Pregnancy and Alcohol

Is it okay to mix pregnancy and alcohol? Common sense would say no, but what about the latest research? Researchers seem divided on the issue. Some say that moderate drinking will be okay, and others say that drinking two glasses of wine a week can be harmful to your baby! That is not a lot of alcohol ladies!

My question and I believe yours too should be, "Is alcohol really that important to me that I would chance my babies’ health?" Let’s take a look at those opposed to alcohol and pregnancy, and go with their point of view for obvious safety reasons! Here is what they have to say:

• Researchers in Dublin, Ireland in a study between 2000 and 2007, studied 60,000 pregnant mothers, and found that 2 glasses of wine per week, might be associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which results in mental retardation, physical difficulties related to the heart, face and other organs, learning disabilities, stunted growth, emotional and behavioral problems.

• This is a serious disability that will affect your child for the rest of their life. It is 100% avoidable. Each year in the United States up to 40,000 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome disorders, which can range from mild to severe.

• Almost all of the studies show that alcohol passes through the placenta to your baby. Your baby drinks when you drink, and can’t process the alcohol like you can, so is exposed to the effects of alcohol for a longer period of time. Alcohol will cross the placenta, and interfere with your babies ability to get enough oxygen, and this can cause abnormal development in their brain and other organs.

• Many articles recommend to avoid alcohol, if you are trying to become pregnant, because you may not know if you are pregnant or not for the first weeks.

• There is no alcohol level that has been determined to be safe during pregnancy and nursing. Stay away from all alcohol including, beer, wine, wine coolers, and liquor!

• Drinking alcohol can also increase your risk of miscarriage, or premature birth. Women who binge drink a few times in the first 16 weeks of their pregnancy, have a higher risk of having a stillborn baby.

• There is a long list of difficulties that I could list of problems associated with drinking, and the dangers of alcohol, while you are pregnant. Basically whatever stage your baby is at when you drink alcohol is the part of your baby that can be damaged by alcohol.

This was very difficult to write, because many people drink alcohol, while they are pregnant, with no knowledge of what they are doing, and the dangers of mixing pregnancy and alcohol! Please care for the health of your baby, while you are pregnant, and nursing and do not drink. Your babies’ health is more important than any alcohol.

If you are unable to stop drinking, please seek help from your doctor. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome lasts a lifetime, and poses a great threat to your baby. My autistic son has been in classes with children with this disability. The heartbreaking thing is that it is a preventable disability.

Mixing Pregnancy and Alcohol is just not a Healthy Prenatal Habit to have. Please do not drink while pregnant for the sake of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby!!!