Parental Filter

looks like I walked into a heated argument here, but I'm with the majority on this one. If you an alcoholic/druggie, use a condom. If it's unplanned, yes then you handle it. But don't plan on having children untill you clean yourself up.

Even if you are an alcoholic, you make a decision every time you put the drink to your lips. If you can't lay off for 9 months for the good of your baby, the child's best bet is to be adopted out as soon as possible.

What's next? You are a cigarette addict, so you need to have cigarettes even when you are pregnant?

No I am not an alcoholic I am just creating an argument from all angles if you know what I mean......As for common sense not alot of people have that when they are intoxicated so really the problem does excist even if we do not want it to.

So I guess the whole point is .....is to takle it from the grass roots at an early age with education in school. It does not help with research one min suggesting a glass of red wine is fine when pregnant as it aids digestion.

It is the child that is important when it comes into this world thats why we have the child protection agency. But it's the pregnancy and well being of the mother while carrying that child that is important.

I think that when you find out that your pregnant, you should start putting the baby first. Which means that there should be no drinking no matter how little. I don't think that any limit is safe when your pregnant. Not if you care for the well being of your baby and want a healthy child then common since should tell you no drinking and no smoking for those 9 months.

100% baby 1st. If you are a parent then it' is your choice and responsibility. The child has no choice. You must put your life in order for the child's sake.

I think that drinking should be avoided during pregnancy. THat being said, I wasnt planning my pregnancy when I had my son, and I didnt know I was pregnant until mid January of last year. I am young, healthy, and enjoy a good time. So I wont lie and say I didnt have a few drinks on New Years Eve that year. And a couple of social lunches with friends to boot. All while I was in those critical early days of pregnancy. As I said, I didnt know I was. I dont condone drinking, but I dont think you should assume someone is a bad parent if they drank during their pregnancy. For the record, my son is fine.

I think Fetal Alcohol Syndrome says it all.

Problem: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental and physical defects which develops in some unborn babies when the mother drinks too much alcohol during pregnancy. A baby born with FAS may be seriously handicapped and require a lifetime of special care. Some babies with alcohol-related birth defects, including smaller body size, lower birth weight, and other impairments, do not have all of the classic FAS symptoms. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE). Researchers do not all agree on the precise distinctions between FAS and FAE cases.
Cause of the Problem: Alcohol in a pregnant woman's bloodstream circulates to the fetus by crossing the placenta. There, the alcohol interferes with the ability of the fetus to receive sufficient oxygen and nourishment for normal cell development in the brain and other body organs.

Recommendations: Studies suggest that drinking a large amount of alcohol at any one time may be more dangerous to the fetus than drinking small amounts more frequently. The fetus is most vulnerable to various types of injuries depending on the stage of development in which alcohol is encountered. A safe amount of drinking during pregnancy has not been determined, and all major authorities agree that women should not drink at all during pregnancy. Unfortunately, women sometimes wait until a pregnancy is confirmed before they stop drinking. By then, the embryo/fetus has gone through several weeks of critical development, a period during which exposure to alcohol can be very damaging.

I have to agree with the majority here and say drinking, smoking, drugs, and other unhealthy acts is not something to do when you are pregnant. Seek help. But also know that if you are a heay user before you realized you were pregnant seek professional help not quit on your own...detoxing on your own may harm you and your baby, a doctor will know the best way for the both of you.

I would say, if an alcoholic gets pregnant I would truly hope that she talks to her health care practitioner.

I find it rather sad and foreboding that the subject of alcohol and childbirth is even being discussed as a possibility. Well, actually in light of the posts, the verdict does seem to clearly be, NO ALCOHOL. We all can realize conception has occurred during the romantic moments of our lives after sharing a bottle of wine, or imbibing in holiday spirits. Those tend to be planned pregnancy. The scary result of casual sex mixed with drinking can cause concern because perhaps conception occurred during one particular loose evening, but more likely than not, that behavior of drinking is probably going to occur up until the time of realization of the pregnancy.
1. I think if you're planning to have a child, that is enough to abstain from alcohol.
2. If you suddenly become pregnant due to casual sex, then stop drinking alcohol; the evidence is clear and not skewed. The research into FAS has been indicative for years. Why take the chance?
If alcohol is that important in a person's life, then huge changes must occur before you decidedly bring a vulnerable and innocent child into the mix of a dysfunctional lifestyle. Priorities must be maintained in order to instill strong values in our children.