Pregnancy is a time of profound transformation, where every decision a mother makes has the potential to shape her child’s future. Expectant mothers often focus on proper nutrition and prenatal care, meticulously planning for their baby's arrival. However, the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are frequently overlooked, clouded by misinformation and stigma.

I have agreed to host the following guest article as I have previously worked with teenagers and young adults left forever with the effects of alcohol in pregnancy, including Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. The article is written by a US author and contains US spellings. It delves into the complexities of maternal alcohol use, shedding light on the far-reaching consequences that extend beyond birth. 

15 Ways Your Baby’s Name Can Shape Their Future

1. Is It Easy to Pronounce?

Breastfeeding is as natural as mud. It's the supplied way of feeding our infants and we grow special appendages purely for this purpose. I did 8 years of it all together and I'm really quite lazy, so it must be easy. Of course I wouldn't have managed more than a single day if I hadn't been ridiculously stubborn, and I'm mostly remembering the experience of someone who had 8 years practice, but I can practically do it standing on my head...

I was 22 when I had my first child and I was some sort of rebellious amateur hippy. I was that person who hooked my plastic bottles over the handlebars of my pushbike and cycled to the single town recycling centre to drop it all off. I read all the pregnancy books and wanted everything as natural as possible. My partner was asthmatic and I was determined to try and protect my kids from that. I was also paying a 15% mortgage rate on a council worker's wages and very broke. A tenner a week on baby milk was an expense I didn't want. Of course I was going to breastfeed.


I had a long labour, but no need for sympathy. We played Rummy for 22 hours of 5 minute contractions and I won every hand. I'm pretty good with pain, so when I started to say I'd had enough, given up and wanted Pethidine, the midwives didn't realise my increased discomfort was due everything getting suddenly exciting and the baby wanting immediate exit. I had my injection less than half an hour before delivery.

This week we had my oldest child's 26th birthday, and the very first place I went to buy him anything was Mothercare. His paternal Grandparents gave us the money to get his pram, and I chose a beautiful blue and grey patterned system, which was the poshest thing I owned at the time by far. It would look ridiculously dated now, so I'm almost glad I don't have a photo.

I was a superstitious pregnant lady and I never bought any of my children anything until I was past 28 weeks, but when my pregnancy was making me tired, sore, sick or just down in the dumps, I'd go and browse Mothercare to get my happy hormones back on track and become excited about my new arrival.


When we bought our car seats, Mothercare employees showed us how to fit them correctly, and when my boobs inflated to twice their non-pregnant size, I had my first ever fitting at a Mothercare store.

That might have been over 26 years ago, but my earliest memories of Mothercare are a long way before then. I was the eldest of 3 children, and my parents were foster carers for babies when I was growing up. A trip to Mothercare meant we were about to get a new arrival, and my mother would carefully choose everything she would need ready for when she brought them home from the hospital.

I gave my child an unfortunate name. When I was pregnant we spent loads of time trying to decide on a name. We'd got other children and so lots of the favourites were already used up. I was actually 37 weeks pregnant when we finally decided on a name.

We didn't know whether we were having a boy or a girl. I had specifically asked not to find out, which got harder as the pregnancy progressed and my baby plotted at 11lbs. They insisted on scans regularly, especially towards the end, just in case I had an instant baby.

I've had 2 instant babies and I'm not trying to show off, but it's definitely the best way to go about it. Sleep through a quick labour, wake up and have a baby. It's more surprising, but less tiresome than the usual way. The hospital didn't really like the idea of an instant 11lb baby without any medical help. Repeatedly scanning me was their way to somehow insure against this...

The scanning did however supply us with some awesome photos... (And at least once the Sonographer did slip up and refer to the baby by gender, but we forgave her.)


By the time came that my hospital bags were packed and sleeping in a lying position was impossible, I really was a bit concerned. I don't like to definitely name my children before I see them, in case it doesn't fit, but I need some ideas. 37 weeks was pushing it really because we had nothing.