Reality check

ReadyForaB · October 2015

So DH and I have been NTNP for about 3 months now. I hadn't made any lifestyle changes and was just going to go the whole - if I find out I'm prego I'll change things - route. I've been drinking a decent amount about one-two weekends a month, last Saturday included. Well this month AF came a few days early (sunday afternoon, it was due Thursday), which has never happened (although I'm just off bcp for about four months). I got terrified that it was implantation bleeding and started scouring the Internet for the effects of alcohol at about 3-4 weeks pregnant and was FREAKING myself out. I tested a couple times and all BFN and AF is still here slightly so I no longer think I might be pregnant. It's funny that I want a baby, I really do, but I was still carrying on with my life as normal and became terrified when I thought it had happened because of my actions. I think it was the reality check I needed. No more two bottle wine nights with the girls for this chick! I want to be happy and not worried when it actually does happen. Have you ladies made lifestyle changes in anticipation of possibly conceiving while NTNP?

Hulabalu · October 2015

I am TTC for the first month, but I'm also thinking a lot about the same thing - how do I relate to alcohol when I might be pregnant?

I will definitely be cutting down on the alcohol, especially after O, but I don't know if I need to cut all alcohol between O and AF.

I think I am ovulating today or tomorrow. Is it wrong of me to drink a glass of wine or two tonight?

I highly doubt that it will impact my egg getting fertilized, or make something go wrong with implantation next week, but I guess I can't be really sure...

I'm also kind of annoyed with myself that a glass of wine is so important to me. But it kinda is...

Elsa1984 · October 2015

If you are around enough, you will hear the "drink 'til its pink" saying. Most ladies around here don't worry about a glass of wine, or whatever. They obviously don't go out binge drinking, but they also don't freak out if they want a glass of wine or a drink while they are on the two week wait. I know plenty of people that were drinking and carrying on through their first couple months of pregnancy, not even knowing that they were pregnant in the first place. All babies were healthy.

With my first pregnancy, I didnt drink anything (not even during the two week wait). I wasnt a big drinker previous to getting pregnant, but the crazy thing is that I craved it during my whole pregnancy. I think it was because once someone tells you that you can't have something, you want it even more. HAHA! Anyway, had the baby, and then was so excited to have a drink here and there, and went right back to not caring about having a drink. I am like a once a month glass of wine type of person....I hardly drink. That being said, I am on my two week wait and am going to a surprise party this weekend, and will probably have a glass of wine at the restaurant.

cjt121413 · October 2015

Most people here seem to drink till it's pink. I don't drink at all, so it isn't an issue for me, but I will say I drank before I knew I was pg with DS and he's perfect and was totally healthy at birth. Not that my story is evidence, but FWIW.

When we are back to actively TTC, I will cut down to 1-2 cups of coffee a day. ...but I have a caffeine problem so there's that.

myjessesgirl · October 2015

I'm definitely not a big fan of alcohol... A couple drinks per month and that's about it. But I did drink a rum and coke 2 days before finding out I was pregnant with DD! And I'm now back to TTC and we planned a wine tasting for tomorrow. Pretty sure I ovulated yesterday, so I'm not too concerned about it.

As for other life changes, if I had a cat right now, I'd definitely make DH change the litter... Not necessarily because I'd be too concerned about the potential infection, but more because I never liked doing it and that's a good excuse!

blackgirlmagic · October 2015

DRINK TILL IS PINK over here! I will party my heart little out before the first day of my period up until about 6 days before my predicted O date. I have tested it out and I know that drinking 2-3 glasses of wine, lets be real that like the whole bottle of wine

, do not affect my temp, especially if I am not drinking right before I go to bed. But I know that hard liquor does affect my temp, only when I have had several drinks. I only change my drinking around that time because I want my temps to be as accurate as possible because I do not want to see dotted CH, I hate seeing dotted CH. lol. I still drink my wine during the TWW and I will continue to drink till I get a BFP.

Xstatic3333 · October 2015

I'm definitely going to drink 'til it's pink. I don't tend to drink a ton at once, but H and I have 1-3 craft beers most nights 'cause they are delicious. We are trying to cut back, but more for financial reasons. Remember, in many other countries light alcohol consumption by pregnant women is considered normal. Don't beat yourself up about drinking while TTC.

FlightyAquarius · October 2015

One thing I have given up is excess caffeine. I'm down to one up a coffee a day, which is probably better for me anyway.

At first, I changed everything - no sushi, no alcohol, no lunch meat. Then I realized that I couldn't put everything on hold. It could take months or years to get KU, and I should keep being me. Now I'm drink 'till it's pink, but I have lightened up. I like my beer, so I'll have one or two a week. Generally I don't drink much. I've had people ask why I don't drink very much, and I tell them that I'm trying to lose weight. (which is technically true, too).

I tried getting hubby to change the cat litter. He said he will when he sees a positive test. To be fair the cat is mine, and they tolerate each other nicely.

EasterEggs · October 2015

We haven't made too many changes. I had started gradually drinking less over the past year anyway, but I am more conscious of how much alcohol and caffeine I'm consuming. We're only on our second cycle of trying, but last month I continued drinking right through until the time I tested (on average 3-5 glasses of wine per week). I still drink 1-2 cups of coffee per day.

Lysta85 · October 2015

AGM0616 said:

As for other life changes, if I had a cat right now, I'd definitely make DH change the litter... Not necessarily because I'd be too concerned about the potential infection, but more because I never liked doing it and that's a good excuse!

