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How 1 in 10 women put their newborns life at risk
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A new study suggests that one in 10 women drink during their pregnancy, with one in 33 women binge-drinking while carrying a baby. - photo by Herb Scribner
New research has found that many women across the United States are drinking, sometimes in binges, even while pregnant.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 10 pregnant women admitted to drinking alcohol within a 30-day period of their pregnancy, while one in 33 said they participated in binge drinking which is often defined as having five or more drinks in a day during that same period.

Specifically, 10 percent of pregnant women would admit that they drank alcohol within the past 30 days. It was roughly 3.1 percent for binge drinkers, the CDC reported.

And although pregnant women participated in binge drinking less than non-pregnant women overall, pregnant women reported having more binge drinking episodes (4.6) than non-pregnant women (3.6) in a 30-day period, the CDC said.

The study said pregnant women who binge-drink during pregnancy may have alcohol addiction issues.

This finding is troubling for researchers, since alcohol has been known to create negative health effects on pregnant women and their soon-to-be children.

Any alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of birth defects and developmental disabilities, the studys lead researcher, Cheryl Tan, told Reuters.

Some of those birth defects and disabilities include fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which include physical, behavioral, or learning impairments, according to the CDC.

Medical professionals have long suggested that pregnant women avoid alcohol mostly because it can hurt a childs brain development, according to WebMD.

We know that alcohol impacts brain cells and that the babys brain is constantly developing throughout the entire pregnancy, Carol Archie, M.D., told WebMD. So I would say to a pregnant mother that its probably best to abstain from all alcohol.

Alcohol has been known to kill a baby's brain cells, disrupt nerve cell development and can interrupt blood flow, which may keep babies from getting essential nutrients while they're in the womb, according to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Center for Excellence (FASDCE).

In some cases, babies of pregnant women who drink are born with smaller brains, the FSDCE reported. This can lead to such issues as mental retardation, attention deficit disorders and problems handling impulses, according to the FSDCE.

"When a pregnant woman uses alcohol, her baby does, too," the FSDCE said. "Thats why abstaining from drinking throughout pregnancy and during breastfeeding is the best gift a mother can give her child its a gift that lasts a lifetime."

Still, some medical experts say the occasional light drink isnt harmful during a pregnancy. In fact, there have been cases where pregnant women drink and their baby turns out fine after birth, WebMD reported.

But the problem with that is that there is no amount that has been proven to be safe," Jacques Mortiz, director of gynecology at St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, told WebMD.

Most medical professionals agree that more research needs to be done to determine the effects alcohol can have on a baby.

In the meantime, medical professionals suggest that an alcohol-free pregnancy is the best practice, Reuters reported.

"It's really important to remember that there is no safe amount, no safe time and no safe type of alcohol to drink during pregnancy, Tan told Reuters.

For more on things to avoid during pregnancy:

Really simple things to avoid when you're pregnant

Good news for pregnant women who like tuna

Overweight men are more likely to have sons, but at a cost
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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