Alcohol and smoking

You don’t have to stop having fun now that you’re pregnant, but there are a few things you’ll have to give up or cut down to almost zero

Alcohol and pregnancy

Alcohol is one area where you should give up or reduce your intake considerably as it can damage your developing baby.

The safest level of alcohol to drink is none.

You should not drink at all in the first trimester and ideally not at all until after the birth.

If you do choose to drink though, limit yourself to one or two units of alcohol once or twice a week maximum.

If you have any concerns about alcohol you should talk to your GP or midwife who can help you find the support you need.

HEALTHY TIP:

Bring your own
If you’re going to a party, take your own favourite non-alcoholic drink so you’re not tempted. You could try:

fruit smoothies
traditional still lemonade
a ‘virgin’ Mary (tomato juice with spices)
a non-alcoholic cocktail such as orange sunset – grenadine syrup with pineapple juice and orange juice.

How alcohol affects your unborn baby

If you drink when you are pregnant, alcohol from your blood crosses the placenta and enters the baby's blood. This means that some alcohol from every drink you have will reach your baby’s bloodstream.

Drinking during pregnancy can increase your chances of having a miscarriage.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the name given to problems that are found in children whose mothers drank heavily during pregnancy. These include facial abnormalities, heart defects, poor growth and severe mental and developmental problems.

If you drank heavily before you realised you were pregnant and are concerned about the effect on your baby, talk to your midwife about it.

If you want to learn more about how much alcohol you are drinking visit www.nhs.uk/drinkcheck

For further help and advice with alcohol worries you can contact Drinkline on 0800 917 82 82.

Smoking and pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy can seriously harm your baby.

It increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.

When you smoke, some of the oxygen in your blood is replaced by the poisonous gas, carbon monoxide. This can cause the baby’s heart rate to race as it struggles to get enough oxygen.

Giving up

Quitting now will make a big difference to your health while you’re pregnant and once the baby is born. People who stop smoking find that they are happier and feel less stressed than those who carry on. Your clothes, house and breath will smell cleaner and fresher if you give up smoking.

The NHS, your GP or midwife can all help you give up and will put you in touch with experts who can advise you. Very often you will have a stop smoking expert who is able to come to your home or talk to you on the phone.