alcohol and pregnancy?

Amanda - posted on 11/10/2009

Quoting Veronica:

Red wine is very good for you- as it contains antioxidants - obviously getting drunk off of it isnt' the answer, and that is why they say 1 or 2 glasses a week - not an hour or whatever. Its very good for your blood pressure, cleansing you body, and sooo many other things. So, while you shouldn't drink a bottle in a day - a few glasses through the week will be fine.
I wouldn't go for any other types of alchohol otherwise.
Congratulations on the pregos! Hope all goes well for you!'

Veronica

all of those health benefits can be found in other non-alcoholic forms.... like grape juice for instance.  and you have to remember just because one glass doesn't make you buzzed doesn't mean it's not affecting an unborn child...

Anna - posted on 11/10/2009

I was always told no alcohol during pregnancy, why chance it? During the last few weeks of my pregnacy I was having a lot of contractions a midwife told me I could have a glass of wine if my contractions got really bad, by this she said she meant a shot glass full. I didn't even chance it. Nine months is not a long time to sacrafice alcohol, especially when it comes to the well being of your child.

Mel - posted on 11/09/2009

thankyou Veronica :)

Charlie - posted on 11/09/2009

yes red wine is good for YOU , but the effects of one glass on a baby in utero are magnified .

Remember Alcohol is a drug and drugs we choose to take be it legal or not are OUR choice not something we should force on anyone else especially an unborn child .

Would you consider still smoking only a couple of cigarettes instead of a pack , smoking only one or two joints , or decide that its ok to have a line on a Friday night or on special occasions ?

Ask yourself why you wouldn't and then apply the same answer to alcohol .

Veronica - posted on 11/09/2009

Red wine is very good for you- as it contains antioxidants - obviously getting drunk off of it isnt' the answer, and that is why they say 1 or 2 glasses a week - not an hour or whatever. Its very good for your blood pressure, cleansing you body, and sooo many other things. So, while you shouldn't drink a bottle in a day - a few glasses through the week will be fine.

I wouldn't go for any other types of alchohol otherwise.

Congratulations on the pregos! Hope all goes well for you!'



Veronica

Isobel - posted on 11/09/2009

It does make me wonder, though, how much my mother drank while she was pregnant with me...maybe that's the root of all my problems LOL.

Isobel - posted on 11/09/2009

I was 2 and a half months pregnant when I got married...right before I walked down the isle my dad offered me his scotch. I was shocked, but my mom just laughed at him and said "Oh John, you they don't do that anymore!" HAHAHA

Mel - posted on 11/08/2009

Quoting Sharon:

I'm curious why its such a big deal to your dad? Is it his goal to get you tanked for some reason? LMAO

my dad is an alcoholic lol and he likes everyone around him to drink as well and my fiance invites him over nearly every night for dinner. He stills asks me if I want any drinks every day lol. And Amie good point but not sure I think because both our parents have the views that drinking in moderation is ok. I dont think it is ok to drink after everything ive found out since my last pregnancy, But I think people who are older like our parents are just going on what was said in their times. I went by my doctors and parents advice in my last pregnancy and I drank in moderation I went to the pub and had a milk and baileys and every month or 2 I had about half a premixed drink and a few sips of wine and lemonade for my mothers birthday. I didnt and still dont think its worth the risk to drink in the first 3 months of pregnancy, however in this pregnancy I will most likely not be touching alcohol. We went to dinner last night and I didnt even feel safe to have a sip of lemon lime and bitters and I love that stuff. Just want to make sure baby has the best chance possible hence the reason Ive fully changed my diet too

Sharon - posted on 11/08/2009

I'm curious why its such a big deal to your dad? Is it his goal to get you tanked for some reason? LMAO

Amie - posted on 11/08/2009

What I find odd is that your partner did the research but he's ok with one or two drinks but not ok with dying your hair? That's a little strange.

As Kylie said it's really not that big of a sacrifice to abstain from alcohol for the duration of your pregnancy. Unless a person is an alcoholic, then I can understand and even feel compassion for someone who struggles to not drink whilst pregnant. At least they try though, the decent ones anyway.

As for hair dye, You're in Aussie so sit outside while you get it done at home. I'd stay away from salons just because of the smell and chemicals. They always made me nauseous and dizzy when I was pregnant.

Kylie - posted on 11/08/2009

a cup of tea or a long bath can be just as calming as a few glasses of red wine. You shouldn't consume any alcohol during pregnancy especially in the first three months. There's no know safe level so it's best to abstain... I'm sure your doc will tell you that anyway :) it's a small sacrifice for the health and development of your unborn baby.

Mel - posted on 11/08/2009

thats interesting Crystal, I will check with the doc this week just out of curiousity when I make an appointment

Crystal - posted on 11/08/2009

I have personally been told by my ob during two of my four pregnancies that if I was stressed or upset that having a couple glasses of wine was actually less harmful than the stress itself on the baby..I would ask your ob and go with what he recommends..as far as hair dye I have never heard that..

