The popularity of the #winemom hashtag on social media might have a dark underside, according to a Sudbury researcher who is looking into things that might influence Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Dr. Kelly Harding, a researcher with Laurentian University and the Canada FASD Research Network (CanFASD), is showcasing some of her art at the LUL SciArt Show to bring attention to alcohol consumption in motherhood and how industry marketing and a popular social media hashtag is playing a role.
Harding’s interactive display, “It’s Mommy’s Turn to Wine,” explores the intricacies of the social phenomenon of the wine mom, said a news release.
The display is featured at the LUSciArt Show at Science North in Sudbury. Her art presentation is a visual representation of her research findings as they relate to alcohol consumption and mothers.
CanFASD said the #winemom concept has grown in popularity in recent years. In her research, Harding and her colleagues found that women use alcohol, specifically wine, to fight back against the traditional idea of what it means to be a good mother, said the release.
Instagram posts using the #winemom hashtag also portrays alcohol as an acceptable form of self-care and a way to cope with the daily tasks associated with motherhood, said CanFASD.
This is the darker side, said the release.
"These posts normalize regular binge drinking and suggest that women use alcohol as a one-stop shop coping strategy for their daily stressors and mental health challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of new versions of the wine mom meme, increasing existing concerns about elevated alcohol use and mental health challenges among women, and particularly mothers of young children," said CanFASD.
"This culture and its popularity is especially concerning for experts working in the field of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Increased alcohol consumption in women of childbearing age can lead to increased risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies," said the CanFASD release.
CanFASD said there is also the concern that excessive alcohol consumption can cause problems in pregnancy. FASD is a lifelong disability impacting the brain and body of people who were prenatally exposed to alcohol. It already impacts 1.5 million Canadians, more people than autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome combined, said CanFASD.
