Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Spectrum Disorder

Hi, I want to tell you about my stepson. He's 5 years old and has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This is a completely preventable yet incurable condition caused solely by alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Now, before you roll your eyes and think 'here we go, another tee-totalling nut who thinks that woman shouldn't drink' - hear me out.

I drink far too much myself, but didn't touch a drop when I was pregnant with my own son because I now know the dangers..

I LOVE wine and whisky (not together!) and unfortunately, my stepson's mother loved cider.

My stepson has learning difficulties, memory deficits, attention deficits, behavioural problems, sight and hearing problems, small stature, small head circumference, facial dysmorphia, poor motor control, poor problem solving skills, immature behaviour...the list is endless.

It's a myth that only alcoholic or heavy-drinking women give birth to children with this condition. It's been proven that 5-6 units per week and in certain cases, just one single binge (2-3 large glasses of wine) can cause permanant damage in some fetuses.

So, I'm not saying don't party -GO FOR IT!! But if your pregnant, please, please stick to the soft drinks.

Sorry if I'm nagging, but I live with the devastation that it causes.

I saw a documentary on FAS the other night it was heart wrenching to watch, especially woman trying to justify why it was ok to drink massive amounts of alcohol whilst pregnant...one excuse was pregnancy isnt a disease and i still have to live my life.
The day i found out i was pregnant i packed up drinking straight away, i only had half a guiness the entire pregnancy and the guilt i felt was unbelievable!

I saw that programme! That's why I posted this message because I know that lots and lots of people in the UK are completly ignorant about the condition. I'm on a mission to educate as many people as possible. If I can prevent just one baby being born with it then it'll have been worth all the nagging!
It's just really frustrating when you're trying to reason with someone but they're hell-bent on resisting your advice. I'm not saying you can never drink ever again (God forbid!), just for the sake of your child's mental and physical development, wait til you've given birth.

That's when you REALLY need allcohol!

Hehe how true!

yeah 9 months is nothing, I didnt drink or smoke through either of my pregnancies, its a small sacrifice to make for a healthy child.

I only drank that half a guiness cos i was aneamic and someone told me guiness is packed with iron.....10 years later im still trying to justify it lol.

yeah, the Docs use to say that, to have some stout when pregnant. I think a tiny amount is fine, its just when you see pregnant girls on the lash its so disturbing. Over here they still serve you if you are obviously pregnant in the USA its against the law i think.

Treebee, I agree a tiny amount IS probably ok but how much is a tiny amount? A tiny amount to me maybe too much for someone else. No alcohol = no risk.

Anyway, thanks for reading although I get the feeling I'm preaching to the converted! You've agreed with me and your answers have been sensible. Was all geared up to try and press a point! Glad you know the score.

Guiness is packed with iron ;= if you drink lots of it!!

Well, I dunno if it's true but it was on tv tonight. Said that you'd need to drink 64 pints of guiness to get the same amount of iron that's in 3 and a half servings of spinach! So there goes another excuse to drink. Guess i'll have stick to my 'Baileys is full of calcium' line.

I dont understand why people would drink when they are pregnant. I don't understand why they would put their child at such risk. The same for smoking, everyday I see pregnant women who just smoke regardless of their condition.

Unfortunately, it comes down to ignorance. A combination of 'it won't happen to me' and lack of education from the government..

a tiny amount is probably a glass of wine on your birthday certainly not a weekly thing. If you cant quit for 9 months you have a problem.

i saw a girl out in a night club getting totally wasted,
she must of been over seven months pregnant,
it was horible.
everyone was giving her looks and she was lik
'what?'

poor kid, even if he is healthy he'll have a rough time with that kind of parent.

My room mate works with this girl who has this doctor that told her it is ok to smoke or drink a few times during the pregnency, well one of her kids has spinabifita (spelling?) and the one she is pregnant with now has multiple holes in her heart.

We dont know what caused them yet but we have a good idea.

I think she took the doctors words to heart, and the one time i met her in the 2 or 3 hours we hung out she has 4 cigerettes, and my roomy said she drinks at least once a week but not drunk drinks just a few.

it's sad though