Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation

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The MotherPod Episode 5: 1 in 10 Pregnant Women are Doing WHAT?

At the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, we recognize there is a lot of conflicting information surrounding drinking during pregnancy. And since April is Alcohol Awareness Month, we took the opportunity with the latest episode of The MotherPod to talk about stigmas surrounding women who need support to quit alcohol during pregnancy. Chelsea Tibbetts, WWHF’s Perinatal Programs Coordinator, was our featured guest. Not only is she super knowledgeable and passionate about maternal health, but she is entering her second trimester as a soon-to-be first time mom herself! “I’ve always had a passion for helping women become the healthiest mothers that they can be,” says Chelsea. “Being pregnant myself now, I actually see this through a different lens. I have a deeper appreciation for the moms that we are helping and all the different things you go through in preparing for pregnancy.”
One of the programs Chelsea oversees is My Baby and Me, which helps Wisconsin women achieve alcohol-free pregnancies. She understands there’s a lot of confusing information out there from the internet, social media, family and friends regarding alcohol during pregnancy. Where do you turn for reliable information? There’s also huge pressure to drink as the result of living in Wisconsin and its drinking culture. In fact, 1 in 10 women do drink during their pregnancy. How do you resist the temptation? How do you avoid alcohol in social situations but still keep your pregnancy a secret if you’re not ready to announce it yet? My Baby and Me can offer answers to these questions as well as additional, nonjudgmental support. For any woman looking to achieve an alcohol-free pregnancy, My Baby and Me provides FREE:
  • Alcohol screening
  • Education about alcohol during pregnancy
  • Texting message support
  • One-on-one, confidential phone calls with a Pregnancy Educator
At any point during pregnancy, any type of alcohol in any amount can negatively affect your baby. “There are so many things that are out of control in pregnancy, and this is actually an area we CAN affect.” The best thing you can do is to start making positive changes today for you and your baby.
If you could use additional support during pregnancy to stay alcohol-free, or you know somebody who could, Chelsea welcomes you to contact her about My Baby and Me at 1-800-448-5148 ext. 118, or contact the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation and let someone know you are interested in services.
To listen to Chelsea’s full discussion with more tips for dealing with alcohol pressures and staying alcohol-free, visit The MotherPod. Episodes can also be found on itunes and Soundcloud!