I was chatting with one of my daughter-in-law's good friends from college who recently finishing her master's in psychology with her thesis focused on drinking patterns among young adult women and how it affected their sexuality. Really interesting!
While discussing her data, I brought up the topic of young mothers and alcohol. I seem to see/hear about more alcohol consumption at play groups and toddler birthday parties.
Maybe it is just that I am older, but I don't remember my children's play groups serving wine and margaritas. But many of the young mother's I see, routinely talk about who is bringing the wine to the after nap play group. They even told me that you can now by mini wine boxes that look like juice boxes. They come in 6 packs and have straws! Some of their children refer to this as mommy's milk.
I don't want to be a hypocrite as I often enjoy an evening glass of wine with a late dinner after work. I know that I drank in front of our children as they were growing up and tried to teach them responsible drinking. But, I don't remember taking wine to the park or to the pool to drink while the children had play group.
Back when my children were young the grocery stores did not carry alcohol, so it was not as easy to throw it in the basket along with the animal crackers and apple juice boxes that often accompanied us to play group.
One of my concerns is with young mothers drinking in the afternoon before heading home to cook dinner or bathe young children. Many times this might involve driving children from one place to another.
There may be older children that need to be picked up after school or shuttled to early evening events. They are being driven by a parent who has had several glasses of wine with friends while the little ones were playing. There may also be more wine or a cocktail with their husband's as they get home from work.
The evening is tiring and hectic enough without adding a buzzed parent. I just wonder if any of these children are suffering from a parent who begins drinking in the late afternoon?
I am also concerned about the child's perception of drinking and alcohol as they are getting older and more aware of what mommy's milk really is.
Like I said, I might just be getting older, but some of the statistics about women's drinking habits show that mothers are routinely drinking more and more. More research is being conducted tight now and I am anxious to see some of the newest data. I might start a study in my own practice.
What are your thoughts? I would love your feedback!
Dr.
Sue Hubbard is an award winning pediatrician and medical editor for
www.kidsdr.com. She is a native of Washington, D.C. who travelled south
to attend the University of Texas at Austin and never left. 
