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This is a collection of articles presented by the Alcohol and Drug Services Prevention Team Health and Social Services Government of Yukon, written by Ann Dowsett Johnson, an award winning Canadian journalist. In her articles she aims to explore and understand “why women use alcohol and what factors have shaped their view of normal drinking”. She has one article in particular called “The mothering years” which discusses the challenges women face during those years including anxiety and the harsh reality of guilt and shame women carry.

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In this academic journal on developmental disabilities, the author discusses various challenges faced by mothers white children with FASD. He discusses the demand of raising and supporting a child with FASD, fear for the future, the need for lifelong parenting, and also the comfort that they can take in knowing that other mothers are struggling with the same things that they are.

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This article is relevant to FASD, because it explains that no amount of alcohol is safe to consume while trying to conceive or when you are pregnant. When a women drinks the alcohol passes through the umbilical cord to the developing fetus. This article lists the key characteristics and behaviours linked to FASD like abnormal facial features smooth ridge between nose and upper lip, or small head size. By: Kirby

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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There is also no safe time during pregnancy to drink.

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National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) believes that prenatal alcohol exposure has no safe amount, there’s no safe time, and there is no safe alcohol.  This page explains how consuming alcohol during pregnancy is the nations leading preventable cause of developmental disabilities and birth defects.  The NOFAS’s main priority is to raise awareness about the risk that prenatal exposure poses to the developing child.  This site has resources, information, and support that is relevant before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after pregnancy.

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National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Preventing FASD

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Alcohol consumed during pregnancy is the nation's leading preventable cause of developmental disabilities and birth defects. Raising public awareness about the risk that prenatal alcohol exposure poses to the developing child is a priority for NOFAS. Overcoming the myths and misconceptions about the risk of prenatal alcohol exposure by disseminating the facts is only one strategy.

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This journal article, Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), is a guideline that is intended for use by physicians, midwives and other health care professionals to reduce the incidence and disability from FAS by increasing: knowledge about screening for alcohol consumption in pregnancy and awareness about common attitudes regarding alcohol use.  This guideline believes that alcohol use in pregnancy should be discussed as part of risk reduction counselling.

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Sober Momies is a great online support for mothers in recovery, they offer supports and resource options that you can look through to find support groups, online blogs of mothers who are in recovery, and alternative recovery plans besides the commonly known 12 step program. Sober Mommies also gives you the opportunity to submit questions that will be answered by another mother in recovery, this is a great way to receive advice from someone who has potentially shared struggles similar to your own. if you feel that you would benefit from having your voice heard and telling the story of your recover, Sober Mommies gives you the chance to join their team and help other mothers with their addiction issues.

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Our Mission

The mission of Sober Mommies is to empower women to reach their full personal recovery and parenting potential through peer-to-peer support and mentorship.

About

Sober Mommies is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing a safe, understanding, all-encompassing, judgment-free platform for mothers in and contemplating recovery from substance abuse and misuse.

Our groups offer support, resources, and encouragement to women balancing recovery and parental responsibilities; while providing opportunities to build their recovery tribe.

Through online and in-person mentorship and peer support, Sober Mommies empowers women to ask for help, advocate for themselves using the resources/services available, practice healthy coping skills, and become active within their communities.

NEVER*ALONE*AGAIN
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"I believe it is the right of all mothers to parent; free from the stigma and judgment often associated with addiction and recovery." ~ Julie Maida, Founder

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Sober Mommies is a judgment-free, supportive space for women and mothers in any stage of recovery. We encourage and celebrate ALL pathways to recovery.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promotes two strategies to reduce the number of alcohol exposed pregnancies.  The first strategy is alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI).  The SBI is intended to help determine the women of childbearing who are consuming alcohol.  It can be part of a patient's wellness visit that includes screening questions, conversations, and referrals to specialized treatment.  The second strategy is CHOICES.  Choices is a counseling intervention for non-pregnant women that helps them to reduce or stop their drinking, use contraceptive effectively, or both.

