Pregnant Moms
I drank while I was pregnant, now what?
If you are currently pregnant, it is best to not to drink any alcohol (beer, wine or hard liquor). You will greatly improve your baby’s outcome each day forward that you do not drink.
If you are a mother of a child with FASD and would like to connect with other moms, please visit A Circle of Hope at http://www.nofas.org/coh/join.aspx
If you would like more information about behaviors and challenges associated with FASD, visit FAQs about FASD.
If you would like more information about getting an FASD diagnosis visit FASD diagnosis page
How My Baby Grows:
Maintaining healthy habits during your pregnancy will ensure healthy development of your baby during all stages of growth.
First Trimester
- Organs develop, including the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys
- They eyes, lips and nose start to emerge
- The head and torso take shape, and little nubs for arms and legs begin to appear
Second Trimester
- The heart beat is strong enough to be heard through a stethoscope
- Muscle and bone development becomes more prominent
- Hair and fingernails begin to grow
- At this stage, Mom starts to feel movement from baby
Third Trimester
- By this stage of pregnancy, baby's vital organs become fully developed
- Baby's heart rate becomes more rapid
- During these last few weeks, baby's weight will triple, and his/her length will double
Any alcohol that is consumed during pregnancy can have a large range of effects on the developing fetus. While the impact of the alcohol will be different from person to person, the possible side effects can be very serious. Enter here for a fetal development chart.
Concerned about your drinking or someone else’s?
While avoiding alcohol use during pregnancy may seem like a simple action to some, it is not always that easy for everyone. This is especially true for a person struggling with an alcohol addiction. Some individuals need extra help to abstain from alcohol when they are pregnant. If you are concerned about your drinking or someone that you know, please use the information below.
Here is a free online tool that can help you assess your drinking patterns: http://www.alcoholscreening.org. Please remember that if you are pregnant, there is no known safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy.
If you are concerned about your drinking and would like to find support in your area, please see the following links.
Minnesota Recovery
Treatment Facility Locator
The following treatment centers allow women to have their children with them while participating in a residential treatment program.
To find out more about the steps needed to seek treatment, you can contact
- Your family doctor
- Your insurance company
- Your county’s chemical health department