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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Why Moms-to-be Shouldn't Even Have "Just One"
By Teri Brown
Linda La Fever from Ocean Shores, Wash., had seven healthy children before a severe upheaval in her life caused her to turn to alcohol for refuge. She drank heavily throughout her eighth pregnancy and knew instinctively that something was wrong with her child.
"Something just wasn't right," La Fever says. "He couldn't be soothed as a baby and there was no predictability to his schedule at all."
When she learned of the diagnosis, she was devastated. "I ran out of the hospital and told them to send me the information," La Fever says. " I couldn't take it. Then I made a decision. I knew that if I was going to take care of my child, I had to get sober."
Her son is 24 years old now and La Fever spends her time helping others, with public speaking and writing. She says the guilt really never goes away. "I feel pain every single day," she says. "But I know it can't change anything. You can't undo the damage that was done. The most important thing a mom can do is admit that her baby was exposed and get a diagnosis. Don't minimize the problem. The only way to know what you are dealing with is to face it head on."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no known "safe" amount of alcohol mothers can drink while pregnant. Unfortunately, many women are unaware of their pregnancy until the 5th or 6th week. During that time the fetus is going through many important developmental changes that can be negatively impacted by alcohol ingestion.
If you did expose your unborn baby to alcohol, the first thing you should do is relax. Do everything you would during a normal pregnancy to ensure your baby's health. Eat right, take prenatal vitamins, watch your weight and above all, don't drink again. It is also important to alert your doctor to the fact that your baby has been exposed to alcohol.
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