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fetal alcohol spectrum disorder symptoms

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FASDs are 100% preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol during pregnancy. There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. There is also no safe time during pregnancy to drink and no safe kind of alcohol.

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Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Current Canadian Efforts and Analysis of Gaps

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Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Current Canadian Efforts and Analysis of Gaps

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This article, Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Current Canadian Efforts and Analysis of Gaps, is a scholarly peer reviewed article that describes a study which was held to come up with effective prevention of risky alcohol use in pregnancy.  The study was a four-part framework for FASD prevention.  The first part of the study was about public awareness and broad health promotion, the second part was conversations about alcohol with women of childbearing age and their partners, the third part was specialized supports for pregnant women, and the fourth part was post-partum support for new mothers.

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Woman and Alcohol: A Women's Health Resource

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Woman and Alcohol: A Women's Health Resource

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This is a resource by The Province of British Columbia and B.C. Center of Excellence for Women's Health. -It provides the reader with low risk drinking guideline, identifies some contributing factors that can influence girls and women's drinking, highlights women specific health considerations from drinking and lists other supports and information about drinking and women.

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This chart is useful in showing the vulnerability of the fetus to defects throughout 38 weeks of pregnancy.  The black dot represents the most common site of defects. The purple lines show periods of development when major defects in bodily structure can occur. The pink lines represent periods of development when major functional defects and minor structural defects can occur.
By Kirby

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development of fetus and alcohol - Google Search

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This website is extremely beneficial for mothers who are now raising a child with FASD as a result of drinking during pregnancy. It gives encouraging advice on things such as patience, routines, health,  having fun, and other important points on supporting a child with FASD. They also suggest books and websites that can help a mother find supports and learn more about children with FASD

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Raising Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) (PDF version)
about

Parenting a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is a journey. It can sometimes be very challenging and very rewarding at the same time. You cannot parent a child with an FASD without having it change your life and most often, for the better. You will meet some amazing people, make some amazing friendships, and see a beautiful child work really hard to be the best person they can be with your love and support.

on fasd

Know that you will go through periods of grief that never fully go away. The brain damage from the prenatal alcohol exposure is a lifelong disability, one that makes a child's future uncertain. It is hard to see them struggle. This will hit you at times when you are least expecting it. This is normal.

Learn as much as you can about FASD. Read books, attend trainings, conferences, and support groups. Not just at the beginning of the journey, but all throughout.

Get accustomed to educating many people on FASD, including professionals. It is a very misunderstood disorder.

remember

Take your child's age and cut it in half. That is the age you can expect them to act.

It is a spectrum disorder. Children and adults with an FASD function at different levels.

FASD is brain damage. Permanent brain damage.

Don't blame yourself (or the birth mom if your child is adopted). FASD is usually a result of either an addiction issue, or a lack of knowledge and understanding about what prenatal exposure can do to a developing fetus. No mom goes into their pregnancy willfully intending to hurt their child.

patience

Be patient. Children with an FASD can tell you a rule, but that does not mean they can always follow it. This is very frustrating.

Re-teach everything. Don't get irritable or short tempered when you have to teach your child the same things over and over again - sooner or later (likely later) they will get it.

Know that conventional parenting techniques often don't work with children with an FASD. A sticker chart may work well with one child and not another. Time-outs rarely work with our kids. We have to be creative and find alternative strategies. And know that when we find one that works, it might not work for more than a few weeks (or less, or more).

routine

Keep to a routine when possible and let the child know ahead of time what the plan is for each day. Post a daily calendar and run through the routine with the child each morning.

Prepare for transitions such as getting in and out of the car or bathtub, waking up, going to sleep, settling for dinner, a change in television programs. Children with an FASD don't always have the natural ability to make transitions from one emotional state, or one activity level, to another. Be prepared to help them every time.

Break all tasks down to one step at a time. Children with an FASD can't always see the parts of a whole nor can they always understand a sequence - help them to see the parts and the order of an activity or task.

