Tips for avoiding drinking when you’re secretly pregnant
It is recommended to avoid alcohol while you're expecting.
There are no known safe levels of alcohol use in pregnancy. For this reason, it is safest to stop drinking alcohol before you get pregnant and to not drink at all during pregnancy.
For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby. Even a small amount of alcohol can harm a baby’s development and may have lifelong effects.
According to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, when a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, so does the developing baby. The baby’s blood gets about the same level of alcohol as the mother’s blood.
What are the risks of alcohol on an unborn baby?
All types of alcohol have the potential to damage the developing baby, be it wine, beer or spirits, and no threshold level or amount of alcohol has been established as safe in pregnancy. The risk of harm to the developing baby from alcohol exposure increases proportionately with the amount of alcohol consumed and the frequency of alcohol consumption.
The effects of alcohol on developing babies during pregnancy can range from mild to severe:
- lower birth weights
- miscarriage
- stillbirth
- premature birth
- birth defects
- a range of conditions known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
It is never too late to stop drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Throughout your pregnancy the baby is developing and growing.
Six tips for avoiding alcohol during pregnancy
By Craftzero co-founder, Sherif
1. Set expectations around not drinking
Let people know beforehand that you won’t be drinking. Be prepared with an answer, just in case someone asks if you’re pregnant and you’re not yet ready to share the news.
2. Decide what’s important to you
Go to social events that really mean something to you. Don’t over book yourself as this may become stressful.
3. Make friend with mocktails
Experiment with mocktails. You’ll discover new and exciting ones that you never knew existed.
When your pregnancy is still on the DL, pour your non-alcoholic drink into a wine glass if you want to avoid questions.
4. BYO your own non alcoholic drinks
Take a bottle of a non alcoholic drink with you to a party.
5. Offer to be the designated driver
This will avoid lots of unwanted questions if you aren’t ready to share your pregnancy news yet.
6. Plan to exercise with friends rather than going to a bar.
Of course make sure your exercises are pregnancy safe.
Supported by shoe brand TWOOBS, Red Shoes Rock campaign runs throughout September and is all about supporting women and raising awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is a largely invisible disability.
Red Shoes Rock – to raise awareness of FASD and to support women
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD) and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) are committed to creating communities that support alcohol-free pregnancies.
Red Shoes Rock is a global awareness campaign giving voice and support to those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. The campaign was started by RJ Formanek, an adult with FASD, who decided to wear red shoes to stand out and start a conversation about his invisible disability.
FARE has partnered with ethical Australian shoe brand TWOOBS to raise awareness of this campaign to wear red shoes or socks throughout September and start a conversation to support each other and learn more about alcohol and the impact of consuming alcohol when pregnant.
TWOOBS owners, Jess and Stef posted to their IG:
You know we care about a lot of things here at TWOOBS. And as a female-founded brand driven deeply by its values, it has always been particularly important to us to support issues that affect women.
That’s why when TWOOBS was approached by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) to become the hero shoe of the Red Shoes Rock campaign, it felt like a perfect alignment. Plus, our red shoes are pretty heroic… if we do say so ourselves. 😉
If you drank alcohol before you knew you were pregnant and are concerned, or if you are having trouble stopping drinking, talk to your doctor, midwife or obstetrician. Health professionals speak to lots of people about alcohol. They can answer your questions and provide information on services in your area to support you and your baby. You can find support services and more information at www.everymomentmatters.org.au
