News / Education
Drunk Mother to Get Alcohol Treatment
Mother sentenced to 6 months alcohol treatment
Breast feeding while drunk or drinking puts the infant at risk because the alcohol is passed through the mother’s milk into the infant’s blood stream. Alcohol, which shows up quickly in the mother’s milk, does affect the central nervous system of both mother and baby. Studies have shown slower motor development in breastfed babies when mom drinks alcohol on a regular, frequent basis.
Ingesting alcohol will change the flavor of the breast milk. In addition, one study showed that the odor of the milk was different when mothers drank alcohol and that their babies took in less milk, even though they nursed for time periods similar to babies who were not exposed to alcohol in breast milk. The authors of the study believe that the babies were reacting to the odor.
Exposure to alcohol in any amount has proven harmful to the development of the child. It can hinder growth rate as well as cognitive function. Studies have shown that there is an increased risk of many types of mental health problems including ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity), conduct disorder, alcohol or drug addiction, depression and psychotic episodes.
The good news is that the sooner the alcohol use is stopped the faster the recovery time for the child. The mother in the North Dakota represents a step in the right direction for the court system. Being sentenced to a drug rehab program and not simply placed in jail will surely inprove the life of both her and her child in the long run.
Narconon of Georgia provides long term alcohol treatment with a highly effective detoxification process and a success rate of 76%