Know that our kids often have a hard time discerning the difference between what one minute, five minutes, or 30 minutes feel like. Visual times can help to alleviate many meltdowns that are due to this challenge. There are two different timers I recommend and they are both available on a website called www.abilitations.com Search "audible countdown timer" and "sand timers." The sand timers are offered in various times and are pretty sturdy.

Learn to distinguish between flexibility and chaos. You will have to allow for spontaneous change but that doesn't mean that you can't have a schedule that is mostly followed; you will know when to let go.

health

Keep complex carbohydrates and proteins (e.g. whole wheat crackers, string cheese, etc.) around for regular snacks to keep blood sugars stable. Varying blood sugars will impact the child's mood so keep it stable.

Our children need lots of exercise. Try individual sports like swimming or biking. This helps with large muscle development and keeps them out of team sports that can create confusion or peer alienation.

developmental age equivalent

With most kids with an FASD, we should cut their age in half, and that is often the age they are functioning in most areas. Imagine sending a 9 year old into the real world with little to no support...

Streissguth, A.P. & Kanter, J. (Eds.) (1997). The Challenge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Overcoming Secondary Disabilities (300 pp.). Seattle: University of Washington Press.

relationships

Negotiate with the teacher for a reduced, or non-existent, homework load. This will reduce household tension in the evenings and respect the child's exhaustion level.

Get use to feeling like you are being judged by everyone: people, other family members, medical professionals, school staff, neighbors, etc. People will give you advice that will often seem very condescending. Learn to smile and know that people mostly are just trying to help. Say something when appropriate.

Be aware that some relationships in your life may change. You may very well be raising "that child," the one that others don't want around their children. Some families experienced not being invited to certain activities. Work on educating your family and friends on FASD, with hope that they will be patient and understanding.

Find other families raising children with an FASD to form relationships with. This is by far the most common desire that caregivers have, to talk with another parent who "gets it."

have fun

Create some fun in every day. FASD symptoms can create a lot of tension and stress in the family, so make sure you find something positive and fun in each day. It can be simple and short, but it needs to happen.

Lots of cuddling and hugging! Your child needs the physical contact that re-enforces attachment.

These kids are precious. They can be really frustrating, really often, but they are typically really fun kids who just want love and acceptance. Accept them for who they are. Consider their developmental age, instead of their chronological ages when setting expectations.

Learn to expect chaos, issues, and challenges. Have fun and celebrate when you are wrong!

books

Damaged Angels by Bonnie Buxton (good basic info)

Trying Differently Rather Than Harder: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders by Diane Malbin (good practical ideas)

Broken Cord by Michael Dorris (one of the first books written on the subject)

Braided Cord by Liz and Jodee Kulp (wait until you are farther along on the journey)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome by Anne Streissguth (very research and medical based, but good info)

websites

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Raising Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

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Raising Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) (PDF version) Parenting a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is a journey. It can sometimes be very challenging and very rewarding at the same time. You cannot parent a child with an FASD without having it change your life and most often, for the better.

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Dialogue to Action on Discussing Alcohol with Women Project.

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Dialogue to Action on Discussing Alcohol with Women Project.

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This pamphlet came from the Center of Excellence for Women's Health,. The projects aim is to reach health and social service professionals and provide ways of discussing alcohol use to girls and women as well as talking to them about preconception, pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It was also designed to support a national prevention of FASD in a manner that is "transdisciplinary, participatory, dialogic and forward thinking."

http://bccewh.bc.ca/featured-projects/dialogue-to-action-on-discussing-alcohol-with-women-project-2/

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Preventing Heavy Alcohol Use Among Girls & Young Women

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Preventing Heavy Alcohol Use Among Girls & Young Women

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This is a program developed by the BC Center of Excellence for Women's Health. It provides tools and resources for practitioners and girls programmers. There are numerous links to websites, programs, media campaigns and empowering messages professionals can use in their practice.

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"What You Should Tell her?" -- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Prevention Page

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"What You Should Tell her?" -- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Prevention Page

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This video provides a simple yet effective visual that is aimed at everyone who might be in contact with women of childbearing age. It explains how there is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy, no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy, and there is no safe type of alcohol to drink while pregnant. This video tells us that FASD is 100% preventable.

