To drink or not to drink

hi,

I've read lots about this but nothing conclusive.

When TTC should you avoid alcohol all together, or is the occasional drink ok?

And what about the DH, not that i'm sure I could convince him to go without but would it help?

Its a decision that you and only you can really make. It probably depends on how much drinking you're talking about as well.
I cut out all coffee/caffiene and just had a cup of tea in the morning and water for everything else from when I was ovulating this past month and got my BFP after almost a year since I got my first one!
I want to do everything 'by the book' with this pregnancy and be healthy.
Good luck with your TTC - remember a drink or two before conception shouldnt do much harm, (think de-stress!)

I don't drink much in general, but I would just be completely tea total in the 2WW. DH didn't stop drinking but he very rarely drinks anyway.

I used to have the occassional drink leading up to ovulation but chose to avoid drinking during the 2WW.

I second that almostthere... I had about 3 drinks when I was about 4 weeks pg after having bloods done and 2 HPT's saying BFN, so you can never be too safe. I worried myself sick about it all pregnancy but sometimes these things happen and at least next time I'll know that I've got such low hormone levels that they don't even show up on bloods till 5 weeks! But then again, I didn't have cycles, so at least you would probably know if there was a chance you were pg!

Edited by emz

I think its better to cut down but not cut out. Well in my case anyway.

DH and I generally go out every weekend and I used to drink most weekends (a few anyway) but now I limit myself and try to avoid drinking after O.

However this time of year we have SO much stuff on that I have not been too strict on myself.

As of February DH and I are starting a healthy lifestyle plan, wonder how long that will last!

Im sure its not ideal to drink when your pregnant (and don't know) but think of all the woman who do it without knowing they are pregnant and their babies are fine.

My Mum didn't know she was pregnant with my little sister until she was about 5.5 months and after one well of a girls weekend she thought she had alcohol poisoning and after a trip to the docs found out she was in fact over half way through a pregnancy, my sister turned out fine.... looks nothing like my brother or I but fine! Ha!

Each person has an individual opinon on it and its up to everyone what suits them and their lifestyle best.

As a researcher who has done work on this topic, I have a really strong opinion on this, based on the latest sicentific studies. I don't want to offend anyone, but there is no guaranteed safe time to drink during pregnancy, and there is no guaranteed safe amount. Sure, many of us will know people who drank during pregnancy and everything turned out fine; there are other factors that determine the overall likelihood of fetal alcohol syndrome, such as genetics. The trouble is, none of us know what level of risk we (or our babies) have. There have been cases documented in the research literature of babies born with FAS following very small maternal alcohol intake, and at all stages of pregnancy. So, yeah, your mum, your sister, and everyone else you know might have drunk during pregnancy without a problem - but that doesn't mean it'll be ok for you. Why take the risk of ccausing your baby severe, irreparable harm?
That said, moderate drinking before conception seems to be fine, especially if the mother is healthy and well-nourished.

I think you misunderstood me.

I WOULD NEVER DRINK IF I KNEW I WAS PREGNANT. EVER.

What I'm saying is, a gazillion woman have had a glass of wine without realising they were pregnant and of course when they foud out, felt bad about it but and their babies are fine.

There are so many things you are 'not allowed' to do while pregnant and drinking is one of them which I totally agree with, but if you don't know your pregnant how can that be avoided unless your a non drinker altogether? I'm talking more in terms of people who aren't actively TTC and don't even consider they may be pregnant.

Its hard to explain what I mean here but like I said, I am not saying drinking WHILE pregnant is ok, but its up to an individual (in this case fifi101) if they wish to drink alcohol while TTC.

catie wrote: there is no guaranteed safe time to drink during pregnancy, and there is no guaranteed safe amount.... there are other factors that determine the overall likelihood of fetal alcohol syndrome, such as genetics. The trouble is, none of us know what level of risk we (or our babies) have. . So, yeah, your mum, your sister, and everyone else you know might have drunk during pregnancy without a problem - but that doesn't mean it'll be ok for you.Why take the risk of ccausing your baby severe, irreparable harm?

I aggree with this...

To be honest i think that luck has alot to do with wheterh the child will be born with foetal alcohol, luck and genetics

Edited by almostthere

Aww, hey, i wasnt talking just to you hun