• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • Disability

Avoiding alcohol in pregnancy

If you’re trying to get pregnant, both you and your partner should avoid alcohol. If your partner doesn’t want to avoid alcohol, they shouldn’t drink more than 2 standard drinks a day.

If you’re pregnant, it’s safest not to drink any alcohol. Drinking alcohol when pregnant can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and serious health problems in your baby.

No safe levels of alcohol in pregnancy or while breastfeeding

There are no safe levels of alcohol in pregnancy. Drinking alcohol in pregnancy can harm your unborn baby. Not drinking while pregnant is safest.

Drinking alcohol in pregnancy can lead to problems with your child’s health, learning, and emotional and social development. One of the most serious problems is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

If you’re breastfeeding, it’s safest not to drink alcohol. Alcohol passes straight into breastmilk and can affect your baby’s development.

Alternatives to drinking alcohol in pregnancy

You can have non-alcoholic drinks like water, milk, herbal teas and non-alcoholic wine and beer. Check the labels of non-alcoholic drinks, because some contain small amounts of alcohol.

If you drink alcohol to manage stress, look for other ways to relax or treat yourself. For example, you could take a bath, have a massage, or go for a walk.

If you can stop drinking in pregnancy, it’s good for your health and your baby’s health. If you need support, speak to your GP or midwife.

Download printable version

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2023 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.