I think having a couple of drinks in later pregnancy vs. not is a pretty silly thing to get up in arms about or feel superior over. For instance, the mother catching a virus during pregnancy has potentially devestating and much more substantiated effects on a developing fetus than a few sips of wine, or hair coloring, or any of the other things pregnant women and the fear mongers around them like to fixate on. I know this fact, and still as a pregnant woman I take my children to indoor playgrounds (aka-germ pits) all the time.
Is it safer to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy, most likely. Are a few random drinks during late pregnancy anymore risky than say- a scheduled induction for convienance? Taking antidepressants for mild depression while pregnant? Forgoing prenatal vitamins because they make the pregnant woman feel pukey? Probably not, as there is much more sound and convincing evidence for any of those things being marginally detrimental than there is for occasional light alcohol use in late pregnancy.
And I agree, that study is bunk. I did not drink during my pregnancies (bar the sip of champagne on my anniversary). But I am a health psycho, my kids eat no artificial flavors/colors, no MSG, east mostly organic, and watch very little TV. I would suspect that with zillions of factors like those are much more likely to contribute to how violent/non-violent my children behave than if I had a few glasses of wine while gestating them.
I think this is all just part of the mommy wars. There is a woman I am forced to socialize with at a playgroup I am involved in. She ALWAYS comments on my ever present morning cup of coffee - and comments everytime how she would NEVER consume caffieine while pregnant. However she will knowingly TTC at 100 pounds over her ideal BMI, cheat on her gestational diabetic diet and have willy nilly blood sugars, and take Ambien to get better sleep in late pregnancy
Personally, I have no desire to join the pregnancy police. I hate how pregnancy in our culture is not viewed as a normal part of a woman's life cycle, but instead some drama and fear filled event that has to be scrutinized to death. [/b]
Is it safer to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy, most likely. Are a few random drinks during late pregnancy anymore risky than say- a scheduled induction for convienance? Taking antidepressants for mild depression while pregnant? Forgoing prenatal vitamins because they make the pregnant woman feel pukey? Probably not, as there is much more sound and convincing evidence for any of those things being marginally detrimental than there is for occasional light alcohol use in late pregnancy.
And I agree, that study is bunk. I did not drink during my pregnancies (bar the sip of champagne on my anniversary). But I am a health psycho, my kids eat no artificial flavors/colors, no MSG, east mostly organic, and watch very little TV. I would suspect that with zillions of factors like those are much more likely to contribute to how violent/non-violent my children behave than if I had a few glasses of wine while gestating them.
I think this is all just part of the mommy wars. There is a woman I am forced to socialize with at a playgroup I am involved in. She ALWAYS comments on my ever present morning cup of coffee - and comments everytime how she would NEVER consume caffieine while pregnant. However she will knowingly TTC at 100 pounds over her ideal BMI, cheat on her gestational diabetic diet and have willy nilly blood sugars, and take Ambien to get better sleep in late pregnancy
Personally, I have no desire to join the pregnancy police. I hate how pregnancy in our culture is not viewed as a normal part of a woman's life cycle, but instead some drama and fear filled event that has to be scrutinized to death. [/b]
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