Why do we need to give up Alcohol during Pregnancy?

1. The 3 Undeniable Truths About
Consuming Alcohol During
Pregnancy. Prevention And
Management Of FASD
Q.M. Sami
(B.Ed. Aboriginal Adult Education, Brock University,
PNSW. DSW.)
Childbirth Educator
Humsa Prenatals
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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2. What is FASD?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) : Physical
and mental defects linked to prenatal maternal exposure
to Alcohol
Totally Preventable!!!
• Permanent damage to brain & central nervous system
• Developmental delay,
• Intellectual impairment,
• Behavioural disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Attention deficit disorder
( Hales & Lauzon, 2010, p.321). ( Anderson, 2002, p.4).
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3.  Lack of concrete
statistical evidence
 Lack of widespread
awareness or
recognition
(Pacey, M. 2009)
Prevalence
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4. • Partaking in the
practices of Indigenous
culture and tradition
• Contact of the mothers,
and the babies with
FASD with the Native
community could help
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What Helps?
• Programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to be more
efficient
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5. • Alcoholics Anonymous
(AA) combined with
Indigenous perspectives
• to prevent, cope and
manage FASD
• from preconception to
beyond the stages of
Postpartum, among the
Indigenous population
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What helps?
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6. Aspects of the issue
 Effects of colonization
 Causes for prevalence
 Reasons behind some
women not seeking
help or treatment
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7. Effects of Colonization
Colonizers used the method of intoxicating
the Indians so they could gain advantage over them
with more facility in their intended business
(Schmalz, 2010, p.67)
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8.  Chronic binge drinking,
 Addiction,
 Peer pressure,
 Depression
 Physical and sexual abuse

Causes for prevalence
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 Colonization and residential
school legacy,
 Past issues of abuse and
dysfunction in
families
(Tait, 2003)
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9. Reasons behind some women
not seeking help or treatment
 Cultural insensitivity,
stigma, punitive
messages, inadequate
information, fear of
children being taken
away from them upon
disclosure
 Lack of support from
partner and
lack of resources in
the Indigenous
community
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10. “We sweated for three days in a
row. The first session was very
exhausting. I actually felt the after
taste of beer coming out of my
mouth. I guess that it was the
alcoholic spirit being sucked right
out of me. It was very powerful
experience.”
- Annette Cutknife (Anderson, 2002)
Indigenous approaches to
FASD
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11. “In the Canada World Youth
program they had smudging
and sweating. We went to pow
wows and talking circles-
which was the first time I
actually sat with a group of
people and cried. I felt totally
safe. It was weird. It was the
first time I had ever spoken in
front of people.”
- Perry Francis (in Anderson, 2002)
Indigenous Approaches
to FASD
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12. Leadership in Education
• Petting furs has a calming
effect on students
• An activity related to the
strong connection of the
indigenous people with
animals.
Jason Louie- Community
support youth worker
(Anderson & Wemigwan, 2002)
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13. Indigenous Community
Support for Parenting
Children with FASD
Maria Linklater fostered more than 350 children over
the years, including many with FASD.
To help the children, Maria used:
• Herbs, talking circles,
• Ceremonies, sweats,
• and lots of love.
(Anderson K in Anderson, 2002)
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14. INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE
PERINATAL
DISABILITY
This research is important to both
the Disabilities and Peri-natal fields
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15. MAIN STREAM
APPROACHES
 Inadequate information
 Insensitivity
 Stigma
 Punitive messages
 Lack of resources and
support
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16.  Preventive measure:
Early Introduction of
Indigenous Principles in
health education in high
schools
Leadership is needed for
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 Providing Information:
Offering direction to Indigenous
youth and adults to plan the
pregnancies wisely
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17.  Introduction of tools
derived from:
• Indigenous values of
valuing all life,
• tradition and culture
• used from
preconception
• to pregnancy, delivery
and to postpartum
years and beyond
Leadership is needed for
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18. Meegwetch!!
