This came as news to Amber. “I
was under the impression that
an occasional glass of wine was
okay during pregnancy,” explained
Amber. “It’s a social norm I’ve
seen often on TV and in real life.”
As Amber discovered, alcohol
can be more detrimental during
pregnancy than heroin, cocaine
and methamphetamine combined.
A child with FASD can have
symptoms that mimic ADHD and
Autism and can also have other
learning, behavioral and growth
problems. And because the baby’s
brain does not develop properly, it
is a disability without a cure.
Luckily, Amber heard Dr. Jones’
message in time. “I truly believe
it was fate that led me to hear Dr.
Jones’ message at the beginning
of my pregnancy,” shares Amber.
“Once I was educated on the
risks, it was an easy decision for
me to eliminate alcohol and to
firmly decline offers to ‘just try a
sip’ from well-meaning but ill-
informed friends.”
Nine Months Matter Coalition members Susan
Atkins, Mary Reynolds, Pam Caldwell, Melinda
Tucker, Aimee Fuller, Lauri Walker and Linda Welker
and treats patients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) at
Rady Children’s Hospital. Dr. Jones repeats a mantra held by health
experts like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
American Academy of Pediatrics: no amount or type of alcohol is
safe during pregnancy, and there is no safe time for alcohol use.
Amber is now mother to Quinn,
a healthy 9-month-old girl, and
wants to spread the message
about how devastating alcohol
can be during pregnancy. “FASD
is 100% preventable and more
moms-to-be need to hear this,”
states Amber. “We need to
change our culture and it starts
with knowing.”
For more information, visit
www.ninemonthsmatter.org.
MAY 2019 | GBSAN.COM 93