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“What You Should Tell Her?” -- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Prevention Project

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WHO: Counting the Costs of Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy

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WHO: Counting the Costs of Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy

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In this interview Svetlana Popova is asked about what FASD is, and to help people understand the true extent of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. How alcohol is passed to the fetus and the characteristics associated with FASD. Key findings estimate 1 out of 67 women who drink will deliver a child with FASD, about 119,000 children born globally yearly. 1 in 10 women consume alcohol during pregnancy and 20% binge drink. Alcohol consumption is a serious health problem and more effective strategies are needed worldwide to help educate and prevent FASD an invisible disability.
By: Kirby

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Researchers are starting to shed light on the true extent of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Svetlana Popova talks to Fiona Fleck.

Courtesy of Svetlana Popova

Svetlana Popova is leading research on the epidemiology of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and its effects on the unborn child. She is a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Canada and an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) at the University of Toronto. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at CAMH in 2007 and earned a PhD in social work from the FIFSW at the University of Toronto in 2006. She received her master's degree in public health from the School of Public Health, University at Albany, United States of America (USA) in 2000. Popova earned a PhD in medicine from the Russian Cancer Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in Moscow, the Russian Federation, in 1988 and a medical degree from the Turkmen State Medical Institute in Ashgabat in her native Turkmenistan in 1985.

Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2017;95:320-321. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.17.030517

Q: What is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and how much do we know about it today?

A: Alcohol is poisonous to the developing fetus throughout the entire nine months of gestation. When a mother-to-be consumes alcohol, it goes directly to the fetus through her blood stream. These children may be born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which is an umbrella term that covers all alcohol-related diagnoses, of which fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most severe and visibly identifiable form. FASD is associated with a wide range of physical, behavioural and learning problems including growth impairments, facial abnormalities, problems with brain function and developmental delays. Recently our team identified more than 400 conditions that co-occur in individuals with FASD, spanning 18 of the 22 chapters of the International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems. Many of these conditions occur more often among people with FASD than in the general population, although a causal link has only been made with some of these conditions.

Q: When did you first become aware of these disorders?

A: When I studied psychiatry as a medical student, I remember a few lines in our textbook saying that alcoholic mothers may deliver children with birth defects and other malformations. That was all there was in the curricula for medical students in the former Soviet Union. Physicians were not trained to recognize FASD and this is still the situation in many countries today.

Q: How did research start in this area?

A: FAS was first described in the French medical literature by Paul Lemoine and colleagues in a 1968 study of children of alcohol-dependent parents. Five years later, Ken Jones and David Smith published a paper in the Lancet on the association between alcohol abuse and morphological signs, and provided diagnostic criteria for this condition.

Q: How did you start researching these disorders?

A: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where I work, is a WHO collaborating centre and I started researching FASD in 2009, when WHO asked our team to collaborate on developing a method that could be used to estimate the prevalence of FAS and FASD in all countries. The method was presented to and discussed with researchers from around the world at the first WHO global expert Meeting on Alcohol, Health and Development in Sweden in 2009. It was then refined with technical input from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the USA and discussed at a WHO planning meeting of principal investigators from more than 15 countries, organized alongside the first European conference on FASD in the Netherlands in 2010. I found that this field was severely under researched and since then I have become dedicated to research in this area.

Q. Can you tell us about your study in TheLancet Global Health on the global prevalence of maternal drinking and FAS published in January?

A. We wanted to draw the attention of health-care practitioners, health authorities and policy-makers to the problem of maternal alcohol consumption and FASD. As epidemiologists we know how important it is to determine the prevalence of a disorder in order to set priorities for public health policy, funding for public health initiatives and health-care planning. Most countries did not have prevalence data at a population level for alcohol use during pregnancy or FAS, so this study was urgently needed.

Q: What were the key findings?

