Edwina Bartholomew’s message on dangers of drinking while pregnant
Sunrise newsreader Edwina Bartholomew, who stopped drinking alcohol in the lead-up to falling pregnant, has signed on as the new spokesperson for DrinkWise to help educate Australian women about the dangers of drinking drink while expecting.
Confidential
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TV personality Edwina Bartholomew has revealed falling pregnant wasn’t as simple as she’d hoped.
The mum-to-be, who has climbed the ranks at Network 7 since joining the company a decade ago, said her age meant she had to change a few habits in order to conceive.
“I actually gave up drinking in the lead-up to falling pregnant because at 36 it was taking its time,” Bartholomew, who is 26-weeks pregnant, told Sunday Confidential.
“So I tried to do everything possible to make that process run a little smoother.
“I gave up drinking and I was exercising a lot and really trying to take care of my health because after 15 years of doing shiftwork and early mornings, my body needed some convincing that it was ready to have a baby.”
Bartholomew, who will today be announced as the new spokesperson for DrinkWise, said she was surprised by the number of Australian women who still believe it is okay to drink while pregnant.
“When I got pregnant it was a natural fit for me to continue to not drink,” she said.
“So working with DrinkWise was actually a really natural fit for me.
“I was quite shocked that 28 per cent of Australians don’t realise the effect drinking can have on your baby and these are incurable conditions.
“Things like developmental issues and low weight and intellectual issues later on. And it can have a real detrimental effect on the health of your unborn child. I thought everyone knew it was a no go.”
Bartholomew will head off for London today, where she will enjoy a babymoon — sans husband Neil Varcoe.
“I am going overseas today for 2½ weeks which will be my last trip before the baby,” she said.
“I will be having a tiny babymoon in Europe.
“My husband did say to me, ‘you realise you are meant to go on a babymoon with your husband’ but he was unavailable so it’s just me.’’
Originally published as Edwina Bartholomew’s message on dangers of drinking while pregnant