wine

[tisa1029]

I was wondering if anyone has drinkin alcohol while pregnant? I am 26 weeks pregnant and heard that a couple glasses of wine is ok. I am just seeing what people have to say about it. Ty for any info

[MJIthewriter]

From what I was reading about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, any kind of alcoholic beverage during any time of the pregnacy can be a potential risk. I don't know exactly how much or how little it takes. There's a range of degrees of FAS from mildy affected to severly affected. It's a gamble, that I'm not sure you want to take.

[tisa1029]

yea true. Do you know who Jay Z is? They say that he has fas. I do not know if it is true. I did read about fas and it said that some women can drink heavy and nothing be wrong with their baby and some can drink very little and all kinds of stuff be wrong. That is strange.

[ibizan]

oh yeah i know who Jay Z is....he does have fetal alcohol features somewhat come to think of it but that could be a rumor.Whatever u read about FAS and women drinking heavy and nothing wrong with baby is pure bunk.....alcohol in any form to that delicate fetus is pure poison.My dayjob is substance abuse counselor....sober/clean 24 yrs.......i have seen the effects of alcohol/drugs on kids...and i have seen the ugliness of FAS with kids......a baby doesn't ask for a drink of wine or any booze for that matter!

[zenno]

all i can say to you is do not drink anything with alcohol in it while you a pregnant. and i don't believe a little of it is good for your baby. it might be good for you personaly while not pregnant but defenatly not while you are pregnant. i'm a full blown alcoholic and have learned quite a bit about this devil drink. just leave off it till you have your baby and then enjoy a few glases a week.

[adgal]

Chances are a few glasses of wine won't hurt, but is it really worth the risk?  I am trying to get pregnant, and I don't even drink during this time, just in case.  I guess the way I look at it is, would I give my infant, toddler or small child a drink?  I just don't think its worth it.  Best of luck with your pregnancy.

[jml1986]

When I was pregnant with my daughter 22 years ago, my doctor told me that I was better off to drink a glass of wine then to be stressed out. I did not ever feel the need to until I was in labor, and at that point I said to hell with wine, give me a beer. So I had one beer and delivered a healthy baby 18 hours later.

[tisa1029]

they let you have a beer while in labor? lol

[MJIthewriter]

Before you consider drinking, I suggest you read up the info on this site. It ends in a .gov, so it does carry a little more weight than just an average website pulled up from google.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/

jml1986, that doctor may or may not have known much about FAS. It sounds like you were lucky.

[MJIthewriter]

I mean lucky that the baby turned out fine.

[MJIthewriter]

Another quote copied from the site:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm

"What are FAS and FASDs?

Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause a range of disorders, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). One of the most severe effects of drinking during pregnancy is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is one of the leading known preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects. If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, her baby can be born with FAS, a lifelong condition that causes physical and mental disabilities. FAS is characterized by abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies, and central nervous system (CNS) problems. People with FAS might have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, hearing, or a combination of these. These problems often lead to difficulties in school and problems getting along with others. FAS is a permanent condition. It affects every aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of his or her family.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. The term FASDs is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis.

FASDs include FAS as well as other conditions in which individuals have some, but not all, of the clinical signs of FAS. Three terms often used are fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). The term FAE has been used to describe behavioral and cognitive problems in children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol, but who do not have all of the typical diagnostic features of FAS. In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) replaced FAE with the terms ARND and ARBD. Children with ARND might have functional or mental problems linked to prenatal alcohol exposure. These include behavioral or cognitive abnormalities or a combination of both. Children with ARBD might have problems with the heart, kidneys, bones, and/or hearing.

All FASDs are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant."

[MJIthewriter]

I accidently posted this somewhere else on the same forum so it messed up the order I wanted people here to read, but please take time to read this one as well.

Quoted from the same site as above:
"When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn baby.  There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant and there also does not appear to be a safe time to drink during pregnancy either.  Therefore, it is recommended that women abstain from drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy.  Women who are sexually active and do not use effective birth control should also refrain from drinking because they could become pregnant and not know for several weeks or more."

[MJIthewriter]

I'm sorry for being so harsh, but I am concerned about that baby.

Here's more stuff on the web page I'd like you all to read:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm#how

[MJIthewriter]

As copied from the same page:
"Children with FASDs might have the following characteristics or exhibit the following behaviors:
Small size for gestational age or small stature in relation to peers
Facial abnormalities such as small eye openings
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior
Learning disabilities
Developmental disabilities (e.g., speech and language delays)
Mental retardation or low IQ
Problems with daily living
Poor reasoning and judgment skills
Sleep and sucking disturbances in infancy

Children with FASDs are at risk for psychiatric problems, criminal behavior, unemployment, and incomplete education. These are secondary conditions that an individual is not born with but might acquire as a result of FAS or a related disorder. These conditions can be very serious, but there are protective factors that have been found to help individuals with FASDs. For example, a child who is diagnosed early in life can be placed in appropriate educational classes and given access to social services that can help the child and his or her family. Children with FASDs who receive special education are more likely to achieve their developmental and educational potential. In addition, children with FASDs need a loving, nurturing, and stable home life to avoid disruptions, transient lifestyles, or harmful relationships. Children with FASDs who live in abusive or unstable homes or who become involved in youth violence are much more likely than those who do not have such negative experiences to develop secondary conditions.