A: We estimated that one out of 67 women who consume alcohol during pregnancy will deliver a child with FAS, which translates to about 119 000 such children born globally every year. We knew before the study that not every woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy will deliver a child with FAS, because women drink different amounts and every mother and every fetus has a different ability to metabolize alcohol, and there are many other factors that may influence their vulnerability. Before our study, most governments had no idea how many pregnant women drink alcohol and how many children are born with FAS in their countries. Now, countries can use these data to help children with FAS and to prevent future cases.

Q. Which countries had the highest and lowest estimates?

A: The five countries with the highest prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy were Ireland (about 60%), Belarus (47%), Denmark (46%), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (41%) and the Russian Federation (37%) - all of these in the WHO European Region. The lowest prevalence was observed in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, where most people - including pregnant women of course - abstain from alcohol due to religious beliefs. Overall, we found that alcohol use during pregnancy is common in many countries and that FAS is a relatively prevalent birth defect.

Q: How common is FASD compared with other birth defects?

A: We recently found that theprevalence of FASD is elevated and exceeds 1% in many countries, these data are not published yet. This suggests that in some countries the prevalence of FASD may be higher than the prevalence of some common - and more generally known - birth defects such as anencephaly, Down syndrome, spina bifida and trisomy 18.

Q: What are the economic costs of FASD?

A: While we were working on the Global FASD prevalence project, the Public Health Agency of Canada asked our team to estimate the economic cost of FASD in Canada. We found huge costs in terms of law enforcement, the provision of social services and special education, as well as productivity losses due to morbidity and premature mortality. Even with the assumption that only 1% of the Canadian population have FASD - about 355 000 people - the annual cost was estimated at 1.8 billion Canadian Dollars (US$ 1.35 billion) per year in Canada. These estimates should not further stigmatize the mothers of children with FASD, but rather help to prioritize funding and support for these families. These figures are the minimum costs associated with FASD in Canada and don't include the cost incurred to individuals themselves and their families.

Q: If this is such a common condition, why is there so little awareness of it?

A: Even for the health sector, FASD is a relatively new condition. We've made progress in understanding how alcohol damages the fetus, but this has not yet translated into better public awareness of the risks. We estimate that globally, on average, one in 10 women consumes alcohol during pregnancy and 20% of these women binge drink, which means they consume four or more alcoholic drinks per single occasion. Binge drinking is the direct cause of FAS or FASD. These findings are alarming because half of the pregnancies in developed countries and over 80% in developing countries are unplanned. That means that many women don't realize they are pregnant during the early stages and that they continue drinking when pregnant.

Q: Why are women drinking so much alcohol today?

A: Men still drink more alcohol than women, but the epidemiology of alcohol use appears to be changing and the gap between male and female patterns of alcohol use is closing, especially at younger ages. Women's alcohol consumption has been increasing in line with economic development and changing gender roles, but other factors include marketing directed towards women, increased availability and accessibility of alcoholic beverages and increased social acceptability of women drinking alcohol.

Q: How can the global public health community use your global burden of disease study to prevent fetal alcohol disorders in their countries?

A: We provided data on 187 countries. At a recent international conference on FASD in Vancouver many people from different countries thanked our team for providing them with the data and evidence that they can use as the basis for prevention measures. They said that before, when they told their governments that FASD is a serious disabling, prevalent and costly condition, government officials dismissed them and some didn't even believe that FASD existed.

Q: Can you tell us about the new WHO study your centre is working on with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism?

A: WHO initiated an International Collaborative Research Project on Child Development and Prenatal Risk factors with a focus on FASD to help gain a better understanding of the prevalence, severity and impact of FASD. This research is designed to inform policies and programmes to reduce the harmful use of alcohol among women of childbearing age and to prevent alcohol consumption among pregnant women. Multidisciplinary teams of experts from different institutions around the world are collaborating on this project. We are estimating the prevalence of FASD by screening children aged 7-9 years from different populations in Belarus, Canada, Moldova, Namibia, the Seychelles and Ukraine.

Q: What is your hope for the future?

