A recent survey by British charity Tommy's found that one-third of the 1,300 women interviewed tippled during their pregnancies. What's more, the same percentage couldn't say how much alcohol was recommended as the maximum (experts say no more than two units per week, with one unit equaling a glass of wine or beer; the official U.S. policy is -- what else? -- abstinence).
Obviously, too much booze is bad for an unborn baby. The CDC estimates Fetal Alcohol Syndrome rates range from 0.2 to 1.5 per 1,000 live births in the U.S. In the U.K., fetal alcohol affects between one and three births per thousand. Babies born with FAS can suffer mental retardation and developmental defects.
The stats for U.S. women look a bit brighter. While an estimated 12 percent
Tell us! Have you known someone who drank while pregnant? Did you ever secretly take a sip?
Also on Lemondrop... Social drinkers aren't the only women who try to act like they're not pregnant -- check out these TV stars who hid their out-of-character baby bumps in some bizarre ways.
Baby Bumps in Disguise
Sarah Palin's nomination brought Tina Fey back to "SNL" and reunited her with her "Baby Mama" co-star. It also gave Amy Poehler an excuse to cover her burgeoning bump with a pantsuit-and-podium combo.
NBC
We couldn't help but wonder who SJP thought she was fooling in season five of "Sex and the City," making use of bars, cocktails, and the empire waist trend to hide her pregnancy.
HBO
Using a fake baby to cover a real baby? Well played, Courteney Cox.
NBC
Leah Remini employed this fugly poncho as kid camouflage on "King of Queens." What's your excuse, Janeane Garofalo?
CBS
Normally pin-thin Debra Messing had only to cross her arms to cover her itty-bitty bump on "Will and Grace."
NBC
Rebecca Romijn uses the old Judith-Light-and-an-overcoat trick to cover her twin buns-in-the-oven on "Ugly Betty."
ABC
Julia Louis-Dreyfus tossed on a bulky coat and a babushka to distract from her big belly and giant head.
NBC
Lingering in front of tummy-high objects is the oldest trick in the book. You thought you could get away with it, didn't you, Mariska Hargitay?
NBC
Rule of Television #3456: If a woman is wearing a trenchcoat and is not starring in a police procedural, she's probably secretly pregnant. See: Amanda Peet, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."
Warner Bros. Television
Laura Lane. "The Nanny." Not slick.
CBS
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Tuesday 23 September
By COLIE
Who wrote this? There seems to be an entier section missing!
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Wednesday 01 October
By Lynda Ueberall
Thirty some years ago we weren't as paranoid about drinking during pregnancy.. In fact many doctors here and in England recommended porter and stout for expectant mothers. Never having been a heavy drinker and in view of the fact that it wasn;t a concern when I had my kids, I did drink occasionally during all three of my pregnancies and it had no ill effects on my babies.
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Saturday 01 November
By erinb8686
We have learned a lot in the past thirty years that we didn't know then. It's not paranoia; a link has been determined between drinking during pregnancy and birth defects. Your babies were lucky.
Tuesday 23 September
By oli
you can totally get drunk and still have a perfect baby
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Friday 19 December
By Sara
While you're at, why don't you not buckle your infant in a car seat? Why don't you starve them for a day? Why not just abandon the child while you go on a weekend vacation? It's only a little risky...? You must be a horrible person. No person with a conscience would ever think to risk their child's health (let alone unborn child!) for their own amusement. A pregnant woman who does anything to impair her own health while pregnant, also impairs the health of her unborn child. Anyone who dares do that should be in jail for attempted murder, or atleast manslaughter.
Tuesday 23 September
By cleo
I had half a glass of wine just yesterday and I'm being induced today. I think that i your last trimester a pregnant woman is entitled to have a small glass of wine as long as she does't over do it.
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Tuesday 23 September
By sparklfac
I wont touch alcohol during pregnancy because if something is wrong then I will be blaming myself for the rest of my life. The consenus with doctors is that they dont know how much is bad or good, so Im just going to say for myself(whatever you do is your business and i dont judge) no drinks.
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Tuesday 23 September
By sharyn
When I had my eldest child thirty odd years ago, my obgyn asked me if I imbibed. At the time I drank scotch but had refrained while pregnant. I was only a social drinker anyway. He told me to have a couple of drinks to relax and be able to sleep. I had a very active fetus that kept me awake half the night and was quite uncomfortable. That seems to have done the trick. However he told me only 2 a night and no more. Again he was English and explained that before anesthesia that's what the doctors used when women were delivering.
