A Glass of Wine or Not?

You deserve it!!! Have a glass! Just don't have it that often and you'll be fine. Like someone else said, we are really the only country so crazy about all these rules.

Hi R.,
The difficult part of the wine/no wine issue is that medical science clearly knows that too much alcohol is not good while pregnant, but no one knows how much is okay. Ethically, there is no way to conduct clinical studies on pregnant women to find out either. That said, all of the docs in my OB's practice thought a little wine (no more than one glass a week -- some said one every other week) was okay; they just could not say where the line was between okay and not okay. Personally, I did not feel like having it that frequently, but I did order a glass on occasion or take a sip of my husband's. When I ordered my own glass, I rarely felt like finishing it. I'm a huge wine fan, so I took that as a sign that my body was telling me I had had enough. I probably had wine about four and never more than 2/3 of a four ounce pour. Do keep in mind that the size of "one glass" can vary greatly in people's minds. In general (and for Weight Watchers!), four ounces is generally accepted. However, many people and restaurants will fill the glass higher than that. If you choose to drink some wine, be sure you have a sense of roughly how four ounces of wine looks in different size glasses. My OB's main concern about my having wine was actually that, if something went wrong, I would assume it was because of the wine and never be able to forgive myself. She definitely had a point there. I decided that I did not want to drink as much as I was told I could but that I could have a little on occasion and know (in my own mind) that it was not enough to cause an issue. Only you can answer whether there is an amount where you would feel the same. Perhaps you can have just a few sips one night and see how you feel about it. If you feel uncomfortable then you have your answer. Also, perhaps you can find a non-alcoholic drink that feels special. From what I have heard, non-alcoholic wine is not that great, but I have never tried it. Maybe a mix of juices combined with bubbly water would satisfy. May restaurants with extensive, fancy cocktail lists have non-alcoholic alternatives. Maybe you could check out their websites. Cyrus in Healdsburg has amazing cocktails. I don't know what they have without alcohol, but maybe you can get some ideas. K.

I would have a half glass of wine once in a while when I was pregnant. I felt that I was otherwise healthy, ate well, did not smoke, drink, not around a lot of chemicals, and it seemed that medical consensus was that a small amount would not be harmful.

When we were all kids, it was common for women to drink AND smoke (YUCK!) while pregnant w/o a care & most of us were born w/o any problems. The med. community now knows that, in excess, alcohol is not a good thing for a pregnant woman & smoking is even wrose. That said, if your doc says OK, & you'd like a celebratroy (SP?)glass of wine or a cool beer on a hot day, go for it. My first pregnancy was a long time in the making so I maybe had 1/2 of a beer in the last trimester. Second prgancy, 4.5 yrs later, I had the occassional beer or wine since i was mroe relaxed & knew it wasn't a problem. Do what you feel most comfortable doing. Hope this helps & good luck!

I think one glass every now in then- meaning once or twice a month- should be fine. I definitely think that more than once a week is too much- or if you want the taste- make it that, a little taste, but not a full glass. JMO.

All of the responses so far are great. Yes, this subject like many others can have differing opinions. If you are in your third trimester, your risk of harming him/her from one glass of wine is nill. Ask you doctor. I asked my doctor the same question in my third trimester. She said an occasional glass in the third trimester is ok. I never had a full glass but I did have some sips of my husband's wine a few times.

I was more worried when I inadvertenly had two glasses of wine the night before I discovered I was pregnant. As we know, the first trimester is key to a fetus's development. Once I knew, I obviously stopped drinking any alcohol, ate very healthy, and exercised throughout my entire preganancy--I had a healthy, beauriful baby boy.

I know I am only one example, but seriously, one glass of wine in the third trimester will not suddenly cause some malformation.

Good luck and congratualtions.

There are no studies that prove either way to this date that i have found. BUT WHY RISK IT!?!?!? You have a little life with a tiny liver that is just developing and learning to work. Why would you want to poison it with alcohol?

I had an occasional glass (once every week or 2) during the second half of the pregnancy and I don't think it was ever a full glass. I also drank it very slowly to prevent any blood alochol spikes. My daughter is totally fine.

I turned 40 during my last trimester and had looked forward to a nice glass of red wine with the romantic dinner my husband planned. I took one sip and it just didn't taste very good. The wine was fine, it was my wacked out hormones/taste buds. It sounds like you have enough doubt (and you've 'waited so long'), that maybe it's not worth it. Bottomline, you have to do what you are comfortable doing.

i think it's okay. women in Italy drink a glass everyday, pregnant or not.

Hi there,
Congrats on being so close to the finish line! A friend of mine mentioned to me that the United States is really the only country that holds its pregnant women to the "absolutely no alcohol" standard. My husband and I both felt comfortable with a little bit here or there. I had a glass of wine a week and occasionally 2 in the same week and I gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy. Everyone's body metabolizes alcohol differently, just trust your instincts and drink what you feel comfortable with.

Hi R.,

I had a half a glass of wine at Christmas when I was pregnant and my husband gave me such a hard time about it, I ended up asking my doctor. She said she would be happy to call my husband to tell him a glass of wine, on occasion, as long as you are otherwise healthy and have no complications is fine. Ask your doctor - but it is probably fine!

My pediatrician actually said it won't hurt you - however, if this is your 3rd trimester and you've waited this long - as well as the fact that you've waited so long for a 3rd member of the family - you would always question yourself if something bad did happen to your baby whether or not it had to do with the glass of wine. Why bother at this point???

The day before thanksgiving I had a doctor appt. I asked my doctor what he thought of a little red wine. He said he liked red wine quite a bit ;). I asked what he thought of a little for me. He said I should have some. He said a glass of red wine even once or twice a week would not hurt.I didn't have that much but it was good to hear. He said that because of fetal alcohol syndrom issues the most conservative approach is no alcohol but he felt strongly that was over the top. He also said that a little wine is a good way to relax and he'd rather me have a glass of wine if I was having trouble sleeping than to take a sleeping aid.
I'm guessing women in Italy have a little wine.
Anyhow - I drank some wine here and there without a problem. I have a beautiful healthy girl.
Cheers!

Drink iced tea. the risk is not worth the moment of pleasure.

Many years ago, the treatment for preterm labor was intravenous alcohol...by third trimester, your baby is fully formed so the deformities associated with fetal alcohol syndrome are no longer a worry. Is alcohol good for a fetus? Well, no--but neither is chocolate or soda pop or many of the other things you eat and drink. Is a glass of wine once or even twice a week going to hurt it? Hardly likely. This is not a rigid thing, that if you have one drink you have ruined your chance of having a perfect baby (nor that if you never have a single drink your baby will be perfect!), but if you are talking about a glass of wine once a week, I wouldn't worry that it will change anything about that wonderful creature your body is growing...

not. don't let anyone talk you into it either. my husband is an OB and he just went to a conference on this.

I say it's not worth the risk. I know there are many opinions on this but remember everything you eat your baby does too and you wouldn't give your newborn wine. The harmful effects are not worth the risk to your little one. Maybe you could look into some non-alcoholic drinks that might tide you over a bit longer. Your little one is such a precious gift!

I totally understand your desire to have wine and there will be many people telling you it is fine. I am sure it IS fine. But as others point out, why take the risk when you have made it this far and only have a little bit more time left? I would do what you are comfortable doing, but you might want to take it into perspective. "Yeah, just a little wine, so what?" OR "Yeah, just a little more time to sacrifice my wine drinking so my little one stays as healthy as possible." It really IS a decision that should be based on your own comfort level. If you are looking to others to give you the green light, then maybe you should look closer at your own hesitation. Congrats on the upcoming baby!!!