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

1003 replies

Leati · 18/07/2007 08:16

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/

OP posts:
Hulababy · 18/07/2007 20:17

I will do what I want based on the most up to date information I have at the time of any pregnancy. I will then judge that informatiion and decide what the risks are and whether to drink or not.

A thread where someone just posts reams and reams of googled information, and infomration/judgements coming from someone who is not qualified or an expert in the field will not change my mind one way or the other. I will simply skip the long winded cut and paste posts, waste of time. Does anyone really read them?

sazzybee · 18/07/2007 20:21

This may have been said before but if small quantities of alcohol caused FAS (or related syndromes) then most of us are probably sufferers. My mother drank throughout her pregnancies. Not a lot because she's not a heavy drinker but certainly more than 1-2 units a week. I'm not denying that excessive alcohol can cause damage but if it was as black and white as the OP projects, our whole generation would be buggered.

I didn't drink very much at all during my pregnancy - probably 1-2 units a month max. But I've got a beer in my hand now and I'm currently breastfeeding. Quick, call social services

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 20:23

My mother was told to have a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette whenever she had a 'stressful' day during her pregnancies with both me and my sister in the US in the late 60s/early 70s.

No ill effects that I can see.

Everything in moderation has always been her motto.

FioFioJane · 18/07/2007 20:24

are you sure expat?

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 20:25

I wrote that just for you, Fio .

FioFioJane · 18/07/2007 20:26
Grin
FirenzeandZooey · 18/07/2007 20:31

I agree with VVVQV

Tamum · 18/07/2007 20:33

Flibberty, do we have any stats on that please? Actual numbers of childhood deaths caused by drowning in toilets? Presumably quite a large number if they are issuing warnings

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 20:34

But for all the banging on about the dangers of toilet drowning, there are still power points in every bathroom in the country - sometimes even right over the sink.

Tamum · 18/07/2007 20:35

Really? Blimey.

Sixofone · 18/07/2007 20:36

My mum was told to drink a bottle of stout a day when she was pregnant and a bit anaemic, by her doctor (but we all know that our doctors are poorly trained halfwits that aren't anywhere near as good as their US counterparts, of course).

Of course, if she hadn't, I'd have a PhD and not just a Masters, wouldn't I...

I would just like to share that I had a one or two drinks while I was pregnant and I bloody well enjoyed them too and have by some fluke obviously managed to have a normal child...

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 20:37

I've not been in one yet that doesn't have sockets in it, Tamum, and I've been in a lot .

And over there, you don't have to even switch the power point on to get it to work. You just plug in and go.

FirenzeandZooey · 18/07/2007 20:39

Oh, I agree with NQC as well.

lljkk · 18/07/2007 20:39

Tamum, Power socket just above the sink once caught fire in the bathroom off my bedroom when I was about 10.
Rank smell in there for weeks afterwards.

lljkk · 18/07/2007 20:42

Although technically there's a "shaver point socket" about 14 inches above the bathroom sink in my modern English house. It can accept US or 2-pin British plugs. I must ask DH why that's allowed but an ordinary socket isn't.

francagoestohollywood · 18/07/2007 20:56

plugs in bathrooms in Italy as well. But then we are well known for our fatalism.

edam · 18/07/2007 21:02

alipig, if my memory is correct, the Americans actually fought to avoid paying taxes... The freedom stuff got chucked in afterwards.

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 21:08

The controversy was over paying British taxes, but not being allowed to have any representatives at Westminster, not about paying taxes per se.

'No taxation without representation' was the slogan.

bookwormtailmum · 18/07/2007 21:11

As far as I was aware, a woman's body still belongs to her in pg so if she wants to drink in moderation, then I'll raise a glass to that. I chose not to drink during my pg (once I knew I was pg) but then I consumed a fair amount of vodka during the vital first few weeks (I was a returning uni student). That was enough to tide me over the remaining 28 weeks or so [tongue in cheek icon]. When I ventured down the student clubs I was mobbed by people ensuring that I didn't try to consume alcohol although their second-hand smoke didn't seem to concern them.

