Which Alcohol-Free Drink is Best for Pregnant Women?
Besides avoiding caffeine, secondhand smoke, and exhaustion, pregnant women are always advised to avoid alcohol. That is because alcohol can cause serious health problems not only to the pregnant woman but also to the baby.
Alcohol passes through the placenta quickly during the pregnancy, which then passes through the baby’s umbilical cord. Any amount of alcohol in the pregnancy duration can cause serious harm to the baby’s developing organs, including the brain. Thus, drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy is not safe.
With this, different non-alcoholic alternatives, like alcohol-free beverages, are recommended to pregnant women.
Why Alcohol is Bad for Pregnancy
Alcohol has several harmful effects on pregnant women, especially on the baby. It affects pregnancy and can cause issues even before the woman knows about her pregnancy.
Health problems can arise if pregnant women continue to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Wine, wine coolers, beer, and liquor are alcohol and are just some things to avoid during pregnancy.
Alcohol-drinking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems. Here are some of the issues that the baby might acquire if the mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.
Premature Birth, Miscarriage, and Stillbirth
Premature birth happens when the baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. It can cause serious health problems at birth and later in life for the baby. Some of these health problems include brain damage, growth, development problems, and impaired learning.
Drinking may also lead to miscarriage, which means the baby dies in the womb before the 20th week of pregnancy. It also causes stillbirth, wherein the baby dies in the womb after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Congenital Disabilities
Congenital disabilities are health problems that occur at birth. These can alter the shape or function of different body parts and cause health issues that affect the body’s development and processes. Some congenital disabilities that alcohol causes include heart problems, hearing problems, and vision problems.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)
Babies born with FASDs can be affected by severe various health problems, including intellectual and developmental disabilities. FASDs can cause issues that affect the brain’s functions and may cause learning difficulties, communication problems, and taking care of the self or interacting with other people. Physical development may also be affected.
FASDs are a long-term problem that can last a lifetime. Drinking during pregnancy heightens the chances of the baby getting FASDs.
To keep both the baby and the mother safe from these health problems, pregnant women should avoid alcohol at any cost.
The Best Non-Alcoholic Beverages for Pregnant Women
As mentioned, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is a terrible idea because of all the severe health problems attached to it. With this, it is best for pregnant women to drink non-alcoholic beverages to keep them and their babies safe from health issues that can last a lifetime.
Here are some of the best alcohol-free drinks that pregnant women can enjoy without worrying about pregnancy.
Cawston Press Sparkling Water
One of the best options for an alcohol-free drink is the Cawston Press Sparkling Water. The brand offers a wide selection of flavours, including apple and gooseberry, that everyone can enjoy.
There is no alcohol in the drink so that pregnant women can enjoy the drink.
Disney Frozen Bubbly
The Disney Frozen Bubbly is a fizzy, bright blue drink that has a tart taste. It has a strong bubblegum/blueberry flavour. The fizz in the glass allows for that ‘pop’ upon opening the bottle.
The Disney Frozen Bubbly is one of the best non-alcoholic beverages for pregnant women as it has zero alcohol and can also be enjoyed by kids.
The Classics
Aside from sparkling water and a frozen bubbly, pregnant women can also enjoy classic non-alcoholic beverages to replace the alcohol. Some classics include:
- Tonic water that can be enjoyed with a lemon slice
- Cranberry juice with soda water and a lime slice
- Soda water and lime
- Ginger ale with a small dash of Bitters
Beers
There are a variety of non-alcoholic beers available in the market. Of course, pregnant women can choose what they like depending on their preference. Some popular choices for alcohol-free beers include:
- Becks Blue
- Heineken 0.0
- Bavaria 0.0
- Erdinger Alcoholfrei
- Non-alcoholic Paulaner
Wine Substitutes
Although some may enjoy a beer or the occasional non-alcoholic spirits, some enjoy wine. Non-alcoholic wines are also available for purchase, but when in doubt, pregnant women can choose among the following tasty alternatives:
- Pressed grape juice
- Pomegranate juice (which can be mixed with Sprite or Soda Water)
- Sparkling apple juice
- Sparkling pear juice
Other Options
If the options above are not enough, there are a lot of other alcohol-free drinks pregnant women can enjoy. Recipes for mocktails are widely available online, so look for a preferable one that one would want and enjoy. With this, pregnant women need not worry about the drink’s alcohol content as it is homemade. Some of these alcohol-free alternatives include:
- Fruit-flavoured Slushies
- Fruit Mocktails
- Mimosa and limeade
Tips for Alcohol-Free Pregnancy
Of course, quitting alcohol during pregnancy can be difficult. However, staying sober during pregnancy is crucial as it helps keep the mom-to-be and the baby safe from serious health issues that can worsen in the long run.
Here are some tips to follow if one experiences difficulties with quitting alcohol during pregnancy.
1. Look for Options
One best thing to do is to find something that would replace the alcohol drink. With this, pregnant women must look for non-alcoholic options that they like. For example, for those who enjoy wine to relax on a Friday night, try drinking an ice-cold alcohol-free drink like sparkling water or ginger ale.
Additionally, pregnant women can also ask their partner or friends to watch after their drinking. Getting reminded that alcohol is prohibited is incredibly helpful, especially when moms-to-be are just beginning to quit drinking.
2. Bring and Take Own Drink
Another helpful thing to do when quitting alcohol is to bring one’s own drink when going to parties or celebrations. Pregnant women should resist peer pressure, and with this, they must take the beverages they have brought anywhere.
It is also helpful to let friends and family know about the effects of alcohol on pregnancy and ask them for support.
3. Change Habits
When one is used to drinking at night or even drinking occasionally, try to replace that habit with something healthier and sustainable. Aside from replacing the drinks with non-alcoholic alternatives, pregnant women may also try to do new activities to curb alcohol cravings. Some of these activities include doing yoga, going for a walk, or even binge-watching movies.
Moreover, relaxing activities, like long warm baths and burning aromatherapy oils or candles, can help pregnant women unwind and take their minds off drinking.
Conclusion
Given that alcohol has many adverse effects on both moms-to-be and babies, it is best to set alcoholic drinks aside during pregnancy. Since quitting might be difficult at first, a handful of alcohol-free beverages are available in the market so that pregnant women can enjoy “drinking” without having to worry about putting the pregnancy in danger.
Alcohol-free drinks are the best replacement for alcohol cravings to help keep moms-to-be and the babies safe.