Diana - posted on 11/07/2009

Quoting Melissa:

lol Diana I cant even remember what foods are ok Im about to go get some elevit pills but Ill have to do some research again I remember the whole no chocolate and coffee. I got rid of my drink as soon as I found out, and wouldnt risk it but didnt feel worried because I dont personally think the one or 2 drinks I had before finding out is going to matter. Im very excited though

lol...I was going to ask what Elevit is too, but you already answered it for someone else.

I had a little bit of caffeine sometimes-not constantly, and not a lot, but my doc and several of the books I read said that the amount of caffeine in a large cup of coffee once a day wouldn't hurt the baby. Since I'm not a coffee drinker, I used my allowance in the occassional chocolate or iced tea.

I found out really early on in the pregnancy-like 3 weeks into it-so I hadn't had very many nights of drinking, although I was worried about one night after exams when I had a bit too much-but my doc said it wasn't anything to be concerned about.

Mel - posted on 11/07/2009

Thanks Heidi I dont know yet havent even been to the doc yet been to busy. It will be a July baby looks like. Going to get in when I get Brianna's injections next week

Sharon - posted on 11/06/2009

Drinking - no in the early formation months. Once in a while inthe last trimester - no hard liqour and no drinking until you pass out either.

Dying your hair is ok, its the permanents I heard that were bad.

Erin - posted on 11/06/2009

I personally think that the very relaxed attitude of parents pre 60's and then the overwhelming use of narcotics & prescription drugs past that is why we are seeing soo many people with mental health issues. This is solely based on personal views...

That would be a damn shame if it was the 1st tri. that drinking was most harmful since sooo many pregnancies are not planned and it takes weeks/months before someone realizes they are pregnant :( My brother's g/f's dr. told her she could safely drink 1 beer/drink per day) I had a friend say that she drank once during a pregnancy & it just made her feel gawd awful sick that she wouldn't recomend it to anyone. I personally never drank but one sip because my husband INSISTED I tried this mixed drink he made *roll eyes*

Smoking during pregnancy causes the placenta to turn black from filtering all that crap out kinda like those pictures of what a healthy/smokers lungs are like! Your placenta is supposed to be pretty & pink "full of life"but not if you are a smoker! And THAT is disgusting & awful to force onto an unwitting baby!!! *shudder*

Heidi - posted on 11/06/2009

Its better safe then sorry. No alcohol at all. There is far to much going on in this crazy world, so why even take the chance.

I didn't know you were expecting so congrats! When are you due?

Sara - posted on 11/06/2009

Don't drink when you're pregnant. It's nine months of your life, is it that hard to obstain for such a short period of time?

Isobel - posted on 11/05/2009

ahhh...we have something like elevit here...it's called materna :)

Jocelyn - posted on 11/05/2009

Here is what I was told/believe:
Hair dye-- Totally fine to do, but due to hormones and the like the colour might end up different and your skin could react a bit different as well.. Also told not to bleach your hair, it's too harsh, thankfully I use red lol. Oh and make sure you are in a well ventilated area.
Drinking--It is worse to drink in the first trimester, so that is to be avoided at all cost. After that, the occasional drink for a special occasion will do no harm. I think it has a lot to do with your own body and how it reacts/metabolizes alcohol.

Charlie - posted on 11/05/2009

I take Elevit , in my first and previous pregnancy and i am glad i did , and i had my nails done every week of my last pregnancy too although i didnt get my hair dyed , there are heaps of natural hair dyes from Aveda and other companies similar to that who only use natural and safe products and plenty of salons are switching because its just better for your hair .

Mel - posted on 11/05/2009

elevit pills are what you can get in australia to be taken once a day during pregnancy they have the iron but all the other vitamins as well and reduce the risk of spina bifia (spelling?) Mine are out of date so I need to buy some more. I Will avoid getting my hair done I think, I got my nails done at the end of my last pregnancy eek. My first daughter was born with aspiration problems

Isobel - posted on 11/05/2009

1) what are elevit pills?

2) I'm with Mary, while I generally abstained I am guilty of a half a glass here and there for special occasions.

3) I was a hairstylist while pregnant. I went to three different doctors who gave me the go-ahead to work...I wore gloves for my own peace of mind, but apparently, the rule of not colouring your hair came about in the 50s, when they used to use a lot of heavy metals like lead and copper in the formulations. As far as I could tell (and I did a LOT of research because it was my profession), there has been no link to modern hair colour and birth defects. They did, however, tell me to stay away from salons that had nail technicians that did acrylic nails as the fumes from those can cause the baby's brain to gel.

Congratulations.

Traci - posted on 11/05/2009

I think its like the whole smoking while pregnant thing. If you smoke during your pregnancy, will your baby automatically be underweight and unhealthy? No. But why would you take the chance? Just because our parents and our parents parents did things because they really didn't know better, doesn't mean we should make the same mistakes. My mom smoked with her last three kids, and they were all perfectly healthy and the smallest one was over 9 lbs! That doesn't mean I should look at that situation and say, well, hers turned out fine...light it up! We know better now, so there's really no more excuses.

