So everyone’s got it down that there’s no alcohol during pregnancy, but what about red wine, since it has so many reported health benefits? Is this something that you could or should be drinking to have a healthier pregnancy?
While the benefits of red wine are still in doubt, especially for women, it is something that gets trumped by the no alcohol rule. While it may seem like a good way to mitigate stress during your pregnancy, or thin out the blood to improve circulation, the alcohol that it contains does more harm than any good that comes with drinking it.
There is also a debate about the health benefits of women drinking any alcohol at all, with a recent study finding that alcohol in any amount, pregnant or not, can lead to an increased risk of cancer. The study suggested that women shouldn’t drink alcohol at all, even if they’re not pregnant, and this included red wine.
Can I Drink Red Wine While Pregnant? Answer: No
Even though the health benefits of drinking red wine seem to dovetail nicely with a lot of the concerns women have while pregnant, it’s not something that you should consider while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Even though some studies have shown that it lowers your blood pressure, thins your blood to prevent clotting which can lead to heart attacks and strokes, and also has antioxidants that help destroy free radicals, it’s still not recommended to have while pregnant.
Why It’s a No-Go
The alcohol that is in the red wine is the same alcohol that is in other beverages like beer and hard liquor. In fact red wine has a higher alcohol by volume ABV than beer, so it has a stronger effect drop for drop. This means that even one glass of red wine can be harmful to the fetus growing inside you, and you should be doing everything in your power to prevent this sort of thing.
For the Wine Lovers Out There
But what if you’re something of a wine connoisseur, or at least a wine aficionado wannabe, and you love to enjoy relaxing with a nice glass of Pinot Noir or Cabernet? There’s not really a replacement for these, although you could try some organic grape juice. This is pretty much the closest you can come to recreating the experience, since they’re both made with grapes. The grape juice is full of antioxidants so that will be good for baby.
As far as the alcohol goes, that’s just something you’re going to have to live without for a while. If you stick to a healthy diet and drink plenty of water, you’ll notice that your desire will diminish rather quickly, and you won’t even crave it any more. This can actually be a good time to rest your palette, so when you do return to drinking red wine, you’ll savor the flavors even more than you did before.
Avoiding Red Wine
If you don’t seek it out, there are very few instances where someone will offer you a glass of red wine while you’re pregnant. Most likely you’re not going to be attending a lot of cocktail parties and soirees during your pregnancy, so unless you buy a bottle and bring it home there shouldn’t be a lot of temptation to drink it. If you stick with drinking grape juice like we recommended, you should be fine. You can also make a mock red wine spritzer by taking organic grape juice and adding a splash of 7UP or Sprite to the top to give it a bit of a fizz. You can also add fresh fruits and make it a sort of Sangria.
Getting Help
If you feel that you can’t go 9 months to 2 years without red wine or alcohol, you might want to talk to someone about this. You may have a dependence on alcohol that you weren’t aware of before, and your pregnancy is a way to shine the light on it. It’s very important for the health of your baby to not drink any alcohol, so do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn’t happen if you feel that you’re at risk of relapsing to your old ways.