A: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy should be recognized as a serious public health problem and more effective prevention strategies targeting alcohol use before and during pregnancy are needed worldwide. More should be done to inform women about the harmful effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Where appropriate, universal screening of pregnant women and women of childbearing age for alcohol use could be established. We need an FASD surveillance system to monitor the incidence and prevalence of FASD globally. We are all responsible for the prevention of FASD: partners, families, friends and communities should all help and support women during pregnancy. People with FASD - a preventable, but invisible disability - should not be forgotten by our societies.

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Counting the costs of drinking alcohol during pregnancy

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Courtesy of Svetlana Popova Svetlana Popova is leading research on the epidemiology of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and its effects on the unborn child. She is a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Canada and an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) at the University of Toronto.

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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Teratogenic Effects of Alcohol on Brain and Behaviour

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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Teratogenic Effects of Alcohol on Brain and Behaviour

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This academic article explains how children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy can suffer serious cognitive deficits and behaviour problems as well as alcohol related changes in brain structure resulting in FASD. Executive functioning, learning and memory problems are affected. Hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor socialization and communication are present. Brain images have also revealed which regions are affected and account for the cognitive deficits related to FASD.
By: Kirby

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alcohol alerts; health research world; ninth report to congress; tenth report to congress; executive summary improving delivery treatment prevention services national plan health services research; research monographs; epidemiologic data directory; surveillance reports; pamphlets

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other publications; agepage aging; alcoholism: getting facts; drinking your pregnancy; how cut down; alcohol: what you don't know can harm you; economic costs; physicians' guide; physician training; project match; assessing problems guide clinicians researchers; sentencing dui offenders; alcohol other drug thesaurus

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Teratogenic Effects of Alcohol on Brain and Behavior

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Four in ten British Mothers Drink in Pregnancy- One of worst rates in Europe

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Four in ten British Mothers Drink in Pregnancy- One of worst rates in Europe

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In this article it is explained how four in 10 British women drink during pregnancy. Many binge drink during first few months as they are unaware they are even expecting. UK has one of the worst rates of drinking while pregnant. Britain has one of the highest rates of FAS, estimated 61.3 cases/10,000 births which is higher than global average of 15 out of 10,000. FAS leaves children with learning disabilities, behaviour problems and many more deficits.  Increasing awareness needs to be urgently put in place for this hidden disability.
By: Kirby

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Sandra Butcher, chief executive of the National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome UK said: "The latest advice from the UK's chief medical officer is clear, but it has not yet filtered through to all levels of our society.

"If you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all."

"These figures show that the UK needs greater national and local attention to issues related to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

"We must increase awareness of the risks of drinking during pregnancy and urgently put in place programs people can access across the country to support at-risk women and to diagnosis and support those individuals and families affected by this hidden disability."

Experts said that it was common misconception that drinking in pregnancy was only associated with social deprivation and warned that professional women are increasingly drinking heavily in their first trimester, often because they did not realise they were expecting.

A recent survey at Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, found that 80 per cent of women drank around the time of conception.

"Yes, some women struggle with addictions and some are using alcohol to help them cope with high stress in pregnancy," said Pip Williams, founder of the UK & European Birth Mum Network.

"But it is extremely misleading to represent this as a problem only facing one part of society. Binge drinking by young professional women is on the rise. Most women do not know they are pregnant until they are well into the first trimester. FASD affects all levels of our society."

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Four in 10 British mothers drink in pregnancy - one of worst rates in Europe

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Sandra Butcher, chief executive of the National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome UK said: "The latest advice from the UK's chief medical officer is clear, but it has not yet filtered through to all levels of our society. "If you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all."

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Workit Health is a great way of dealing with addiction in the 21st Center for the on the go busy new mom who is struggling with addiction issues. This program, created by recovering addicted for addicts, allows you to run your treatment from your cell phone, iPad, or computer. This may not work for all moms but for someone who doesn’t enjoy the human contact of recovery this could be extremely beniticial. You have access to a Workit coach, councillor, and clinic that works best for you. The video below gives a brief discription of what you can expect from this online treatment. For more information the link below will direct you to the website.

