Mom Regrets Having Few Glasses of Wine During Pregnancy After Son Is Born With Developmental Issues

Natalie Battaglia Drinking During Pregnancy cerebral palsy postpartum

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Nov 26, 06:10 am

Photo: (Photo : Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Natalie Battaglia said that when she finally got pregnant with her first baby after over a year of trying, she cherished the pregnancy like nothing else. That meant she avoided anything that could harm the fetus, including alcohol, save for her drinking the very occasional half-glass of champagne.

Battaglia was more relaxed with her second baby, though, particularly with her alcohol intake during pregnancy. She said on a recent episode of the "Knockoff Drinks with a Difference" podcast that she listened a little bit more keenly at that time when people told her that one drink won't hurt.

She said that she drank a full glass of wine a few times during that pregnancy and she had two at least once. Battaglia, who ran a shelving business at the time with her husband in Melbourne, added that it was definitely enough to feel the effects.

Unusual behaviors of Battaglia's son related to alcohol

She still managed to carry the pregnancy to term and delivered a bouncing baby boy in 2017. It was not until about six months postpartum that Battaglia noticed something unusual in her son. Doctors implied that her son's abnormal behaviors could be related to her alcohol use during pregnancy.

Battaglia, who has quit drinking since April 2020, shared her story with podcaster and fellow sober influencer Amy Armstrong to raise awareness of the potential dangers of drinking even a little amount while pregnant.

Research that came out this week amplified Battaglia's rallying cry regarding this subject matter, with the study suggesting that even less than one drink a week during pregnancy can significantly impact the brain development of the fetus.

Battaglia told Insider in an email that they will never know if it was the alcohol that caused her son's issues, but they will also never know that it was not. Based from her personal experience, Battaglia said that drinking a glass of wine or two during pregnancy is not worth the what-if's at all.

Battaglia's son diagnosed with cerebral palsy

According to Battaglia, her son would scissor his legs instead of keeping them straight. She thought that action was adorable, funny and so cute, with her boy holding up his arms like he had just won a race. That was until she realized there was a problem and that this was not normal at all.

Battaglia took her son to the pediatrician for assessment. The doctor asked Battaglia some questions, one of which was whether she had taken any alcohol while she was pregnant.

Battaglia said she just froze as she was not expecting that question. She then lied to the pediatrician as she was ashamed of her drinking during pregnancy. The doctor consulted another pediatrician, and the both of them said that they thought her son had cerebral palsy.

Battaglia was devastated to learn that her son was suffering from such a condition, which describes a group of disorders affecting a person's mobility.