In the United Kingdom, pregnant women and those trying to conceive are currently advised to abstain from alcohol. However, this marks a relatively recent shift in UK alcohol policy. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) was first described in The Lancet in 1973. While some countries, like the United States, quickly adopted prohibitive guidance on alcohol consumption during pregnancy, the UK was slower to advise abstinence. This initial UK response to FAS has received little scholarly attention, with most existing literature focusing on the US, twenty-first century policy changes, or broader UK alcohol policy. By examining UK alcohol policy in relation to FAS, alongside guidance from popular antenatal booklets, this article presents a history of the UK’s response to FAS and how policy was translated into information for pregnant women. It highlights the UK’s initial responses to FAS which were rooted in messages of moderation, before describing the move towards abstinence.