1. Wow -- and my shock is not only toward a very pregnant woman getting herself intoxicated. This information about the comparative blood alcohol levels of the mother and baby is rather surprising to me, as much literature about ingesting alcohol during pregnancy suggests that very little actually reaches the baby, while the tests done on these two shows that the baby's blood alcohol level was more than double his or her mother's, and possibly hours after the mother's was taken (depending on how much time lapsed between her checking into the hospital and the baby's delivery). While I indulged a glass of wine every few months during my past pregnancy, this hard evidence into the issue is probably enough to curb my craving in any future pregnancies.

Posted at 2:57PM on Jun 11th 2008 by kerrielynbaldwin

2. This is sickening! Drinking while having an unborn in you is like playing russian roulette! The mom should have to take parenting classes AND Attend MADD meetings!

Posted at 8:28PM on Jun 11th 2008 by ntxmama

3. the baby's was higher because it is smaller and has less blood in it.
get it?: height, weight, amount somehow calculated. but anyhow, the mother really should end up in jail

Posted at 12:34AM on Jun 12th 2008 by delaine

4. Now the Dr knows why the baby had a bad case of hiccups when born...waa waa hic waa waa hic

Posted at 10:19PM on Jun 11th 2008 by music32man

5. what ever gave you the idea that little is any gets to the fetus? Have you not heard of fetal alcohol syndrome?

Posted at 10:40PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Celeste

6. Like this doesnt happen all the time?Alcoholics and drug addict are still alcholics and drug addict, pregnent or not.Granted a small percent seek help.

Posted at 10:41PM on Jun 11th 2008 by familycrown

7. Hi Kerrie,
Read up on the blood brain barrier and the fetus barrier and you will learn that what you drink is just like pouring it straight into your fetus as a person consumes.
The reason it is so much greater is because the baby is so tiny in comparison to an adult weight being able to consume more.
Thanks

Posted at 11:34PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Brandy

8. That's crazy you've always heard that alcohol and such doesn't affect the child or get into their system. It's basic knowledge that when you are sharing your body with a child along with your blood, that anything that passes through your system goes through theirs. As this article shows, an unborn child cannot process alcohol or any drugs for that matter like our own adult bodies do. It just floods their system which is why nothing but maybe Tylenol is recommended for pregnancy. I used to think it was crazy when they said not to color your hair during pregnancy, but those chemicals can also affect a fetus in ways we don't even know. But I agree, the numbers are overwhelming. I'm thoroughly surprised the child didn't die of alcohol poisoning.

Posted at 1:59AM on Jun 12th 2008 by Danielle

9. Remember, though, that a blood alcohol level is a percentage of alcohol to blood volume; babies have a much lower blood volume than adults, so a very small amount of alcohol makes a much higher percentage ratio. It's still a bad thing, don't get me wrong, but were you to keep the amount of alcohol in the baby and increase her blood volume to adult amounts, the percentage would be lower. Mama still needs to be smacked around some, though.

Posted at 3:49AM on Jun 12th 2008 by Kyla

10. actually, alcohol transfers to a fetus very easily. If you drink while pregnant, the baby will obtain the same blood alcohol level as you do.
Which, in comparison to size and weight, has far, FAR worse effects on the baby than on you.

Posted at 3:42AM on Aug 19th 2008 by Gill

11. Any mother of any baby born in this country, whose new born has alcohol or drugs in them should prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And suffer further prosecution if the baby has a lasting health problem.

Posted at 8:09PM on Jun 11th 2008 by bgatlake

12. You are getting at this mother What she did is wrong but how many of you give your baby shots without really knowing what you are giving them. One shot gave my son autism obsessive compulsiva and saver pectus excavatum. I did my own survey of world wide Dr most of them believe that the binding agent used in the shots( Mercury) is what causes autism. So take a look at what you do before condemning others it didn't say why she did this till then I hold my judgement

Posted at 9:36PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Eileen

13. ITs really great to hear all the judgement, and not any compassion, if you had to lock up all the mothers who smoke, drink, or take drugs while pregnant , you would run out of space very quickly. By the way, its not useful to punish sick people, even as you may feel justified in doing so. Our entire culture is drug and alcohol saturated, our President is a dry drunk/ex-cokehead.

SO much judgement, so little understanding, I work with people who abuse drugs/alcohol, and they are sick not evil. so all you bible thumpers get out of your judgement mind and go out and support programs that assist these persons, with some humanity.
not your Fundementalist, Taliban like methods.

"e(or she) who is without sin, pick up the first stone"

Treatment works and saves lives

Posted at 10:43PM on Jun 11th 2008 by energymatt

14. The comparison of vaccines to getting DRUNK while about to deliver a baby is ABSURD. A person vaccinates their child in an attempt to do better for them and to prevent them from life ruining and life taking diseases.

There is no positive reason a woman would get drunk while so obviously pregnant. It isn't likely that she is going to step up and say that she thought the baby had a life crippling disease and a spirit came to her to say the remedy was a bottle of wine.

What if the mother just put a bottle of beer in the bottle? Would that be justifiable in some way if she came up with a reason? It's essentially the same thing.

I know there are many people who believe vaccines lead to autism just as there are many that believe there is no link, other than the time that the vaccine schedule is routinely finished is about the same time autism signs begin to show. It is a debatable topic with a lot of points, but in NO WAY is it the same or on the same level as this.

Posted at 10:52PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Denise

15. Do you think that your comment should be relevant to this story? The article discusses a woman that was drunk and bore her child in Poland.

Posted at 7:17AM on Jun 12th 2008 by rachaelcnewman@aol.com

16. bgatlake, I am not really sure how to take your comment? If any woman who drink, smokes, eats the wrong foods, or takes part in any physical activity that endangers the baby she should be thrown in jail? How about the MOTHERS that decide that it is their body and abort the pregnancy? Shouldn't they also be held responsible for their actions? Just curious on when the value of life and women's rights begin and end in YOUR thought process?

Posted at 12:16AM on Jun 12th 2008 by Billy

17. I couldn't agree more. It breaks my heart to know that there are so many women out there that physically can't have kids and would make great mothers, and then you have these idiots who get pregnant, have abortions, give them up for adoption, or put them in harms way but drinking or using drugs.

Posted at 1:25AM on Jun 12th 2008 by sinuous05

18. Your view is why young girls and women don't get the help they need,and many don't even see a Doctor for the same reason.

Posted at 1:56AM on Jun 12th 2008 by Debra

19. Nothign in the article said this woman was in this country and it did say she was polish. So it easily could be a story about a motehr in poland. I doubt there would have been reference to her beign polish otherwise.

Posted at 7:00AM on Jun 12th 2008 by Peace

20. That is so weird.I mean the baby was drunk.I feel so bad for her.I hope she will be fine.

Posted at 8:09PM on Jun 11th 2008 by Kajol