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Have you seen the memes pairing motherhood and alcohol? With phrases like:

• Some people need a special occasion to have wine. I just needed to have a kid.  
• What wine pairs well with my kids driving me absolutely insane? 
• Mom tip: When they start to whine, open the bottle of wine. 

Since FAS was first named in 1973 there have been ongoing efforts directed at prevention. While turning to alcohol to celebrate or cope is not new, over the last 10 years or so a new segment of the population is emerging: wine moms. If you search the hashtag #winemom or variations of it, on Instagram you will get over 84,000 hits. Should this be a concern? Our two guests today – Dr. Kelly Harding and Lisa Whittingham wondered about it, so did some research. 

Dr. Kelly Harding received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Rural and Northern Health from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Harding is a Research Associate with the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network (CanFASD). 

Lisa Whittingham is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Child and Youth Studies. She completed both her undergraduate degree in Psychology and her M.A. in Applied Disability Studies from Brock University. 

A wine mom is someone who likes to take the edge off parenting. A new culture of humour has developed around it. Lisa, Kelly and I talk about what their research discovered, such as: 

• The types of #winemom posts, what they portray and the difference between pictures portrayed and descriptions.
• Who in general the wine mom culture is, why they organized and what that means for those not part of it. 
• Beyond humour and connection, what are the consequences and darker side of wine mom culture? 

Kelly and Lisa provide their thoughts on the “supermom” culture, the normalization and commodification of alcohol and how the pandemic has led to an increase in the #winemom culture and rise in alcohol consumption. We know women of childbearing age are drinking. They also give tips on how to respond when you see a friend or family member posting a #winemom meme. 

All is not bleak. In the same hashtag, we see people celebrating sobriety. Former wine moms are vocal about the culture, which has seen the rise of social influencers who refer to themselves as “winepreneurs” and wine experts. There are no easy answers. But as Lisa and Kelly point out, bringing this to the light means it can be addressed.  

One thing we do know though, no matter if someone is a #winemom or drinking for another reason, women need information and support, not judgement. 

Check out our blog The FASD Success Show for more information and links to resources.

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