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Workit Health - Addiction Care for the 21st Century

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Workit Health | Online Addiction Treatment

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Workit Health offers online addiction treatment with Suboxone (buprenorphine) and online therapy. Get treatment for opiate addiction in California and Michigan today.

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Stemming the Tide of Alcohol Abuse in Women

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Stemming the Tide of Alcohol Abuse in Women

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This is an article in a health journal written by a  Registered Nurse to help health care practitioners understand the risks associated with alcohol abuse among women throughout the life-cycle and to provide them with tools to help them assess and screen them.

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The Nenqayni wellness centre is a rehabilitation centre located just outside of Williams Lake. This would be appropriate for a local mother looking for a way to get clean while still staying close to home and close to their family. Specifically, they a Family Alcohol and Drug program that is 7 weeks long and offers accommodations for the mother and children from k-12. They provide meals, school/daycare, physical activities, and much more.

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NOTE! Application forms are available below. Adults should fill out the FADP Intake - Adult 2016 Application. Children should fill out the FADP Intake - Dependant - 2016 Application.

The Family Alcohol and Drug Program is now a 7 week program (NEW in 2018) The family program accommodates parents and children with a K-12 school and daycare for newborn to 4 years old children.

The Family Program is non-smoking as is the entire centre. This correlates with our statement of purpose.

Cultural Component:
Families begin the day with drumming and sage and prayer. Families participate in sweats, pipe ceremonies and drum making.

Accommodations:
Families stay in units which have 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. Small families are expected to share kitchen units. Kitchen's come fully equipped. All bedding and towels are also provided.

Meals:
Lunch and dinner are provided Monday thru Friday. For breakfast and weekend meals, families must provide grocery funds.

School/Daycare:
The family program has a School District# 27 run school. There is 1 teacher and 1 teacher assistant. All school age children are required to bring 8 weeks of school work with them.

Group Sessions:
During the day adults attend group sessions which cover a variety of topics. The topics may be geared specifically to the particular group but there are sessions that include: communication, self-esteem, gambling, nutrition and anger management and more.

Physical Activities:
Physical activity is encouraged at Nenqayni. There is a walking chart so families can keep track of the distance they walked during their stay. Families also have a gym equipped with workout equipment, and can enjoy volleyball, basketball, badminton etc.

Family members should attend expecting to participate fully in the overall program. A person unwilling or unable to engage in the program may be asked to leave until they are ready to fully participate.

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NOTE! Application forms are available below. Adults should fill out the FADP Intake - Adult 2016 Application. Children should fill out the FADP Intake - Dependant - 2016 Application. The Family Alcohol and Drug Program is now a 7 week program (NEW in 2018) The family program accommodates parents and children with a K-12 school and daycare for newborn to 4 years old children.

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Axis in Williams Lake offers an Adiction servises  program for family members and for people who are wanting to recover from their addiction. The can offer you a spot on a recovery facility and 24 hour support. This is a great resource for someone looking for local support while dealing with their addiction.

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Our Services > Addictions Services

Addictions Services

Axis Family Resources Ltd. has been delivering Addictions Services to the Thompson Cariboo area of the Interior Health Authority Region since 2006 through our "1st Step" program. Approximately 500 youth, ages 13 to 24 are assisted each year through the 1st Step Mobile Treatment and 1st Step Short Stay Housing Programs. The 1 st Step Education and Support Program focuses on educating and supporting families.

1st Step serves the following Thompson Cariboo communities: Ashcroft, Chase, Clearwater, Barriere, Merritt, Lillooet, Logan Lake, Lytton, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Kamloops, as well as the surrounding areas in each of those communities. The program is funded by Interior Health.

In each community we also offer "Bush Party" presentations to secondary schools including alternate schools, afterschool programs and so forth. The workshop is an experiential presentation that explores the dynamics of using substances at a party. With participation from the youth we utilize a harm reduction approach and engage the youth to be part of the discussion and learning process.

The program can be accessed through referrals from Interior Health, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Youth Probation, Delegated First Nations Agencies, First Nations Bands, Addiction Counselors and Mental Health Professionals.

Referral packages are completed jointly, by the individual and referral agent and submitted to Axis Family Resources to determine intake acceptance.