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Tuesday 23 September
By Faith
Women shouldn't drink not only during their pregnancy. But she shouldn't drink before getting pregnant and after. There are studies on epigenetics that are proving that alcohol and other toxins can not only damage you and your baby, but it has a long lasting effect that can be passed down to the next and future generations.
Having a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can cost up to 5 million dollars. From the time they are born to that age of 18 years old.
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Tuesday 23 September
By GC
In 1975, I went to a friend's wedding. I became intoxicated. I was 7 months pregnant at the time. Don't remember hearing anything in those days about not drinking during pregnancy. My child (now 33) is mentally retarded but doesn't have fetal alcohol syndrome. But a day doesn't go by that I don't beat up on myself wondering if that one episode caused my child's MR. Don't drink during pregnancy-not even one. Take it from someonme who's been there.
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Tuesday 23 September
By lorie bordelon
WHY EVEN CHANCE IT???
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Tuesday 23 September
By TATO
Interesting - while I did not drink during my pregnancies or nursing, I was advised by my OBGYN to have a glass of wine while I was packing to go to the hospital, and the pediatrician advised a beer a day to help promote milk production. I had two perfectly healthy babies who are now perfectly healthy adults. I doubt seriously that one glass of wine really damaged a fetus that was already on their way into the world, and I doubt that there was some huge amount of alcohol that made it's way into my milk. As with everything - MODERATION!
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Tuesday 23 September
By sharyn
When I had my eldest child thirty odd years ago, my obgyn asked me
if I imbibed. At the time I drank scotch but had refrained while
pregnant. I was only a social drinker anyway. He told me to have a
couple of drinks to relax and be able to sleep. I had a very active
fetus that kept me awake half the night and was quite uncomfortable.
That seems to have done the trick. However he told me only 2 a night
and no more. Again he was English and explained that before anesthesia
that's what the doctors used when women were delivering.. BTW It didn't seem to hurt her. Today she is an OBGYN herself!
Reply
Tuesday 23 September
By preggers and so drunk
i love to drink. i'm 6 months preg. right now. i never really drank until after i was preg. looking this fat depressed me. i figure its better than eating a bunch of downers or smoking crack.
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Friday 10 October
By Michelle
It may not or may be as bad. The only way you are going to find out, sadly, is by seeing how your child turns out. I am definitely NOT judging...but a dear friend of mine has a child with FAS and it was because she couldn't stop drinking. I believe that if you want to have children, it is OUR responsibility to provide safe, nourishing, wonderful environments for them to grow in. As soon as they hit this world, our chances of being able to protect them diminish immensely. You will do what you wish, and again, I am not trying to preach....but remember that if your child should (knock on wood you have a beautiful, healthy child) have issues resulting from your drinking...you are the one to face and deal with that everyday. And all because you gained baby weight....
Tuesday 23 September
By Alison
I drank heavily on a couple of occasions while unbeknownst to me I was several weeks pregnant. I was so scared I had done something to effect the baby's health. On my first dr. appt. I expressed my concerns, to which the dr. told me he hears that from nearly half the mothers who come in and as long as you stop its alright. well, I did stop (save a glass of wine here and there) and my daughter is a beautiful and bright perfect 2 year old. I think its something that definitley needs to be abstained from for the most part, but paranoia over a few drinks is ridiculous. You'd need to drink an awful lot every day to get the result of FAS.
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Tuesday 23 September
By Myra
Think about it. All throughout history, women drank alcohol during pregnancies. Clearly, we know now that you should not get drunk while pregnant and you definitely need to limit your alcohol intake, but I seriously doubt a half a glass of wine now and then will cause any damage. All the chemicals and ingredients in a Big Mac or a Krispy Kreme donut are probably worse for you during pregnancy than a beer.
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Tuesday 23 September
By l
will you pregnant drinkers let your babies drink after they are born, or just while they are in your womb?
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Tuesday 23 September
By Cathy
my 7 children were born from 1971 through 1994. i followed the same pattern with all of them; a couple of weak drinks in the evening to relax on particularly stressful days(i've never been a big drinker). they have all grown up completely healthy in every respect. as with a lot of things, drinking to excess can cause problems, but that doesn't mean a small amount is harmful.
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Tuesday 23 September
By Susan
Back when I first got pregnant in '88 didn't know I was pregnant until about my 4-5 weeks. I did coke, drank and smoked. I found out I was pregnant and stopped everything cold turkey (except eating-it was my only vice left).. My son was born healthy and luckily he is now 20 in college doing what I probably did when I was his age....
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