Tips for an alcohol-free pregnancy

Avoiding alcohol in pregnancy helps keep your baby safe. This may be easy if, like lots of women and birthing people, you go off the taste early in your pregnancy. But for some others, it can be a challenge.

There is no known safe level for drinking alcohol during pregnancy. It is best to not to drink alcohol at all if you are pregnant or trying for a baby.

Here are some tips that can help. 

On this page

Try non-alcoholic versions

Experiment with soft drinks

Take your own non-alcoholic drinks to parties

Ask friends and family to support you

Find a sober-buddy

Change how you socialise

Remind yourself why you are doing this

Try non-alcoholic versions

Non-alcoholic drinks don’t have to be boring. There are lots of drinks designed to replace alcoholic versions.  

Non-alcoholic wine, beer and cordials can be mixed with soft drinks to taste similar to drinks like gin and tonic. Non-alcoholic versions won’t taste the same as the alcoholic version, but they can make a great alternative.  

Some drinks claiming to be non-alcoholic can contain tiny amounts of alcohol so check the label. 

Experiment with soft drinks

You don’t have to stick to water if you are not drinking alcohol. You could try these:  

• mocktails – cocktails that do not contain alcohol
• sparkling water with ice and lemon
• iced fruit teas
• traditional still lemonade
• milkshakes made with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.

If you’re at a bar, you could ask the bartender to make an alcohol-free version of your favourite cocktail.

Be aware that some soft drinks have a lot of sugar in them and try to limit these. Some also have caffeine. It’s important to limit how much caffeine you drink while pregnant, as high levels have been linked to pregnancy complications.

Take non-alcoholic drinks to parties

People do not always have very exciting non-alcoholic options. The best thing to do is take your own, just in case.  

Ask friends and family to support you

Tell your partner, if you have one, and your family and friends about the possible effects of alcohol on your baby. Ask them to support you when you don't drink.  

Find a sober-buddy

Quite often you will find that somebody is not drinking, maybe because they are also pregnant, driving home or just choosing to avoid alcohol. It can help to be around other people who are not drinking, to help you feel you’re not the only one.  

Change how you socialise

If you meet at a pub or bar, you may be tempted to drink alcohol out of habit or because others are. You could try other ways of socialising like going to a café or doing an activity like going for a walk, volunteering at a church event, or doing a yoga class.  

Remind yourself why you are doing this

It’s easy to get frustrated when making lifestyle changes during pregnancy. But it can help to remind yourself you’re doing this for your baby’s health. With no known safe level of alcohol in pregnancy, by stopping drinking you’re taking a step to keep your baby healthy and safe.