Hi guys, I’m the one who posted that I drink occasionally while pregnant with the doctor’s permission. I was told 1 glass of wine per week is OK. Basically, you need to drink quite a lot to actually cause fetal alcohol syndrome. However, doctors have to cater to the lowest common denominator- the people who drink 3 cocktails a day, who, if you tell them “a little bit is fine”, are going to say OK, so I’ll cut it down to 2 cocktails a day. Also, since no one is about to actually subject pregnant women to studies to actually find the line, they err on the side of caution and say no alcohol at all. Most experienced OB’s if you press them will admit that a little bit is fine and will cite the 1-2 glasses per week rule.
Also, whoever is saying that drinking every day is not normal is clearly an ignorant American. My parents are European and they pretty much always have a glass of wine with dinner, it’s completely normal. I grew up with that, and from the time I was 14 or 15, was allowed some wine with dinner too. And yes, my European mother also drank a little during her pregnancies.
I know this is only anecdotal, but me, my siblings, and my kids are B’H all perfectly fine.