If you think your child might have an FASD, contact your doctor who might be able to refer you to a specialist who can assess your child."

[ibizan]

u r not being harsh when it comes to consuming alcohol and fetal development!I'm in ur corner dear!Fetuses don't ask for a drink and i would think it would feel like an irritant to their delicate development!

[adgal]

I know there is so much debate on this subject.  As I am currently trying to conceive, I hear so many different opinions for so many friends and family members.  I think the bottom line is, why chance it.  Surely 9 months is not too long to give up drinking to feel 100% sure.  And if you did take a few drinks or more during pregnancy, and something did happen, could you live with that?  I know I couldn't.  Good for you MJ for pulling up all that info.  Education is the key here, and its good info. Your not being harsh at all.

[MJIthewriter]

Thanks. I wish I could have thought about pulling it up earlier with my first post, but I guess I thought the short answer was enough. I stumbled upon that site a while ago and was reminded of it when reading the post. I still can't believe jml1986's doctor though... I guess 22 years ago they probably didn't know as much as they know now, hence the misinformation. I suppose the spectrum disorders probably weren't known very well back then. Most people probably thought only about the worst cases...and didn't understand the minor ones...

Here's the PDF they linked to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/documents/Released%20Advisory.pdf

[ibizan]

If a woman cannot refrain from drinking during her pregnancy then that is an indication of a problem in my opinion.I have seen children ages 17 mos. to adults with the effects of FAS.i recall one man age 23 with severe FAS features.Very polite young man with a speech impediment.I was doing his alcohol/drug use history and I asked about whether or not his parents had a history of alcohol problems.He sighed and replied "My Mama was dead drunk when I was born".The 17 mos.old did not seem to have the ability to pull herself up from a sitting position,just kept rolling over.That 17 month old today is a 16 year old girl( whose mom is an alcoholic/crack addict) who is primarily a pot smoker and who has had two miscarriages ALREADY!such poor role modeling from her mother.Extremes and horror stories u the reader may think but this is what i see in my daily job as a substance abuse counselor!

[zenno]

quote; ibizan''  and i would think it would feel like an irritant to their delicate development!
I couldn't agree more.

[walternowotny]

I have a story about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
When I went to 1st grade back in the"old country" there were kids from local orphanage.They all looked very similar.They were not dressed the same way but even then you they were from"kid's home"(official name of orphanage)They just were"different".And they didn't do well at school....Years later when I was in medical school I saw an old picture of my 1st grade class.All those kids from orphanage had typical features of FAS.
Walter
P.S.There is no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy

[girlybuff]

Honestly without going into details, if you feel the need to question the safety of your unborn child maybe you should take a deeper look at why you would ewven consider it?  Do you need to drink that badly that you can't wait?  
Congrats on your pregnancy and I will keep you in my thoughts.

[MJIthewriter]

To add onto that, are you sure that "couple glasses of wine" would only be a couple glasses?  I'm not sure how you drink. I just know from reading several posts here and elsewhere that often a "couple" anything alcoholic turns into something far more than intended.

[tisa1029]

I have not ever said that I have drank anything. I was just wondering. I heard that it was ok and wanted to know if it was ok.

[MJIthewriter]

The general consensus is no. It's not okay.

No we're not trying to put you on the spotlight. I may be a bit harsh, but sometimes I can’t help it. Sometimes there’s no way to sugarcoat a bitter pill, especially when it involves at least two lives...

[WhatIsNormal]

Hello, WOW, there is alot of feedback on this one. When I was pregnant my Dr. and Midwife told me that a glass of wine(6oz.) was not only ok to drink but helpful for both me and my son. They said that is was helpful because it increases bloodflow to the uterus, and also is very good for an adult in moderation, because of the antioxidants. I don't like wine and have issues with addiction, so I knew that it was safer for me to stay away from it. I think the bottom line is ask you'r Dr. if you are having trouble relaxing at night, it may be something he or she would recommend. There are alot of opinions out there, you have to come to your own conclusion. And also if you have issues with addiction and think one small glass might lead to two......Then stay away. My personal opinion is that there are alot of things that women have done for years that are "taboo" now that never hurt anyone. We are a society that can border rediculous at times, when it comes to being overly cautious. Ask your DR.