That's what I'm gonna do too. I do all the litter cleaning atm (with 2 cats around) and that's gonna be his job when we start TTC. I don't wanna take any advantages from a pregnancy, but that's one.

I hardly ever drink any alcohol and I don't like coffee so I don't have to change anything about that. But if I would drink occasionally I would also drink til it's pink. Here in the Netherlands the people who want to get pregnant say that there isn't a bloodband in the first couple of weeks after OD (so pretty much until you used to get AF up til 6 weeks in pregnancy). Not an excuse to get drunk everyday, but enough excuse to still enjoy a little bit of wine or beer.

Soverthis · October 2015

I always use caution. I have been tryng to get pgregnant for two and a half years. The first few months I drank no alcohol at all. Now I will drink in moderation from when I get my period to my ovulation week. I have been very private about my fertility journey. I have gone to birthdays, weddings andd bachelorette parties and abstained from drinking. I just tell others if they pry that I am on a health kick and cutting out unneeded calories. There is no safe time or safe amount of alcohol. I am have spent years working with children with disabilities and would never knowingly do anything that could cause harm. I have been to trainings where a panel of mothers with children with FAE share their stories. It is heartbreaking to hear a mother's pain over something they know they did to their child and can never take back.That beng said, plenty of women are drnking or worse before they know they are pregnant and the baby is fine. I just know that if I ever get pregnant and something happens to the baby I do not want to think it was anything I did. It totally sucks to have lived like a preganant woman for most of the last 2.5 years with no baby in sight but I tell myself he or she will be totally worth it when I meet them. Good luck and healthy pregnancy and babies to all.

Knottie1442268460 · October 2015

Like soverthis there is NO safe amount to drink at any stage of pregnancy. I am raising FASD kids. They ARE born perfectly healthy. Some studies link ADHD to FASD. We sure see a huge amount of that.

Facial features in FASD kids is only in like under 5%- they look perfect, the issues are in the brain. Torticollis is linked to alcohol use in pregnancy. So many things are linked or undiagnosed as being related to FASD.

If you must drink keep it to a glass, please!

Xstatic3333 · October 2015

Baby'smom said:
Like soverthis there is NO safe amount to drink at any stage of pregnancy. I am raising FASD kids. They ARE born perfectly healthy. Some studies link ADHD to FASD. We sure see a huge amount of that. Facial features in FASD kids is only in like under 5%- they look perfect, the issues are in the brain. Torticollis is linked to alcohol use in pregnancy. So many things are linked or undiagnosed as being related to FASD.

If you must drink keep it to a glass, please!

I don't think anyone here is suggesting drinking while pregnant (though I know some doctors and midwives are okay with it in small quantities.) I personally won't, though I don't judge those who chose otherwise with a doctor's okay. My opinion was on drinking while TTC, and testing before drinking in the TWW. That's a huge difference when getting pregnant can take up to a year in the best of circumstances.

MrsFL2015 · October 2015

I'm a drink to it's pink kind of person!!! I love my wine and look forward to a nice big glass on the weekends!

I don't plan to make too many lifestyle changes until I'm pregnant. The only thing am doing is taking pre-natals and trying to get my diet in check. I think the benefits of cutting out junk/processed food is far more important than cutting out wine when I think might be KU. Based on what I've read, there is really no negative impact of drinking when you are in the very, very early stages of pregnancy. I'm talking BEFORE you have reason/ability to test (of course, you should stop once you get a positive) But, getting the proper nutrition prior to conception can have an impact.

I have three friends that had accidental pregnancies. They all admit to drinking when they were unknowingly pregnant (prior to having a missed period and a reason to test). All three of the children developed normally; one is a preteen, the other in elementary school and one is a toddler.

celainev · October 2015

When we started trying to get pregnant, I stopped drinking coffee and switched to one tea a day. (I was drinking about 6-8 cups of coffee regularly.) I also stopped drinking my daily glass of wine. I enjoyed the occasional drink now and then, but I did not have more than one glass and it wasn't every day. I got pregnant very quickly, so I was happy I cut down on my drinking before then. Made it easier to cut it out completely.

Soverthis · October 2015

I did not mean at all that anyone here was planning to drink throughout their pregnancy. I chose to live like i am pregnant each month from ovulation until after I get my period. That may not be for everyone but you cannot argue that that is the safest. I have a friend who had a miscarriage. It was absolutely horrible. There is nothing you can say but just hold her as she cries. My heart broke for her. Especially when through her tears she said she had two beers before she knew she was pregnant. Now of course that was not the cause of her miscarriage. Who knows what the cause was. But my point is she carrries guilt and blame over the loss even though she shouldn't. She even knows she shouldn't but she does. No mother should have to feel that way. I mentioned I have been to trainings where a panel of women with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders share tehir stories. Some of the mother's shared they drank in the begining of their pregnancy, the end, before they knew they were pregnant...one even said she had one glass of wine. And the information they shared about their child's disabilities was all over the map. Some had very severe issues some less. And oddly enough in no relation to the amount of alcohol consumed by the mom. It was heartbreaking and honestly kind of crazy. That is why I say there is no safe time and no safe amount. Everyone is different, every child is different. Do what you want and respond to me how you want but when a mom to be posts on here that she is terrified I am not going to tell her to drink until her body has enough hormone to get a positive. My personal opinion is that if a doctor or nurse tells you any amount of alcohol is ok I would look for a new provider. The message should always be given that there is no safe amount. Don't believe me? Then google FASD and do some reading. I am sure there are foundations and programs out there that would love to share correct and researched information.