The Debate About Alcohol And Pregnancy

Knowing what your doctor recommends as the limits to having a drink or some wine is important and following government health-care recommendations can also be a good guideline as to what is safe for your baby. Moderation in alcohol consumption during your pregnancy is key, and for an expectant mother, moderation means stopping after one drink. Should you go over that mark or find yourself drinking more than the recommended amounts for alcohol consumption during pregnancy, for the sake of your child, seek some counsel and help from your doctor.

Is this true? Some websites and doctors heavily advise zero consumption, feeling that any substance with a potential of interfering with your baby's development should be completely cut out from your diet until birth. Others take a more relaxed approach and lean on studies that show little or no adverse effects from the occasional drink that you might have at a special event or just to unwind. Certainly, one or two drinks over the course of your pregnancy may have no effects on your baby at all.

But one thing is important to remember - researchers and scientists are still studying the effects of alcohol on the unborn foetus and there has been, as of yet, no final, conclusive information as to what amount of alcohol, if any, is safe to ingest during pregnancy. In fact, while most governments and health organizations agree that the intermittent drink (four or less per week) is fine for expectant mothers, a recent study has shown that babies of 25 weeks of age responding sluggishly to sound tests when the woman has followed government limits on alcohol consumption.

The choice to drink or not remains, for now, a matter of opinion as researchers continue to probe into these new findings of alcohol consumption and the effects on unborn children. Inform yourself to the risks and hazards of drinking to help you take the decision as to whether you feel its fine to have that single glass of wine at a wedding or celebration. The decision will always remain yours, but it's important to remember that you're taking choices for two people now - you and your baby.

100 Promises to My Baby

A lyrical ode to maternal love -- and a universal expression of every mother's hopes and dreams for her child

I promise to love you with no conditions. I promise to try to teach you through example, not words. I promise to help you develop a love for your culture and heritage. I promise to show you that there are infinite possibilities in every moment. I promise to help you see and develop your unique talents. As she eagerly awaited the birth of her first child, Mallika Chopra began to craft a unique gift that would express her profound loving commitment to the baby growing inside of her.

100 Promises to My Baby is that gift -- a covenant with her child that reflected her own deepening awareness of the sacred responsibilities of parenthood. Here the author shares the vows she made to help her child grow up feeling cherished and secure, look at the world with wonder and curiosity, and learn spiritual values that would enrich her own life and contribute to making the world a better place. This audio will inspire listeners to think about their own lives, values, and beliefs, and what they would like to pass on to their children.