How many drinks can a pregnant woman have safely?

Question

My girlfriend has been getting really jealous of us boys getting drunk and smoking all the time, being pregnant and all mom said that she had to stop for a while.

But she recently bought a book on pregnancy, it mentions that its ok to drink up to 3 drinks of wine at a time, in fact it says that its benefitial to do so. Now I figure that a book would know more than my mom.

Does anyone know the answer? How many drinks can my girlfriend have?

If its say 11% alchohol wine, and you have 3 of them, that would be about the same as 2 bourbon and cokes?

Answer 1

In my opinion, the book probably does know more then your mom. But if she's really just jealous of the guys drinking and smoking, then perhaps she should go somewhere else when you guys are doing it. She's probably nagging and complaining the whole time, which can really be a buzz kill. If this complaining and jealousy keeps up, maybe you should just leave her for someone else, who can fully enjoy the drinking and smoking with you.

Answer 2

None. Once the baby is born are you guys going to put wine or bourbon and coke in the baby's bottle??? I hope not! If she can't stop drinking for 9 months for the well being of her baby she has a serious problem! My husband has even quit drinking during my pregnancy because he feels if I cannot drink that he shouldn't be able to either because the baby is both of ours--maybe you should try to be supportive of your girlfriend and quit drinking.

Answer 3

The only 100% fool proof way to make sure that your unborn child is not affected by alcohol is not to drink AT ALL.

That said, I know it sucks watching everyone else get pissed so I would have one drink (wine OR burbon) when hubby was drinking - but my husband also respected me enough to cut right down when I was expecting and I would suggest you do the same thing.

Your not gonna be getting pissed or smoking all night when the baby comes...and if u think nothing will change then u arent ready to be a dad.

Answer 4

Yah my opinion is she should stop all together i was really into the partying scene before i got pregnant but after i found out i didnt touch alcohol although some believe a glass of wine a week isnt harmful but im not willing to take the chance but even some doctors say it could be beneficial to you im not sure how though

Answer 5

Three is really pushing it, even occasionally. What's the book?

The UK gov't says 'no more than two units a week,' which I think is sensible.

Here:

"Is there a safe or acceptable level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women?


The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recently conducted a large study including 400,000 American women, all of whom had consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Not a single case of fetal alcohol syndrome occurred and no adverse effects on children were found when consumption was under 8.5 drinks per week. 3

A recent review of research studies found that fetal alcohol syndrome only occurs among alcoholics. The evidence is clear that there is no apparent risk to a child when the pregnant woman consumes no more than one drink per day."

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/FetalAlcoholSyndrome.html

That "one drink can cause FAS!" is just a myth perpetuated by the frightened and ignorant who were, well, lied to.

But three at one go is too much.

Historically -- even going back to Classical times -- the recommendation has been to 'avoid drunkenness.' Not 'one drink will make ur babby retarded.' In short: you can drink, just not to the point where you can actually notice you've had alcohol.

Re. wine/bourbon:

"One unit of alcohol is 10 ml (1 cl) by volume, or 8 g by weight, of pure alcohol. For example:

One unit of alcohol is about equal to:
Half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager, or cider (3–4% alcohol by volume), or
A small pub measure (25 ml) of spirits (40% alcohol by volume), or
A standard pub measure (50 ml) of fortified wine such as sherry or port (20% alcohol by volume).
There are one and a half units of alcohol in:
A small glass (125 ml) of ordinary strength wine (12% alcohol by volume), or
A standard pub measure (35 ml) of spirits (40% alcohol by volume)."

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23069189/

Answer 6

here is an honest, not hysterical answer: In the UK the GOVENMENT health guidelines are as follows: one or two drinks once or twice a week. My doctor has told me that the occasional glass of red wine can actually have benefits, just don't overdo it!! Good luck, u will get many answers to this, some just silly, some more sensible.

Answer 7

How many drinks can a pregnant worman have... hmm, depends on how many drinks you want the unborn baby to have ... everything goes straight to the baby ... My dr. said a glass of wine doesn't harm them, but doesn't rec. any alcohol...BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY, that is what I always say... its only 9 months, or lesss. If she is in the first trimester especially its dangerous!

Answer 8

I "you and the boys" are going out drinking and "smoking", it sounds like your girlfriend has a lot more problems ahead of her than just whether or not she can join you.
Problems like being a single mother, etc.
You should be with your girlfriend, not out partying with "the guys".
The shame of it is that this poor baby is gonna have to call someone like you: "daddy".
Grow up.

But to answer your question:
You girlfriend can safely drink as much as she likes.
It's the BABY that she's putting in danger, not her.

If partying and smoking are you and your girldfriends biggest concerns, you should have kept it in your pants.

Answer 9

the answer is NONE! No alcohol is safe during pregnancy. Doctors do not know how much alcohol it takes to cause fetal alcohol syndrome.

Honestly not drinking for 9 months should NOT be a big deal. If it is there's a bigger problem

Answer 10

Hi--doesnt ur gf know from one she cud go all the way to a coupla more and reaching 10--i mean thats how it starts once a day and then theres no stopping-pls ask ur wife to care for the inborn baby--and to give more importance to the new life rather than to impress u and ur buddies--and she shd know better than to read books esp when it sounds nonsensical--she better listen to ur mom or her mom--mommies are always the best--ps--i m proof of what it cud do to the unborn--i had german measles--and my kid has eplileptic fits :(-they say wine cud do some damage--pls dont risk it-take her out to movies and the beach or to the park--occupy her-she needs ur attention