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To read more, please visit:
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masterclasses-and-ebooks/
(12 months replay access)
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19. References
Tait, C. (2003). Fetal alcohol syndrome among Aboriginal people in Canada: Review and analysis of intergenerational links to residential schools. Aboriginal Healing Foundation
Research Series. Retrieved from www.ahf.ca/downloads/fetal-alcohol-syndrome.pdf
Hales, D., Lauzon, L. (2010). An invitation to health. (2nd Canadian ed.). Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.
Anderson, D., The Aboriginal family as medicine: how native cultural values help one family with FASD. In K. Anderson (Ed.). (Fall, 2002). Aboriginal approaches: Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder (pp. 15-18). Retrieved from http://www.ofifc.org/publication/aboriginal-approaches-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder
Pacey, M. (2009), Fetal Alcohol syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder among Aboriginal peoples: A review of prevalence. National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal
Health. Retrieved from:http://www.nccah-cnsa.ca/en/publications.aspx?sortcode=2.8.10&publication=34
Schmalz, P. S. (1991). The Ojibwa of Southern Ontario. Toronto, Canada : University of Toronto Press.
Perry, F., Coming out of the box: Listening to Francis Perry. In K. Anderson (Ed.). (Fall, 2002). Aboriginal approaches: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (pp. 20-25). Retrieved
from:http://www.ofifc.org/publication/aboriginal-approaches-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder
Anderson, D., & Wemigwans, J., Healing with a deep heart. In K. Anderson (Ed.). (Fall, 2002). Aboriginal approaches: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (pp 6-.12). Retrieved from
http://www.ofifc.org/publication/aboriginal-approaches-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder
Anderson, K., Support Education and healing: A visit with Della Maguire and her team. In K. Anderson (Ed.). (Fall, 2002). Aboriginal approaches: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
(pp. 15-18). Retrieved from: http://www.ofifc.org/publication/aboriginal-approaches-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder
Based on research paper by M.Sami (2015). Effective Management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Aboriginal Communities Through the Practice of Aboriginal Traditions
and Culture A Qualitative Research Paper on Health issues, Brock University.
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20. Picture credits
Native American Male Dancers at Pow-Wow in Malibu, California
By Hanna Tor Adobe Stock
Happy indigenous South American family taking care of sheep.
By ruslanita Adobe Stock
Native american woman with her two kids playing in the grass.
By ruslanita Adobe Stock
Low angle rear view of woman shaman holding sacred native frame drum with fur covered drum stick. with raised hands
standing against lake in Canada
By Valmedia Adobe Stock
Indigenous Quechua woman in traditional clothing looking over the Sacred Valley of the Inca near Cusco, Peru.
By SL-Photography Adobe Stock
studio portrait of a beautiful native american woman
By serikbaib Adobe Stock
Unrecognizable Pregnant Woman Gestring Stop To Glass Of Wine Indoor
By Prostock-studio Adobe Stock
Bottles Photo by Kaboompics .com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/empty-wine-bottle-5964/
Animal fur. foxes, raccoon, wolf, beaver, mink, nutria hanging after processing.
By davit85 Adobe Stock
Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-with-hands-covering-her-face-7699511/
Man drinking – Cotton bro Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-drinking-beer-while-sitting-beside-a-woman-on-
the-stairs-10579526/
Old school building pexels-skitterphoto-9285.jpg https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-houses-school-old-9285/
Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-having-party-together-6224647/
Photo by Zakir Rushanly: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-wearing-a-lab-coat-in-a-laboratory-11811080/
Photo by Yan Krukov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-pointing-fingers-at-a-stressed-woman-7640730/
https://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/native-american-sweat-lodge?colore=online#
https://www.freeimages.com/download/newborn-nelly-3-1440101
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-a-woman-sweating-8343928/
Photo by Mental Health America (MHA): https://www.pexels.com/photo/friends-sitting-in-a-park-5543374/
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21. Thank you!!
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To read more about this research,
please visit:
https://humsaprenatals.com/blog
https://humsaprenatals.com/cour
ses-webinars-masterclasses-and-
ebooks/
(12 months replay access)
© 2021 HUMSA PRENATALS