Flibbertyjibbet · 18/07/2007 22:24

Oh dear will now have to admit the real reason I didn't cut and paste before...
I haven't a clue how to!!
So tell me how and I'll do the link. If I can find the website again.

edam · 18/07/2007 22:26

I remember, expat, was teasing. Just thought freedom of choice was a questionable summary of the matter.

expatinscotland · 18/07/2007 22:28

I think Leati needs a drink.

I'm already making my flavoured vodkas. I like to make sure the taste is just right before giving them as gifts to neighbours.

I'm doing two lemon ones and one raspberry.

Think I'll do another raspberry. Might go to Costco and buy in bulk.

Flibbertyjibbet · 18/07/2007 22:29

Yay!! I did it, from 'www.pottytrainingsolutions.com'.
Do I win the prize for today's longest and most boring twaddley cut and paste?

Toilet Training Children Drown Without a Sound
CHILDREN DROWN IN TOILETS

More children drown in toilets, tubs, or a bucket with just a few inches of water. Buy special toilet latches to prevent toddlers from opening the lids. Never leave your young child unsupervised when in the bathroom potty training , using the toilet, in the tub, even if he is in a bath seat; it won't prevent him from slipping under the water. To prevent scalding, keep your water heater set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

A child who is drowning usually can't shout for help so it's important to be alert for signs of drowning. Most drownings occur within a short distance of safety.

Bathtub and toilet drownings are also quite common. In fact, a child can drown in just a few inches of water. So always pay full attention to your child in the bath and on the toilet. Have everything you need for bath time and during the potty training process close at hand, and don't leave your child in order to answer the phone or door - even while on the toilet or the bath is just being filled. It's not worth the risk.

Keep toilet lids closed at all times. Better yet, install and use toilet lid latches.

In the United States, drowning claims nearly 8,000 lives annually.

A house is an exciting place for infants and small children who love to explore but aren't aware of the potential dangers. Protecting your child from household dangers is your job - and it's a job that will always be evolving to keep up with your child's growing mobility and curiosity. Even before your baby comes home from the hospital, you will need to think carefully about his safety at home. And as he grows older, your job becomes more difficult, as he touches, tastes, and climbs his way through the word. Life can't be risk-free, but most household accidents can be prevented by utilizing a household safety checklist. This will help you identify and eliminate potential hazards in your home.

Following are just a few facts uncovered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in a comprehensive study of drowning and submersion incidents involving children under 5 years old in Arizona, California, and Florida.

Seventy-five percent of the submersion victims were between 1 and 3 years old; 65 percent of this group were boys.
Toddlers, in particular, often do something unexpected because their capabilities change daily. At the time of the incidents, most victims were being supervised by one or both parents. Forty-six percent of the victims were last seen in the house; 23 percent were last seen in the yard or on the porch or patio; and 31 percent were in or around the TV before the accident. In all, 69 percent of the children were not expected to be at or in the bathroom, yet they were found in the bathroom.
Submersion incidents involving children usually happen in familiar surroundings. Toilet submersions involving children happen quickly. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone.
Seventy-seven percent of the victims had been missing from sight for 5 minutes or less. Survival depends on rescuing the child quickly and restarting the breathing process, even while the child is still in the water. Seconds count in preventing death or brain damage. Child drowning is a silent death. There's no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble.
It can happen to you. The following recommendations are the result of identifying key parameters that typically contribute to child drowning in toilets. These recommendations are the minimum steps you can take to make your home a safe place for your child.

Barriers are not childproof, but they provide layers of protection for a child who strays from supervision. Barriers give parents additional time to locate a child before the unexpected becomes a reality. Barriers include door alarms, for the bathroom, and a toilet lid lock for every toilet in your home. Use the following recommendations only as a guide.

LittleBellatrixLeBoot · 18/07/2007 22:31

Oh gawd.

It's at times like this I'm so glad I live in Britain.

I'd be even happier if I lived in France.

Tamum · 18/07/2007 22:32
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