Referral packages are available by contacting Axis Family Resources or by downloading the applicable pdf file:

Download: 1st Step Program Referral and Consent Forms

1st Step Family Education and Support Program

The Family Education and Support Program is intended for families who are struggling with a family member's drug and alcohol misuse, and or concurrent disorders. This program merges two components; one designated for families who are affected by substance use and one for families that are affected by concurrent disorders.

Through group workshops, each person will gain knowledge of addiction and concurrent disorders while developing the foundation required to bring about their own personal change in values, beliefs and behaviours within their family

1st Step Mobile Treatment

1st Step Mobile Treatment is an intensive combination of one week and four week addictions treatment programs that utilize a harm reduction approach, by meeting individuals "where they are at" in their readiness for change. Our 1st Step Counselors travel to various communities throughout the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap Health Region including; Kamloops, Barriere, Clearwater, Logan Lake, Lillooet, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Ashcroft, Merritt, Chase and Lytton. The program is provided in mobile community settings to males and females, ages 13 to 24 that are experiencing difficulties surrounding substance misuse.

Individual treatment goals are developed with each person served to address their unique challenges. The program is facilitated by an addictions counselor and skilled youth worker. Treatment services include but are not limited to; individual counseling, process group therapy, psycho-education - videos, speakers, lectures, relapse prevention group, anger management and critical thinking group , family issues group, experiential leadership, life skills, recreation opportunities, written assignments, individual treatment goals and action steps , 12 step meetings, continuing care planning, spirituality and/or cultural teachings and self assessments.

1st Step Short Stay Housing

1st Step Short Stay Housing provides a safe, stable environment for individuals who are working on their addiction and/or mental health issues. Housing is provided to youth, ages 13 to 24 that may or may not be involved with 1st Step Mobile Treatment. The program provides access to safe house beds in the Kamloops area for up to a maximum of 6 weeks.

Individuals involved in the program may be experiencing a combination of concurrent issues such as addictions, mental health and behavioral problems. They may also be involved with either or both, Youth Probation or the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Individuals involved with the program are motivated for change and have a day program in place which they are attending on a regular basis such as 1st Step Mobile Treatment, school or other forms of treatment.

Individuals come into the program with care plans and program exit strategies in place that have been designed and developed by the referring agent. During their stay, persons served will work with an outpatient counselor through Mental Health, Addictions Services, Aboriginal Health or Child and Youth Mental Health to establish healthier lifestyles.

Community Based Withdrawal Management

Our philosophy is that our team works to improve our client's quality of life by tailoring the program to meet their specific needs. All withdrawal management services provided by our agency are team-driven, including input from clients, and their physicians, as well as other community agencies providing additional services.

WHAT WE OFFER

 24-hour medication support with managing withdrawal symptoms.

 A 4 bed (Williams Lake) and 8 bed (Castlegar) facility providing a warm, inviting environment.

 A safe, caring and non-judgmental environment to support individuals on their road to recovery.

 Professional staff to help plan your discharge and guidance to further treatment options.

 Average of 3 - 5 day stay, depending on severity of withdrawal symptoms and planned discharge.

You will need to meet with your physician for an admission assessment and referral into the withdrawal management program.
CST WM Prg Referral Package WL WM Prg Referral Package June 2017 WM Program Brochure 2017

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Our Services > Addictions Services Axis Family Resources Ltd. has been delivering Addictions Services to the Thompson Cariboo area of the Interior Health Authority Region since 2006 through our "1st Step" program.

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A Ted Talks success story about how Jo Harvey Weatherford overcame her addiction by identifying the need to heal down deep, let go, be present and re-write her story to one of beauty.

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Rewriting The Story Of My Addiction | Jo Harvey Weatherford | TEDxUniversityofNevada

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Jo Harvey Weatherford develops and implements drug and alcohol prevention programs on the campus of The University of Nevada. In this candid talk she discusses the importance of the stories we tell ourselves about our behavior, and how she rewrote her own story of addiction to alcohol.