Can I drink alcohol while I am pregnant?

The truth of the matter is, no one really knows for sure what is considered a safe level of alcohol consumption for a pregnant woman. So, to be safe, most experts would recommend staying away from alcohol all together throughout your pregnancy.

If you are pregnant and wondering if it is alright to occasionally indulge in a glass of wine or a can of your favourite beer, the advice you receive might be very confusing. Most doctors say it is best to avoid having any amount of alcohol while others claim that a little alcohol would not cause any harm to your baby.

Your friends are probably divided on this as well. A couple of them might say they enjoyed a drink or two during their pregnancy and their baby turned out fine, while the rest might look at it as taking unnecessary risks.

For many years, researchers have known that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects to your baby, but the possible affects small amounts of alcohol could bring to your baby was never very well understood.

While some healthcare providers may still give advice based on old government guidelines which state that one or two alcoholic beverages would not possibly cause any harm, the latest guideline claims that no level of alcohol is considered safe for your unborn child.

Why is alcohol a problem?

If you don’t already know, alcohol is a toxin and when you consume it, it rapidly flows in your bloodstream through your placenta and reaches your baby. A large amount of alcohol can cause permanent damage to the development of your baby. If it does not even make it in time to cause damage to your baby, it can result in you having a miscarriage or premature birth.

Too much alcohol can cause serious defects to a baby’s appearance. Besides that, it can also affect the development of your baby’s brains and other organs in the body. It is also known to affect the nervous system, which is when learning difficulties and lifelong problems start to take place in your child’s life as he grows older.

The term for all these problems is called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The reason it is called a spectrum is because the problems can range from mild learning difficulties to permanent birth defects.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is at the extreme end of this spectrum. Babies with FAS are usually born with facial defects, are small in size and continue being small in size even as they grow up. These kids would also have learning difficulties, coordination problems as well as behavioral problems which they would have to deal with for the rest of their lives. However, FAS is considered to be rare.

What are proven risks?

It is known that the amount of alcohol, the stage of pregnancy when the alcohol is consumed and the frequency of alcohol consumption all play a part in whether the baby is damaged by it. Alcohol does not only cause damage in the first trimester, it can also affect in the later stages of pregnancy; especially when the baby’s brain is starting to develop.

Scientists say that drinking heavily on a regular basis affect a baby and can result in FASD, where as women who indulge in frequent bouts of binge drinking are at a higher risk of their baby having FAS.

Is occasional drinking safe?

Researches don’t know for sure what a few drinks over a short period of time can do to a developing baby, which is why they advice expectant mothers that avoiding alcohol completely might be the wisest thing to do. Once you have started trying to conceive or have found out that you are pregnancy, it is best to stay away from this toxin.

Some experts recommend that you stop drinking if you are trying for a baby. But if you had a couple of drinks at a party before finding out you were pregnant, try not to worry. Many women have had a couple of drinks before finding out they were pregnant and their babies have turned out fine.

What would be good substitutes?

If you are one of those women who develop a dislike for the taste and smell of alcohol early in your pregnancy, then good on you! However, if you still love drinking it even in the early stages of your pregnancy, giving it up might be a real dilemma.

If you are someone who likes drinking alcohol as away to unwind, then try replacing it with a warm bath, soft music or even a nice massage. If you just miss drinking in general, try substituting your drinks with non alcoholic beverages.

For starters, a variety of virgin drinks and mocktails would be great.

Months pass by in a breeze, in no time you would be able to have your favourite cocktails all over again. Think about it as a benefit for your baby and it should be no problem abstaining from it at all.