Would you drink while pregnant? Mums reveal how much they drank while expecting
The NHS recommends not to drink at all when pregnant - but experts say the evidence proving light drinking was dangerous is 'surprisingly limited'
MUMS who drink a little during their pregnancy have been branded alcoholics by fellow parents.
A mum took to the internet to discuss the controversial subject, as she had an upcoming event but hadn’t revealed her pregnancy and didn’t want to arouse suspicion by not drinking.
Posting the question on , the user said: “Controversial did anyone drink in pregnancy??”
The responses were varied, but some women branded anyone who drinks while pregnant an alcoholic.
One said: “No. I think if you can’t manage 9 months without alcohol for the possible sake of your child’s health then you are an alcoholic and need to get help for that.”
Another said: “I think if someone is finding it very hard to give up then they probably need to reconsider their approach to alcohol regardless of pregnancy.”
How much alcohol can you drink while pregnant?
By Jennifer Newton
Despite research, experts are still unsure how much alcohol - if any - is safe to drink while pregnant.
Some say that after discovering you are expecting a baby, you should totally abstain from drinking any kind of booze.
The UK's chief medical officer recommends the safest approach for expectant mums is to avoid it altogether throughout the pregnancy.
This is because alcohol can pose risks to the unborn baby including learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
However, others say that women can enjoy a small tipple when expecting - saying there is no evidence that a small amount of booze can cause problems.
One expert, Dr Ellie Lee said: “Official advice about drinking in pregnancy has gone down an overtly precautionary route."
But pregnant women who enjoy the occasional tipple are unlikely to harm their babies, say researchers.
The evidence proving light drinking was dangerous was “surprisingly limited”, they concluded.
The NHS advice is that once discovering they are pregnant, women should completely avoid alcohol.
One person wrote of the potential consequences when drinking too much while pregnant, saying: “I work with toddlers who have additional needs some of the children's difficulties are due to the parent drinking, taking drugs or not taking folic acid during pregnancy.
“These children wouldn't have any additional need if the parent hadn't been selfish.”
This person also thought the risks outweighed the benefits, saying: “It’s not a hard thing to give up for such a short while. Why risk it?”
But this person said: "I am in no way an alcoholic but there are times when I think that it can be such a stressful time for us ladies that it would be nice to be able to have a drink or two."
But others didn’t agree, with one person replying: “Life without alcohol is a dull existence especially when everyone else is drinking! Just don’t go overboard!”
A lot of women admitted they did have one or two drinks while pregnant or a few sips.
The NHS recommends not to drink at all when pregnant.
Mum sparks debate after asking if she should weigh her toddler and put her on a diet.
These four new mums proudly showed off their real post-baby bodies.
If you’re pregnant, these are the most popular baby names in 2018 so far.