Drinking During Pregnancy?

Question

When a woman is pregnant how much can she drink before it's too much?

I've heard rumors that you can drink a little bit while you are pregnant and it can actually be good for the child. Is this true?

I've also heard that if you drink just a beer while breastfeeding it will increase the quantity of breast milk. Is this true?

I just thought I'd write back and say. I am not pregnant. I would never drink while I was pregnant. I was just asking to see how quick people would be to assume. Where in my question did it say--I'm pregnant and I'm drinking? It didn't say that anywhere. I find this very interesting. As for being well-educated. Of course I know drinking while you are pregnant is not a "good" thing. So...next time you are answering a question--and just assume think about what other possibilities the person my have for asking the question. Thank you for your answers and thank you to some for making yourselves look like total idiots!

I asked a question...yes there were a few people who did not assume. Yes people answered the question with what a horrible mother I am--how my child will be taken away. Only few answered the question with facts--which is what I clearly asked for.

Here is an example answer: No, one drink iis too many. Or here is a link to visit for more information.

BooBoo--You are one of the people who I wouldn't refer to as an "idiot" you showed concern and understanding. Sure, you assumed but you didn't do it in a rude manner. Thank you for your polite answer.

Answer 1

They don't know how much is too much. It's better not to drink at all during pregnancy.

Yes, if you have a beer after having the baby it can increase your milk supply and no drinking in pregnancy is not good for the baby

Answer 2

Pregnant women should not drink at all. Alcohol has been proven to cause lower birth weight, premature birth, and other health issues. It is never good for the child. It is not natural to consume alcohol, pregnant or not.

The beer question is a myth. Believe me, when the baby comes, you will have plenty of breast milk. The female human body produces breast milk as your baby demands it. You will automatically produce more as the baby grows and needs more. If you are a generally healthy person, you will be fine. By any standard, drinking during pregnancy is not the right thing to do.

I do suggest you find the best pre-natal vitamin you can, and take it daily. This will help you and the baby get the extra nutrition you both need right now. Good luck!

Answer 3

NEVER drink while pregnant OR breastfeeding. Even a drop of alcohol can intoxicate an fetus/infant. Why risk hurting your child?

Why turn something so healthy for your child, and benifical to your body as well, into a potentially harmful experience, just to increase the quantity of your breast milk? Breast milk is produced on the supply and demand rule. The more you BF the more BM you make

Answer 4

I've have children and I know it's hard to change your bad habits during pregnancy, but don't believe rumors to try to make yourself feel better about having drinks. That's just what they are, rumors. No amount of alcohol is good for a growing baby. Would you give your baby a bottle of beer? If your answer is no, there you go. That's the equivalent of drinking during pregnancy and breastfeeding, what you have, the baby has as well. I definately wasn't a health nut during pregnancy, far from it, but I DID NOT drink. By the way, people don't just sit around and think up questions about pregnancy to ask the public. No one who answered your question is an idiot. We simply answered what YOU asked. Thanks to all these idiots who educated about pregnancy!

Ok- you get to have the last word! It was very tactful of you to write a response to me directly. I stand corrected! Have a good day.

Answer 5

NO amount of alcohol is recommended during pregnancy. Studies have shown that alcohol passes freely through the placenta to the fetus. There are many crucial periods of growth and development within the uterus. Alcohol can cause many bad things to happen during those times, such as growth retardation(decreased growth or low birth weight babies), prematurity, fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal alcohol growth abnormalites, fetal alcohol mental retardation, miscarriage, fetal death, and many more bad things. I tell all women who are planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant that they need to stop all alcohol consumption and that there is no safe amount to consume. The Surgeon General recommends the same thing as does the March of Dimes.

Also, beer does NOT increase milk production as there is none during pregnancy nor does it post pregnancy. Alcohol reduces the amount of milk that is produced and it goes through the breast milk to the infant. Do not drink and breast feed.

Please refer to the March of Dimes web site to get more information on alcohol and pregnancy.

Good luck and stay healthy. Please enroll in a pregnancy class, there are many offered free throughout communities, such as by the March of Dimes, Department of Health, Federal Food Stamp Program, Medicaid, and WICC (Women Infant and Health). A class like this will ensure the best outcome for you and your baby.

CLIP from March of Dimes:
What you need to know:
Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can cause your baby to be born with both physical and mental birth defects. The most serious concern is a condition called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation.

No one knows exactly how much alcohol a woman has to drink to cause birth defects in her baby. That level may differ from woman to woman. So experts agree that the best thing to do is not to drink alcohol at all while you are pregnant—that includes beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor.

If a woman takes an occasional drink before she knows she is pregnant, it probably won't harm her baby. But she should stop drinking alcohol as soon as she thinks she may be pregnant.

In February 2005, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, surgeon general of the United States, warned pregnant women and women who may become pregnant about the risks of alcohol during pregnancy. To view the press release, click here.

What you can do:
Stay away from alcohol while you are pregnant. If you find it hard to say no, avoid parties, bars and other places where people are drinking alcohol.

If you have a problem stopping, get help. There is no more important time to stop than when you are pregnant.

Answer 6

In France or somewhere pregnant women often have a glass of wine, but here in the US it's recommended that you drink NO alcohol while pregnant at any time. Why risk your babies health?

And alcohol can pass into your breast milk so if you are breastfeeding you need to pump and dump the milk so your baby does not ingest alcohol. Use common sense.

Answer 7

yes both is true!! u shouldn't drink alchole while pregnant but 2 standard drinks they say won't harm the baby. and there is a thing in beer which helps produce breast milk u can also by it buy itself i think the stuff they put in the beer which produces it. i forget the nameof it tho try searching around on google and on pregnancy sites u'll find more info out about both ur questions

Answer 8

I hear a glass of wine here and there is good, but i've never drank during my pregnancies.

I never heard of the beer increasing breast milk. I know you can drink while breastfeeding, but not to over do it.

Answer 9

If I were you I wouldn't drink at all. Is it really worth it? Nobody knows how much is to little or to much. Every womens body is diffrent. I did hear that a beer will increase your breast milk, but I just had my little girl on the 5th and I supply more then enough milk.

Answer 10

I've know a lot of women who have one beer once in awhile while they are breatfeeding because the yeast in the beer helps produce milk. But as far as drinking during prgnant, I've never heard of that.