ME - posted on 11/05/2009

The first time I was pregnant, 18 months ago, my doc told me I could have one glass of red wine a week...I didn't do this, but I did have A single glass on a few special occasions throughout my pregnancy...My son is clearly not only fine, but very intelligent. When I found out I was pregnant this time (I will be 6 mos. pregnant in two days) I asked around to some of my other mommy friends, and was told that their docs told them VERY differently about drinking. I have NOT had a whole drink during this pregnancy...I did participate in a champaign toast at a family wedding, but it was a tiny amount...I have continued to hear that you may safely drink red wine in the last couple weeks of your pregnancy, and that it is even good for the blood pressure and relaxation of the mother...but I don't think there is much evidence to back that up. I feel like I can deffinately wait to have a drink for three more months...even though drinking a very rare couple of glasses of wine does not seem to have effected my son, having more info this time has made me feel like I was mislead by my doc last time...

Charlie - posted on 11/05/2009

Everything that you put into your body also enters your unborn babies body.

Medical advances have come so far since your dad had a child , they now know more about how certain foods , drugs , alcohols and chemicals affect the unborn child , i mean they used to give newborn babies a teaspoon of alcohol to pt them to sleep and we all know that isnt good but back then they didnt know better .

Alcohol in a mother's blood crosses over to the baby through the placenta so that the baby will have the same blood level of alcohol as the mother , so if you feel giddy off one glass your unborn child is feeling ten times more .
Babies are more vulnerable to alcohol in the early weeks of pregnancy, with the highest risk being between 2 and 8 weeks.
While most women who drink a little alcohol during pregnancy (one or less standard drinks a day) will have babies who have not been affected by alcohol, some babies have been affected by very small amounts of alcohol.

As we do not know what a safe level of alcohol consumption is during pregnancy as Jodi said we cant test on pregnant woman , less alcohol is better, but no alcohol is the best and safest choice.

Why risk it ?

Jodi - posted on 11/05/2009

Oh, and BTW Melissa, congratulations :)

Jodi - posted on 11/05/2009

Back when I was pregnant with my son (12-13 years ago), pregnant women were being advised to limit their alcohol intake to 2 or 3 standard glasses a week at most. Since then, further studies have been done, and it is recommended that a pregnant woman not drink alcohol at all. There are concerns that even a small amount of alcohol during pregnancy can increase the risks of that child becomin alcoholic, and also can contribute to other health issues.

Now, we all know that there are different studies about these things all the time, but realistically, given you can't exactly "experiment" on pregnant women, and the evidence/results are conflicting, isn't it better just to avoid the risk altogether and say no?

With regard to hair colouring, I have read conflicting reports on that too over the years. I think a lot of it is to do with the fact that with your hormone changes, your hair also changes and colours sometimes do not take anyway. You also need to be careful with regard to the fumes. I just gave it a miss while I was pregnant anyway, who knows.... I know they say it doesn't absorb into the body, but I have a friend who is dying of breast cancer at age 38 who was a hairdresser, and she thinks the chemicals she worked with contributed to that. I have heard of MANY hairdressers who have had cancer. I used to have a flatmate who was a hairdresser, and therefore knew many hairdressers. I do believe the chemicals are harmful when exposed to them long term, so therefore, there is the possibility it could be harmful during the cellular division and development of a foetus. Or maybe I'm just paranoid, LOL :)

Mel - posted on 11/05/2009

lol Diana I cant even remember what foods are ok Im about to go get some elevit pills but Ill have to do some research again I remember the whole no chocolate and coffee. I got rid of my drink as soon as I found out, and wouldnt risk it but didnt feel worried because I dont personally think the one or 2 drinks I had before finding out is going to matter. Im very excited though

?? - posted on 11/05/2009

Your kid is gonna have enough issues when it's born, do you really want to risk adding FAS to the list of problems just cause you can't say no? Tell your dad and your partner to shove it, and say no.

Traci - posted on 11/05/2009

The rule of thumb I go by is...when in doubt, don't do it. Is the world gonna end because you passed on a glass of wine? No. Is the world gonna end when your roots start to show? I'm thinking not. It's not that long of a period to go without a drink or a trip to the salon.



We are pregnant for only 40 weeks, which is not a long time. This is quite possibly the only time in your child's life that you'll have the ability to control what passes through his/her system, it's up to you to make sure you take that job seriously.

Diana - posted on 11/05/2009

I think that the best call with alcohol during pregnancy is just to say no. I've read that the alcohol you drink before you know you're pregnant shouldn't effect the baby-I guess that's unless you didn't know the whole time. I've also seen and heard people say they'd have one glass of wine a day...But I think it's just a no all the way around. Better to be safe and assured (though a little sad not to have a beer) now than be sorry later.



As for hair color...My doc said it was fine, and I had mine colored twice during pregnancy. If you're worried, you could find someone who uses a hemp-base color, which is more natural than what's generally used, or maybe try using one of those root touch-up things so that you're only using a small bit at a time-or I guess there's the option of not doing it at all. lol



I never realized how many things pregnant women couldn't do until I became one. It was like a whole new world. Of course I thought of smoking and drinking, but it was the things like "don't eat a cold ham sandwich" and "are you sure it's ok to color your hair" that threw me off. I was constantly looking things up and calling my doc to make sure they were ok. I felt like I needed permission to use toothpaste.