by Paulette Redemske

Created on: January 23, 2008

In our society we have a habit of over doing things. For instance a doctor once told me, off the record that a glass a wine, a shot or having a beer a day is good for keeping the blood thin. When I asked why it is not recommend for patients with heart problems; his response was that if a person were told to have a drink a day and then became dependent on alcohol, that doctor could be sued. The same holds true with pregnancy.

When I was pregnant with my first child, the doctor asked me if I were a drinker. I said no. She asked me if I planned to breast feed, I said yes. She suggested that I have a beer occasionally or sip on a glass of wine occasionally, I remember her suggestion very well and the reasoning; it will make healthier breast milk. Whether this was said in essence to say a drink every now and then won't hurt', I don't know.

Experts seem to disagree on this issue. Most will say "Nay" to even one; it is not worth the risk. Some say it like playing Russian Roulette with your unborn child's welfare. The March of Dimes claims there is over 4,000 births a year that some sort alcohol related problem plagues the infant; from retardation to deformities to abnormal birth weights not to mention FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), or even miscarriage. Many other organizations and doctors echo the same sentiments.

There are many studies showing the harm of alcohol abuse during pregnancy, as with poor diets also. But there are no hard core studies showing that moderate alcohol intake is harmful. Anyone who has an addiction to anything will as a matter of fact, deny it. That's what makes studies of this type so difficult to believe.

However, many European women drink before, during and after pregnancy. They seem to have ever little problem with this issue. They have perfectly happy normal babies. If moderate drinking is harmful, then why isn't this warning issued throughout Europe?

So what can the difference be? Perhaps it is our definition of moderate. A can of beer is 12 ounces; a glass of wine is 4 to 6 ounces. Moderation to a person that has a problem with alcohol may be a quart of beer or just one bottle of wine. So in light of that, it is better advised to say no to any amount of alcohol consumption.

While it is true that whatever you eat or drink filters through to your baby, the baby only takes what it needs at the time. While that does not mean some alcohol won't get to the baby, not all of it will. If the mother to be drinks more alcohol than anything else, drinks more than she eats; than she is subjecting the baby to a high risk of FAS without a doubt. If the mother to be over eats the baby will be big because that is what the baby is offered most of the time; the same holds with drinking, that is just plain common sense.

The key to the issue is moderation. Moderation is limiting or controlling how much you consume. To all mothers to be, to anyone, falling down drunk, doing things you wouldn't do sober, is a far cry from moderation.

A drink occasionally will help you to relax; relaxation, as we all know rejuvenates the body. It helps the appetite also. You can control what and how much you indulge yourself during pregnancy. The whole key is moderation. You know what you can tolerate. If you are an addicted to alcohol or binge drink, then it wouldn't be a good idea to have one.

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