Midwife speaking

Every month, midwife Dieuwke Ottens talks about what she experiences in her practice as a midwife. In this newsletter she tells about the times when it is (more) difficult not to drink alcohol. From parties to evenings on your couch. The times when you might normally drink alcohol. But that is not possible during your pregnancy.

There are plenty of difficult moments to imagine. As a client recently said, for example. She went to eat with her in-laws. Normally she takes a glass of wine with dinner. She had just had her first ultrasound. Around 10 weeks. And they didn't want to tell the family until around 12-13 weeks. So what now?

In the meantime, I do have some excuses for my clients that they can use:

• I just don't feel like drinking alcohol.
• I notice that I feel much healthier/fitter when I don't drink alcohol. So I'm not drinking for a while.
• I'm on a diet / I'm trying to lose weight.
• I have to get up early tomorrow / I have something important tomorrow.
• I'm on a course of antibiotics for toothache/cystitis.
• I have yet to drive, I'm the BOB.
• I'm participating in a challenge/bet not to drink.

She was happy when I shared these excuses with her. She could use them right away. Also for the rest of her pregnancy. So you see, it is not that difficult to deal with 'difficult' moments.

Toast with sparkling tea

Even moments of toast can be difficult moments. A tip from me is to toast with sparkling tea. An incredibly tasty and sparkling alcohol-free alternative, suitable for every moment of toast. So you can also participate during the special moments, but without alcohol! Advantage: you stay nice and fresh and you then go home in the car as a BOB.

I end this blog with a recipe for an alcohol-free fruit punch. Cheers!

Ingredients for 1 liter:

• 400 ml orange juice
• 150 ml pineapple juice
• 150 ml pomegranate or cranberry juice
• 300 ml sparkling water
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate
• 1 orange sliced
• ice cubes

Preparation

Put all the ingredients for the punch in a bowl, stir and you're done!

Dieuwke has been a full-time midwife for 20 years. She guides pregnant women and their partners. During pregnancy, childbirth and also after childbirth. She has assisted more than 1,300 deliveries. As a result, she has a lot of experience. There is hardly a question that she has not yet heard. And since 2015 she is a sexual health consultant (NVVS) at the Dutch Society for Sexology. She answers all kinds of questions about sexuality.