Alcohol and Pregnancy
When you drink, alcohol reaches your baby through the placenta. But the baby can't process it as fast as you can, so it is exposed to greater amounts of alcohol for longer than you are, which can seriously affect the baby's development. 
Pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. If they do choose to drink, to protect the baby, they should not drink more than 1-2 units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk. Additional advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises women to avoid alcohol in the first three months in particular, because of the increased risk of miscarriage.
Conception
Nobody really knows how much alcohol is 'safe' to drink before your chances of conceiving are reduced. But we do know that heavy drinking can disrupt menstrual cycles and that women who drink heavily can find it harder to get pregnant. If you are trying for a baby, it's advisable to avoid alcohol. If you choose to drink, you should drink no more than one to two units, once or twice a week. Additional advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises women to avoid alcohol in the first three months in particular, because of the increased risk of miscarriage.
Men might also decide to avoid drinking excessively if they are trying for a baby. Alcohol kills sperm, and excess alcohol can make men less fertile, while heavy drinking can cause temporary impotence. In short, you have less chance of becoming a father if you drink too much.
When you're pregnant
Many women go off the taste of alcohol when they're pregnant. But if you're not one of them, here are the facts.
When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood, through the placenta, to your baby. A baby's liver is one of the last organs to develop fully and does not mature until the latter half of pregnancy. Therefore, your baby cannot process alcohol as well as you can, and is exposed to greater amounts of alcohol for longer periods of time.
Alcohol isn't just dangerous for the baby in the first three months. If you drink heavily during pregnancy, a particular group of problems could develop, known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS have:
- Restricted growth
- Facial abnormalities
- Life-long learning and behavioural disorders
Regular on-going drinking in pregnancy above the recommended levels, as well as binge drinking, may still be associated with lesser forms of the full FAS, referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
It may be that you weren't deliberately trying for a baby, but have conceived by accident. If this has happened to you, stop drinking altogether as soon as you find out you are pregnant - or if you do drink reduce your alcohol consumption to no more than 1-2 units once or twice a week - and talk to your GP or midwife.
The risks of heavy drinking during pregnancy
First trimester (months 0-3):
- Damage to developing organs and nervous system, resulting in later mental and physical problems
- Major structural abnormalities
- Spontaneous miscarriage
Second trimester (months 3-6):
- Continued risk of damage to the central nervous system
- Continued risk of miscarriage
Third trimester (months 6-9):
- Disruption to general growth and development
- Dulled mental abilities
- Minor abnormalities
- Low birth-weight
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding gives your baby the best possible start in life, and it's very unlikely that an occasional drink will harm either of you. However, we do know that very small amounts of alcohol pass through in your breast milk. Because of this, if you are breastfeeding it is advisable to keep your drinking within the limits recommended for pregnant women who do continue to drink some alcohol during pregnancy (i.e no more than 1-2 units once or twice a week). If you regularly drink more than this amount, it can affect your baby in a number of ways:
- Your milk may smell different and put your baby off feeding
- The alcohol may make your baby too sleepy to feed
- Your baby may have difficulties with digestion and problems with sleeping patterns
If it's a special occasion and you know you're going to be drinking, consider expressing milk in advance. You can also avoid breastfeeding for two to three hours after drinking to minimise the effects. Have your drink after the last feed of the day - if you can predict when that will be!
As well as being a time of joy and excitement, the first few months after giving birth can also be difficult and demanding. Sleep deprivation, endless feeding and changing, and emotional ups and downs can leave you feeling tired and drained. But heavy drinking will leave you feeling a lot worse. Although it may help you feel more relaxed at first, drinking too much at this time will make you more irritable and low. This will make it harder to cope with the constant attention that a baby needs.
Did you know...?
- A 250ml glass of wine (ABV 12%) contains three units of alcohol?
- One unit of alcohol takes about two hours to clear from a mother's milk?
- It's best not to sleep in the same bed as your baby if you've been drinking alcohol?
- Alcohol is a poison, as well as being addictive?
- Alcohol in a foetus has a toxic effect on developing cells and organs, especially in the brain, where it kills cells? If you cut out alcohol you increase your chances of getting pregnant?
If you want to cut down
For many women, one of the greatest changes they make when pregnant is to do with drinking. Drinking is often a big part of what we do to have fun - to relax after a long day, to be with friends, to meet new people or to celebrate. Giving all that up can be hard.
If you think you are drinking too much, you may well be able to cut down on your own. But if you find it difficult to go it alone or are getting withdrawal symptoms, plenty of help and support is available. Try:
If you think you may have a problem with your drinking go to your local alcohol help centre - look in the phone book, or call Drinkline on 0800 876 67 76.
10 ways to cut down your drinking before and during pregnancy
1. Reduce your units by choosing less alcoholic drinks
2. Don't let people top up your drink
3. Drink water before you go out
4. Drink slowly and avoid rounds
5. Have more water or soft drinks than alcoholic ones
6. Suggest that you meet friends or colleagues at a cafe rather than a bar
7. Replace drinking with other stress reducing pleasures: a relaxing bath, exercise, reading or listening to music
8. Invite friends round to your home instead of going out
9. Switch to non-alcoholic versions of your favourite drinks - a Virgin Mary or a fruit juice cocktail
10. If your partner enjoys a drink after work, consider asking them not to, so you don't feel deprived
