The Dark Side of Mummy Wine Culture: Why We Need to Rethink How We Celebrate Mother's Day
Mother's Day is here again and with it a bold display of Big Alcohol targeting women. Mummy Wine Culture is normalised, justified, and celebrated with special Mother’s Day offers that all seem to come with a glass of bubbles. The message to everyone (and alarmingly little girls) is this: Mum needs wine.
From memes about "wine o'clock" to wine-themed pyjamas, the messaging is crystal clear: Mothers need alcohol to cope with the stresses of daily life. This constant marketing of alcohol as a form of self-care, stress relief, and relaxation has created a dangerous narrative that can have lasting effects on women's health and wellbeing.
What’s wrong with mummy wine culture…
The Lancet recently shared a new research paper on breast cancer, predicting that by 2040, 3 million women a year would be diagnosed. They said however, that this is not inevitable – if we step in now and do something about it.
One of their suggestions was to call for policy makers to ban the commercial marketing of products linked to causing breast cancer, including alcohol. Ironically, not long after I’d read that report, I saw a Mother’s Day ad pop up with Peter Alexander pyjamas adorned with “Wine down time” and bottles of wine…
Over the past 30 years, alcohol use disorder in women has increased by a staggering 84%. This disorder is defined as consuming 14 or more units of alcohol per week, which is roughly equivalent to just over a bottle of wine. The normalisation of everyday drinking as a coping mechanism can lead to a slippery slope towards dependency and addiction.
What we are telling our girls…
The impact of mummy wine culture goes beyond individual health. Girls who grow up seeing their mothers use alcohol as a coping mechanism are four times more likely to develop alcohol use disorder themselves. This highlights the intergenerational impact of unhealthy behaviours and the importance of setting positive examples for our kids.
Alcohol is classified as a level one carcinogen, meaning it’s known to cause cancer in humans. In fact, alcohol consumption is directly responsible for seven types of cancer, including breast cancer. Despite this, many women are unaware of the link between alcohol and breast cancer. Only 20% of women are aware of this connection, highlighting the need for more education and awareness around the risks of alcohol consumption. Many women don’t know that 3 or more drinks per week increases the risk of breast cancer by 15%.
Let’s stop promoting alcohol as self-care
What can we do to help women move beyond Mummy Wine Culture and start to recognise our true needs around stress and ‘switching off’? It starts with changing the narrative around self-care and relaxation. Instead of promoting alcohol as the go-to solution, we should encourage healthier alternatives.
Activities like yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, or enjoying a hobby can provide the same sense of relaxation and rejuvenation without the negative health effects of alcohol. Simply taking things off mum’s To Do list would be a gif this Mother’s Day.
If you’d like to change your relationship with alcohol, read my book Beyond Booze, How to create a life you love alcohol-free here. Or, join my next 30-day alcohol-free challenge here.