How to Handle Those "I Need to Have a Drink NOW!" Moments, When You Can't

No point in denying it: You're going to have some fierce I-need-a-drink moments when you're pregnant, nursing, or otherwise detoxing. And while we've always cringed at the word "mocktail," everyone knows what it means so we'll surrender to it for now. (If you have a better word for "fake cocktail," we're taking nominations). At any rate, here are some of our favorite ways of tricking ourselves into thinking we're drinking during those superhero days when we're being really really good. 

Shrub It In

Shrubs won’t get you buzzed, but something about their tart, vinegary kick revs up the tastebuds the way a good cocktail does. And if your non-pregnant friends are reveling in their strong, fancy-ass cocktails and rubbing it in just a little bit, then you’re well within your rights to Shrub It In.

All you need is some apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and lemon, or a bottle of premade drinking vinegar, a.ka. shrub—a sweetened, syrupy vinegar spiked with herbs or fruit; then just add soda, seltzer, or water. Pok Pok Som makes delicious shrubs in flavors like Thai Basil, Ginger, or Honey, available online. Or try the ones from Shrub & Co, an organic Berkeley-based small-batch producer.

Then, just mix one part shrub to three parts ginger ale, seltzer, or still water, and squirt in some lime. How’s that for the easiest recipe ever.

Dark and Breezy

This one is even easier: All you need is ginger beer, lime, and a healthy imagination. Pour your favorite ginger beer into a glass and add a lime twist. Where’s the rum? Nowhere, so we can’t quite call this a Dark and Stormy. But damn if ginger beer isn’t refreshing and, with just a touch of daydreaming, perfectly capable of transporting you to an island-beach-umbrella-drink fantasyland.

Campari and Soda, Soda, and more Soda

Check with your doctor if you’re nervous about this, but: A couple of drops of Campari with soda in the 3rd trimester has been a tried a true refresher for several women we know. The bright-red color lights up your glass, but the Campari itself is barely there. This brings us to the whole should-you-drink-at-all debate. Your doctor will likely tell you not to, not even a tiny bit, although some doctors say that the occasional glass of wine or light drink in the 3rd trimester has no impact. Certain studies seem to bear that out. Then you have Europeans, and earlier generations, and the "oh lighten up" contingent, who think Americans take it too far with all the things we avoid during pregnancy.

We’re not medical professionals here, and we don't want to steer anyone wrong--so as always, our official advice is to talk this over with your doctor.

For us, it was pretty much all about Shrub It Ins and Dark and Breezys for 9 months. How did you get through it all, beverage-wise? We’d love to hear your thoughts, tips, and emergency remedies.