How to handle Happy Hour at work

TannerFam05 · January 2016

Hello,
I am 6 weeks along and moving soon. Several co-workers want to take me out to happy hour. Since it is not always possible to go up to the bar to order a drink any tips for handling this? I am not ready to tell people at work, but feel it may be obvious when I order a water. Any help would be great.

RedMar · January 2016

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12657236/so-i-went-to-a-bar-last-night

Here's a previous post (found using the search tool). Feel free to get it going again. Good luck w the move!

PSUBecky23 · January 2016

My co-workers like to drink. It's been rough. I've told them that I'm not drinking during the week as part of my clean eating new year's resolution. I'm sure they suspect and I'll probably divulge next week before our Super Bowl party. It's earlier than I'd like but I hate playing this game.

ElcaB · January 2016

This is my first pregnancy but I have become an expert at fake drinking due to the company I keep! I fake drank my way through New Year's Eve, a football tailgate, drinks at friends' houses, and a martini party.

If it's a happy hour situation, try to be the first one at the bar. Speak to the server or bartender and let them know you're pregnant and need virgin drinks to keep it under wraps. Chances are they've done it before.

If you can't be the first one to the bar, pretend you can't decide what you're in the mood for when it's time to order. Order a water to start, then excuse yourself to use the restroom and find a waiter to talk to. Again, tell them you're pregnant and need a virgin drink even though you'll be requesting a cosmo/vodka tonic/whatever. Then, in front of your friends, order the drink.

If these things don't work, here are a few other solids:

You're not feeling well. Be sure to mention this early on in the day.
You're calorie counting and don't want to waste calories on drinks.

Good luck!

vampirina · January 2016

I go the diet route since I strictly followed the 21 Day Fix in the summer and didn't allow myself to have any alcohol during those 21 day. We've just entered the new year, so a similar excuse would probably work well. The only caveat is that you have to actually eat healthy. It kind of cancels itself out if you say you don't drink alcohol because you're trying to be healthy and then down an entire plate of french fries.

KarenBeth714 · January 2016

Yikes! I'm avoiding work happy hours and making excuses until I'm out in the open.. I'm just gonna say we have dinner plans, a friends bday.... ANYTHING to get out of it. Because I know they will figure out quickly. Good luck!

AshleySparkle720 · January 2016

If you can go up to the bar order a Shirley temple in a martini glass.

that worked for me last time!

TannerFam05 · January 2016

Great ideas thank you all for the help.

estellegetty · January 2016

I've had to lie for the past month -- said I was banning alcohol for the month of January. Now that it will be Febtuary I need to come up with some new excuses and quick! My friends literally run to happy hour every Friday. Not going to lie -- I miss it a lot and feel like as soon as I tell them I'll at least be able to go and enjoy some bar food and a ginger ale. Some times being pregnant makes me feel alienated.

PibbleMomma · January 2016

I'm 7.5 weeks & just had a work happy hour last night. I work with a bunch of nosy nurses, and they definitely would have known something was up if I bailed or drank water. I went early & the bartender was really discreet about pouring me some non-alcoholic beers! No one questioned it. They tasted pretty bad, but I only had 2 and it was completely worth avoiding the 3rd degree! I've also gotten away with mocktails in cocktail glasses too! Hoping to hold out a few more weeks. Good luck!

blondie080300 · January 2016

@saracramer That's a great idea! I always thought non-alcoholic beer had a smidge of alcohol in it though so I didn't go that route. But now I am wondering if I was always wrong in thinking that...I will do some research and may consider that route in the future.

On another note, I had my company holiday party last night and it was an open bar at a night club at a casino that our CEO rented out for us. Luckily we were the first to arrive and worked out a deal with the bartenders to give me virgin drinks all night. We tipped them well and no one ever questioned what I was drinking. It was great!

RedMar · January 2016

I was told NA beer was a no-no because it still contains traces of alcohol. Just like it's dangerous for a recovering alcoholic to drink it, it may be risky for a first-tri mom to consume it. I'll stick to the mocktails, they're GF and don't taste like puddle water

PibbleMomma · January 2016

@RedMar it's true, they have to label the nonalcoholic beers as 0.05% because they can't be 100% sure all traces of alcohol are removed during the brewing process. However, for me, and after speaking with my OB, the occasional O'Douls is fine. Many MD's say the occasional beer or glass of wine is ok, so I'm not concerned with one or two nonalcoholic beers. Obviously I'm not drinking a 12 pack each night. But, to each momma her own. We will all do what we think best for us & our littles!

KimmySchmidt · January 2016

I'm already like "fuck it!" I'm ordering my soda and if they think "is she pregnant?" they'll be right anyway. If they ask out loud I'll berate them for turning every Coke into a pregnancy accusation and reminding them that if I wanted them to know if I was pregnant, I would tell them.

I have no more fucks left to give.

guitarra1614 · February 2016

Yeah, I am with you, @KimmySchmidt I went to a friend's birthday party last night, and I brought sparkling water with me. I was prepared to say "Designated Driver" or "I don't feel like drinking tonight" if anybody asked.... But nobody did.

I'm a really bad liar, so a shrug and a "I don't feel like it" is a pretty great excuse. Because, literally, I don't feel like compromising the health of my embryo/fetus. Then ask them where they got their haircut because it looks amazing. "You just really look great tonight! Have you lost any weight?" ;-)

Want a personalized experience?

How to handle Happy Hour at work

Re: How to handle Happy Hour at work

Choose Another Board

Search Boards