To be disappointed in hearing that many UK woman drink during pregnancy [shock]

I'm slightly amazed by the following statement...

"It would appear to me that while drinking during pregnancy is socially acceptable in the UK, bottle feeding your baby is not."

Leati - your credibility is going to be shot down in flames if anyone who knows anything about the UK reads this. It is extremely socially acceptable in huge swathes of the Uk to bottle feed your baby. It's what the campaign to promote breast-feeding here is all about. I think your only exposure to the UK can be Mumsnet and Mary Poppins.

To quote your OP

"I did a little research and was shocked to learn that it (FAS) is a big problem in the UK"

It is not a big problem in the Uk it is a big problem in Russia. I would humbly suggest you would do better to go on ww.Mumsnetski.com and try to educate them and write your article about them.

I am just so glad that I am not going to be pregnant again. I had mine in the days when some freedom of action was permitted to adult human beings - regardless of their procreative status.

Ok, so if that is correct (and obviously I meant the frequency not the absolute numbers) then the incidence in the UK is 3 times higher than the US, and you have your story.

Tamum - New Scientist quotes FAS incidence in |US as 3 in 1000 babies.

Ooh so did mine Fio!

hello i am here atm and I didnt drink everyday. I didnt actually drink at all with my firstborn and with the second I only drank towards the end of the pregnancy and that was an occassional glass of red wine. My ds was born with red hair too and we blamed it on the red wine

I know of people who did drink everyday though and their children were normal. I posted once before about someone I knew who for their ONE drink had a brandy AND babycham EVERY night.

My Mum said she drank makesons EVERY day and this was apparently encouraged.

If that article stands any chance of getting published, which I doubt given the overblown stuff about the personal attacks, any editor worth their salt will want to know the answer to one question: is the incidence of FAS significantly higher in the UK than the US? If not, then it's a complete non-story. If it is, and it is published, then do be aware that any reader can come and read the thread and check for themselves what went on here. You might want to re-read the thread in the cold light of day and reflect on that.

I think a far more honest and straight forward approach might have got a sensible debate going. Something like: "I have been doing some research on the information women receive about drinking when pg. I have noticed that American experts say that women should abstain entirely, whereas British Midwives still suggest that 1/2 unit a week is unlikely to harm your baby. What do you think about this? Why the discrepency?"

Then you would have had a reasonable discussion that wouldn't have run onto 700+ posts.

Leati
that may be why you have misunderstood the responses you were being given. People were reacting to the idea that pregnant women ( sensible rational pregnant women) should be told what to do in order to avoid what is a completely unproven risk.
NO ONE here at any time has suggested that regular drinking is OK. But most think that if a mother wants an occasional drink then there is no substantive evidence to suggest that she shouldn't.
That is not the same as drinking heavily or being casual about your unborn child's health.

Leati, can I suggest a new thread title

"Do pregnant women in the UK get the appropriate advice on drinking during pregnancy from their GP/Midwive/HV/Consultant"?

Now this might generate a reson response.

Pinning the US against the UK is not on in my book. It reinforces the stereotype that Americans are arrogant and can't appreciate any one else's culture.

Sorry MrsM, guns aren't allowed.

oops put th apostrophe in the wrong place in parents'. Someone shoot me!

But LittleBoot, didn't you know you shouldn't drink caffeine when pg either??

OK. I've had a skim read through the posts and there are a few references to people drinking everyday while pg, but it is in posts about our parent's generation when they were advised to drink stout for iron every day.

Drinking everyday while pg is unacceptable (even by our 'relaxed' standards) I refuse to believe that anyone would have posted that on here without being shot down in flames by everyone else.

Leati - it may surprise you to know that I have not touched a drop of alcohol since conceiving - I wasnt drinking around ovulation or in the period that I was waiting to find out whether I was pregnant or not. Once i found out - I havent has as much of a sip. My view is actually the same as yours - but as Mrs M says, it is the way you have gone about this.

MrsMalaprop, I am one of those you describe. I chose not to drink when pg with ds2 but hate the Nanny State style of attempting to ban all risk no matter how small.

I thought the vast majority posted ( as I did) that they had a couple of drinks a week max. And that was only those who said they drank at all. many did not

yes, they were advised they could
but did they??

Have you removed the comments about us attacking your children from your article?

LL - good post

I wondered idly if Leati might have found the energy for round 2 last night...

I would be really bored with this now, but am PMSL at being the walking fetus with many faucets to me.

If only I'd known before we spent all that money on a new bathroom...