking. Our bodies are resiliant and made to withstand a lot during pregnancy. If one drink during pregnancy was all it takes to result in baby having FAS then most babies would have FAS as most women drink alcohol in the early weeks before they know they're even pregnant. I know I drank crazily while I was in the first 6 weeks before I even knew. That said I don't think it's ok to go out and drink loads but having a glass of wine on a special occasion like a birthday or new years eve is fine.