Drinking While Pregnant? I'm Sorry, I Just Don't Get It

Last night I was at an event for work and as with most events here in N.Y.C., there was alcohol. I will say this upfront, I'm not a drinker. I've never been a drinker. I can probably count the number of times I've ever had a sip of alcohol. That being said, I have no problem with people drinking around me--in moderation, of course.

Back to last night. One of the other guests was pregnant--not showing, but she still put it out there that she was expecting--and she openly threw back about 1/4 glass of champagne. You could see a few other guests were a little surprised, so then another woman said her doctor actually recommended she have a cocktail to help quell early contractions. Everyone laughed it off, the party went on and it was forgotten within a few minutes. By everyone except me, that is.

The entire ride home, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I know some doctors say an occasional glass of alcohol probably won't hurt, but it's still one of those things that makes me very uneasy. As you can probably guess, I was one of those hyper-aware expectant moms that avoided anything that might harm my baby like the plague. I didn't drink coffee, eat cheese, cold cuts, undercooked meat or fish for my entire pregnancy. I even asked people who smoked around me to put their cigarettes out. I just felt like I was so lucky to be carrying this baby, why would I do anything to jeopardize her health?

Now I know this is a really polarizing topic, but I am genuinely curious: what's the appeal of drinking while you're pregnant? Like I said, I've never been a drinker, so I don't know if it takes the edge off or actually tastes good, so share your thoughts. Would you, or did you, drink while you were pregnant?

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