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

[Leati]

Yesterday, I was on a thread when some of the women started questioning about US policy on drinking alcohol during pregnancies. One of the women had heard that if you have a glass of wine, you could be arrested. I assured her that wasn't true but there was chance that if you were visibly pregnant that the restaurant or bar might exercise their right to refuse service. And if a pediatrician became suspicious of drug or alcohol abuse, they could have the baby?s blood tested at birth. If the baby is found to have these in their blood, the child will be taken away. Another woman pitched that she found it disturbing that restaurants had signs warning pregnant women.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These women seemed to believe it was actually okay to drink during their pregnancies. Hadn't they heard of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. So today, I did a little research and was shocked to learn that it is a big problem in the UK and that there is little education about it there.

Women who are angry over mothers choosing the bottle over nursing are damaging their children by drinking alcohol. This is not minor damage, in some case it is equivalent to severe mental retardation and in others it less obvious cognitive problems. Overall nearly 10% of babies born in the UK are suffering from some sort of cognitive problems directly related to alcohol exposure in the womb.

What broke my heart the most is that I have been on this site and I know that the mothers on this site care so much for their children. That while I may not always agree with everything said and our perspectives are not always the same, that we share a common love for our children. So I felt compelled to start this thread and share the information. I hope that you will share it, with your loved ones and it may spread.

I have attached some sites so you can research this yourself. These sites are both from the UK and the US.

www.fasaware.co.uk/

www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/west/series2/fetal_alcohol_syndro mfaspregnancydrinkinglearning_difficulties.shtml

www.healthychildrenproject.org/glossa ry/

I think Leati is completely teetotal, might explain some of her stance (see myspece)

my network forbids me from getting to her myspace. What does it say?

r all americanz relly lik lefarti coz i hav jst movd ther wiv my dh n 3 litle boyz n i am woreed tht i wll get hassul if i hav anthr babe n wnt 2 hav a nite owt wiv da girlz

ps wot is socker?

I can't access the myspace either

You're not missing anything - lots of cute photos of her dcs and some political propaganda which I can't be arsed to sit through!

you will fit in so well in USA stickyvicky - not many of them can write correct English either!

I love the use of the word 'disappointed' in the thread title

Lots of anti Bush stuff and some family photos.

I just had a look at her MySpace page. Vom.

Looks like she lets hubby drink though

I can't believe this has got so personal.

My goodness, Leati you are on a mission. Have you nothing else to do?

Let's not slag her off, I only linked to her myspace (which she posted the other day by the way) to show that she was teetotal. I don't think comments about her DH or family are appropriate.

Not many English use the correct grammer either, so thats not really a measure of anything

You cannot re-publish this thread leati - it belongs to MNHQ. You can certainly link to it from other sources/blogs.

This is turning into a witch hunt ladies and it aint pretty.

So, she doesn't drink, huh? Where is she in Californis? What is the polical propaganda? Can you copy and paste some of it?

Exactly LL, she's not a monster she just has an opinion - if you lot disagree that's fine but don't start slating her personal website etc

"You cannot re-publish this thread leati - it belongs to MNHQ"

I think we want to be very clear on Mumsnet -- after the recent stink with She Who Can Now Be Named. Mumsnet does not own the content, and is therefore not responsible for what individual posters choose to say.

Mumsnet is not a publish with a copyright. Who cares if she send this thread to the world. I mean no one in real life knows me as Eleusis. And the OP is bonkers. And I say this as a proud American. She does not represent main stream America -- thank God!

I'm not sure thats right Eulesis. Perhaps MNHQ can clarify their position on it?

Leati, you haven't explained why you choose to follow some guidance and not others. The World Health Organisation says:

"Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age."
www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/

and

"In the absence of
demonstrated safe limits, abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy is recommended"
www.euro.who.int/document/e88335.pdf

The word "recommend" is used in both cases.

Not really scandalous at all - just comedy clips like

Bush

Ignore link - didn't work - was quite amusing though .

These same debates were occurring on misc.kids.pregnancy 10 years ago -- and on lots of other Internet sites where British mums meet Yanks.

There was a poll not long back on momswhothink.com "Would you be upset to see a heavily pregnant woman drink one small beer with a meal?"

Vast majority of posters, almost all Americans, said that it was "None of my business" AND that most said while they wouldn't choose to do it themselves, they wouldn't condem it, either.

Several said that they had been advised BY THEIR DOCTORS to have a daily half glass of wine in the 3rd trimester, to prevent premature labour.

I think Leati is even more out on a limb than she knows.

Yes, I too am American and would like to make it quite clear that Leati does not speak for me and many others I know. She is entitled to her opinion and equally entitled to express it, but I think that the real problem (having just spent what feels like two hours reading this thread from start to latest entry...) is that she wasn't so much sharing an opinion and her idea of information but was rather attempting a mass conversion to her way of thinking!!!

Something which I've learned is never very popular on MN!

I started reading this as FAS is a huge problem in parts of the world where alcoholism is rife (eg Russia) but I'm a shallow, shallow person because I couldn't get past line 4 of any of Leati's 2,000,000 line posts .

I may never know if I agree with her or not...

but respect to those of your that did - could someone give me a synopsis... or better still just tell me whether I agree