A Psychologist Explains The Emerging Trend Of ‘Mommy Drinking’ Culture

This article was written by Mark Travers with Forbes and can be found in its entirety here.

“A new study describes how modern mothers make sense of the emerging cultural phenomenon of “mommy drinking” or “the wine mom.” 

Professor Jenna Abetz says, “Over the past 15–20 years, drinking—even heavy drinking—has become normalized for mothers who are white and middle class. The professor goes on the identify three reasons why this may be occurring and asks the question, is “mommy drinking” a symptom of parental burnout and is there a need for professional help? Click HERE to read the article.

Although the article did not explore the risks associated with this cultural phenomenon, we know that alcohol use during pregnancy can cause a life-long condition known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). It is estimated that nationally, 1 in 7 pregnancies are alcohol-exposed and in North Carolina, it is estimated that annually, over 8,600 babies are born prenatally exposed to alcohol. It is our hope through training and education, and the sharing of our resources that we can spread the word to all North Carolinians who are pregnant or who can become pregnant, that during pregnancy there is no safe type of alcohol, no safe amount, and no safe time to drink!   

In addition to sharing the above message, we encourage professionals who work with those of reproductive age to have conversations about their alcohol use and help those navigating parenting with resources for managing stress and if needed, refer them to treatment.

Click HERE, to view CDC’s guide: Let’s Talk – Communicating about Alcohol and Pregnancy.

Proof Alliance NC encourages you to celebrate an alcohol-free pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). FASD cannot be cured, but it can be prevented by not drinking alcohol – including red wine, white wine, wine coolers, beer, or hard liquor during your pregnancy.

Proof Alliance NC had a very busy spring, exhibiting and presenting at several events, such as the NC Public Health Social Work Conference, APNC’s Spring Conference, MAHEC’s Women’s Recovery Conference, Vaya Health’s Provider Summit, and the NC Prevention Conference. Participating at conferences is an excellent way to share our prevention message, develop new partnerships, and schedule trainings for community organizations, as well as collect pledges to support alcohol-free pregnancies throughout the state. 

We all play a role when it comes to preventing alcohol-exposed pregnancies and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The more professionals and communities that are FASD informed, the better we can support those impacted by FASD and help individuals of reproductive age have the healthiest pregnancy possible by being alcohol-free!

If your organization is holding an event and would like to share our resources or would like to host a free training (module options are listed below), please reach out to Proof Alliance NC!

Our evidence and lived-experience-based training modules are developed in partnership with Proof Alliance. Each module can be delivered in person or virtually. Training modules can be up to two hours long, depending on the requesting entity's needs. All trainings are available at no cost to professionals, thanks to the support of the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Take the pledge from Proof Alliance NC.

Fill out a short form and pledge to help us prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies in North Carolina.

Funding Provided by:

NC Department of Health & Human Services | Funded by the SAMHSA-SAPTBG 2B08T

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