Post 3

What would work best, in my opinion, is allowing pregnant women to actually see the effects smoking and drinking can have on their babies. This could be done by having them view a video or even actually meeting a child who has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or a child who suffers because his mother smoked while she was pregnant with him. I would consider this the job of a health-care provider. I remember one time in high-school, we had an assembly about pregnant women smoking and drinking. The speaker brought in three dolls, one looked normal, one looked as a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome would, and the last one looked like a baby whose mother did drugs while pregnant would. The two who "suffered" from FAS and drug use were tiny, and they did not look healthy in any way. Also, they were made to cry very often. In fact, the one that represented a baby suffering from his mother's drug use cried constantly. Because this was a real eye-opener for high school students who were not pregnant, I think it could have an even stronger effect on women who are actually pregnant. In my opinion, this strategy could be used in a class where pregnant women are taught how to care for their babies.