Melbourne, VIC -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/24/2011 -- Despite recent murmurs of more visible health warnings regarding the risky mix of alcohol and babies, surveys show that some new mothers still seem to be either oblivious, or perhaps turning a blind eye, to the possible implications of drinking and taking drugs (recreational and/or prescription) whilst pregnant or breastfeeding.

In response to this issue, passionate pediatric chiropractor Dr Jennifer Barham-Floreani — best-selling author of 'Well Adjusted Babies', World Congress of Women Chiroprator's 'Woman of the Year' and mother of four — has begun raising more than a mere murmur about the subject in both her home country Australia and, more recently in both USA and the UK.

"Research, warning that substances such as alcohol affect the brain of an infant and can cause colic and other more serious issues in breastfed babies, is largely ignored and there are implications that we need to be aware of." Says Dr Barham-Floreani in a recent interview.

An extract from Dr Barham-Floreani's popular holistic parenting blog reads: "Alcohol, caffeine, recreational drugs and prescription and over-the-counter medications all pass through our breast milk and placenta to our babies. These substances are mildly filtered by the mother's metabolism but their harmful effects will still impact the child due to their small body-weight ratio."

Dr Jennifer has also been speaking out about the "myth" of the 'placental barrier' (the idea that babies are somehow immune to the substances we ingest — e.g. food, drink and medications — and are subjected to — e.g. passive smoking) and suggests we consider the example of a pregnant woman who weighs 50 kg (for ease of calculation) and consumes alcohol or takes some form of drug/medication. Her developing baby, when its weight is less than 100 grams, has 500 times the drug exposure per kg of tissue than she does herself. This example demonstrates how the dosage the mother consumes may have mild effects for her own physiology but enormous ramifications for a delicate and vulnerable developing baby.

Dr Barham-Floreani leaves us with a sobering question: "How healthy would you be after 500 glasses of champagne?"

For further information about Breastfeeding and Alcohol, please see: http://welladjustedbabies.com/breastfeeding-and-alcohol

For further information about Dr Jennifer Barham-Floreani, please see: http://welladjusted.me/press