So you're pregnant and work at a winery, now what?

Many people have asked me what it was like to be pregnant while working at a winery. Little do they know, that was the easy part. Keeping the big news private for 12 weeks, on the other hand, was where it got difficult. Dodging a special end-of-the-day glass of wine was no easy task! Here are a few tips on how to get out of that occasional, oh-so-delicious, glass of Pinot without telling everyone you are pregnant:

1. Go on a detox cleanse.
Most wine people are health conscious so being on a detox cleanse isn't too inconspicuous.

2. Select a ninja of a wing man/woman.
Pick someone who can keep a secret. They must be willing to swoop in at a moment's notice to save you from a stick situation. Especially for toasts, they will need to swap their empty glass with yours without others noticing. They need to be able to be sneaky to slip some out or be able to handle two glasses as they will be acting as your designated dump bucket. In return, you are their designated driver.

3. The "I have a cold" excuse.
This one requires a good poker face. One little slip up will have the rumors flying! The "don't waste the wine on me right now" always works with a cold.

4. Always have somewhere to be.
Make it a point to always have something planned after work. No one thinks twice if you have to be somewhere. They just think you're a really busy person.

12 weeks is a long time to keep your big news a secret, especially when you're surrounded by fantastic wines. After I was able to announce it to my co-workers, I became the in-house quality control liaison for faulted bottles. With a heightened sense of smell, I was a useful tool for our Tasting Room.

Best of luck to all you expectant moms out there who love wine!