Right off the bat, if you are facing a pregnancy, unplanned or otherwise, please stop drinking alcohol!
The reason that no alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy is because of the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome occurs when the pregnant mother drinks excessive amounts of alcohol. The alcohol passes through the placenta and into the baby’s blood stream. This can cause many birth defects, from physical abnormalities to mental retardation. These effects will continue to impact the baby after they are born and as they grow. There is no specific amount that has been determined to cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which is why the safest answer to whether or not you can drink during pregnancy is that it should be avoided, if at all possible.
If choosing an adoption plan, you might think “I’m giving up the baby anyway” and feel that it doesn’t matter if you drink or not. Please consider, if you are choosing adoption, you are choosing life for this baby and that means sacrificing your own wants for the health and safety of your baby. The adoptive family that you have chosen for your child is desperately awaiting his arrival. And it’s up to YOU to deliver this beautiful healthy child for a family that has been yearning for him. That’s a powerful, brave task!
When you drink alcohol during pregnancy, so does your baby. That said, we understand the complexity of addiction and will never judge you for facing those challenges. You are reading this information, which means you understand how important it is. Dealing with an unplanned pregnancy is hard enough – being pregnant and addicted to drugs or alcohol is even harder. Considering adoption for your baby if you are facing addiction to alcohol is an option.
Please know that there are loving, qualified families who are ready to adopt your baby, regardless of his or her needs, and that we can support you through this process. Contact Adoption Choices of Arizona at 1-480-900-5520
