From Womb to Adulthood: How Drinking in Pregnancy Affects Attachment Styles
When a mother drinks during pregnancy, it can have lasting consequences for her child. In this article, we explore how drinking while pregnant affects a child’s ability to form strong emotional bonds or attachments with their mother or primary caregiver. These early attachments play a key role in shaping self-worth, trust, and emotional stability throughout life.
How Does Drinking During Pregnancy Affect Children?
When a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her child is at risk of developing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD is a lifelong condition that affects brain development, leading to learning difficulties, behavioral issues, poor growth, and, in some cases, distinct facial features.
In severe cases, FASD may be diagnosed at birth, especially if physical traits are present. However, in most cases, diagnosis happens later when learning or behavioral problems become apparent. Some children may even go undiagnosed or be mistakenly diagnosed with other conditions.
There is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, so avoiding alcohol entirely is the best approach.
What Is Attachment and Why Is It Important?
Attachment is the emotional bond between people. For children, it refers to how they form a connection with their main caregiver—usually their mother—during the critical early years (typically the first 18 to 24 months). This bond develops in response to how caregivers meet the child’s needs.
Attachment plays a crucial role in a child’s social and emotional development. It affects how they relate to others, their ability to trust, and their mental health both in childhood and adulthood.
There are two broad categories of attachment:
Secure Attachment
Secure attachment is the healthiest attachment style a child can develop. It forms when children feel that their need for care, security, and stability is consistently met. These children feel loved, supported, and safe. As a result, they grow up to be confident, able to self-soothe, trust others, and build strong, healthy relationships.
Insecure Attachment
Insecure attachment is an unhealthy attachment style and is classified into three main types: avoidant, anxious, and disorganized. It develops when a child’s needs are inconsistently met or rejected, leading to negative self-perceptions and difficulties in relationships. Children with insecure attachment may struggle with trust, experience low self-worth, and find it hard to regulate their emotions—challenges that often continue into adulthood.
How Does Drinking Alcohol in Pregnancy Affect Attachment Styles?
Over a decade ago, I wrote my master’s dissertation on how drinking during pregnancy affects attachment in children. I wanted to find out whether prenatal alcohol exposure influenced the way children bonded with their mothers or caregivers. A more recent study in 2022 explored a similar question.
The research showed that children whose mothers drank during pregnancy were more likely to develop insecure attachment styles. However, what stood out was that the direct impact of alcohol on attachment was relatively small compared to its effect on another factor: the child’s temperament.
Children exposed to alcohol in the womb tend to have a more negative affect—they are moodier, become frustrated more easily, and are harder to soothe. This makes it more challenging for mothers to respond to their child’s needs in a supportive and consistent way, increasing the likelihood of insecure attachment styles.
How Can We Promote More Secure Attachment Styles?
The first step in promoting secure attachment is understanding the risks of drinking during pregnancy. Prevention is always better than cure, so the safest choice is to avoid alcohol entirely while pregnant. If you’re struggling to stop drinking, seek support from your midwife or GP. The NHS website on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) also offers helpful resources.
If a mother has consumed alcohol during pregnancy and is concerned about its impact on her child, there is still hope. While a child’s temperament cannot be changed, a nurturing and supportive relationship with their caregiver can help foster secure attachment. With patience, guidance, and a stable environment, children can develop healthier emotional bonds, setting them up for stronger relationships and better well-being in adulthood.
Written by Miriam Bamidele (MPharm)
Date Written: 24/03/25
Date of Next Review: 24/03/2026
Sources of information
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Attachment Styles in Children and How to Raise Secure Kids
The relationship between pre-natal alcohol exposure and attachment security in children: A systematic review: A systematic review
Prenatal alcohol exposure and attachment behavior in children