Mummy wine culture has become a prevalent phenomenon that promotes alcohol, particularly wine, as a coping mechanism for the challenges of motherhood. From advertisements to social media memes, the messaging is everywhere, normalizing the idea that mums need wine to survive parenting. However, it's time we take a step back and question the implications of perpetuating this harmful narrative.
Picture this: during the COVID-19 lockdowns,a Tropicana advertisement caught my attention. It featured mums hiding in bathrooms or closets, sipping mimosas to be "the best mum." I was shocked and enraged. How could a major company suggest that alcohol was the solution to dealing with our children during a global pandemic? The sober and sober curious community voiced their concerns, leading to the ad being taken down.
This Tropicana ad was just one example of mummy wine culture, which thrived during the pandemic. Memes and social media posts flooded our feeds, jokingly depicting moms relying on wine to survive motherhood. It became so normalized that it felt cute and funny at first. But something changed within me when I saw that ad, and I realized the underlying issues.
The problem with mummy wine culture goes beyond harmless humour. It sends a message to our children that wine is necessary to handle them, implying that they are burdensome. This realization broke my heart, as one of my clients shared her fear that her daughter would believe she was the reason her mum drank. Our children are perceptive, and they deserve better than to see us numbing ourselves with alcohol to cope with them.
Moreover, mummy wine culture causes us to miss out on precious moments. I look back at the years I spent in a fuzzy haze due to alcohol, and it saddens me. The saying, "The days are long, but the years are short," holds true. I wish I could have been fully present instead of choosing to sit on a sun lounger, indulging in rosé. Those missed years are a reminder of the cost we pay when we prioritize alcohol over truly experiencing the joy of motherhood.
It's crucial to recognize that mummy wine culture is not just harmless fun. Statistics show a significant increase in heavy drinking among women, highlighting the impact of this culture. The contradictory nature of the messaging, making light of excessive drinking while claiming it's necessary for coping, only exacerbates the problem.
So, what can we do to break free from mummy wine culture? First and foremost, we need to challenge the normalization of this narrative. We should refrain from sharing or promoting memes and content that perpetuate the idea that alcohol is an essential part of motherhood. Unfollowing accounts that endorse such messages can help reshape our social media feeds.
Finding alternative ways to cope and recharge is crucial. Self-care plays a significant role in rejuvenating ourselves. Even small things like setting aside time for ourselves or establishing an early bedtime can make a difference. We must prioritize our well-being without relying on alcohol as a crutch.
In conclusion, it's time to sober up to mummy wine culture. We must question the messaging that suggests alcohol is necessary for motherhood. Our children deserve to see us fully present and engaged, free from the influence of alcohol. Let's reject the normalization of mummy wine culture, embrace healthier coping mechanisms, and create a more empowering narrative for ourselves and future generations of mums.
Mummy wine culture tells us that alcohol makes parenting more enjoyable and less stressful and is the ultimate “reward”. Here are three reasons why this message is untrue...
Wine doesn’t help us with parenting because the euphoria is fleeting. You know that relief you get from drinking to make your children more bearable? It lasts about 20 minutes. When we drink, the brain releases dopamine, the pleasure and learning molecule, giving us a temporary feeling of euphoria. But the brain quickly registers this dopamine as artificial and counters it with dynorphin, a downer hormone. So, we reach for another glass, chasing that fleeting high.
Wine doesn’t help with our mum stress; it increases and compounds it for days after a drink. Alcohol spikes our adrenaline and cortisol levels 7-10 days after consumption. So, while it may provide temporary relief after a tough day with the kids, it ultimately adds to our stress as mums.
Wine doesn’t make parenting easier because we’re ruining our sleep. Alcohol interferes with our sleep, leaving us feeling more tired and groggy. Sure, we may pass out after a few glasses, but our brains and bodies don't get the quality sleep they need to recover from the day. Instead of the necessary 6-7 hours of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, we only get 1 or 2.
*This article has been extended from its initial publication.