BOOZE-&-BABIES SPEECH WASN'T WEISZ, RACHEL

Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz is getting slammed for declaring it's OK to drink while pregnant – because experts say booze and babies don't mix!

The 35-year-old big-screen beauty – who gave birth to a bouncing baby boy on May 31 – has sparked howls of protest after announcing moms-to-be can drink wine after the first three months of pregnancy.

"I think after that it's fine. I mean, in Europe they drink it," raven-haired Rachel said while promoting her new film "The Fountain."

Now "The Constant Gardener" star is being blasted as irresponsible.

Even in France, the cradle of winemaking, warning labels on wine bottles that caution pregnant women against drinking will begin to appear next year.

"She is ill-informed. She needs to do her research," said Kathy Mitchell, vice president of the U.S. National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

"There is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. If you are drinking, you can have a miscarriage or your baby may have some problems."

Those problems include low birth weight, facial deformity, hearing and vision problems, growth defects, motor skill problems, memory, attention and judgment problems and language difficulties, warns NOFAS.

"Alcohol kills the baby's cells as they're developing," explained Mitchell. "A baby could look perfect at birth, but develop all sorts of problems as it grows up."

As for Rachel, "she should leave giving advice to doctors," said Mitchell. "And the advice is, don't drink at all when you're pregnant. It's not worth the risk."

Re: BOOZE-&-BABIES SPEECH WASN'T WEISZ, RACHEL

OK, in all honestly, my own doctore told me: absolutely no alcohol during the first 3 month, but half a glass of wine for a special occasion in the 2nd and 3rd trimester is fine.

America is the only country where pregnant women are severely limited in their food choices. Can't have bree, can't have this, can't have that, can't have cold cuts!

The problem is that those restrictions exist because people can't control themselves. If tomorrow it became common knowledge that a few sips of red wine will not harm the baby, it will be an excuse for a lot of some very irresponsible women to down 5 glasses a day all thoughout pregnancy. America is the land of extremes, expecially when it comes to food. If we are eating a burger, it's a double woopper, if we are dringking soda, is't a giant slurpy. Same with the pregnency diet: everythign is forbidden because it is assume by definitely that if it was allowed, that certain food would have been consummed in massive quiantities.

There is nothing wrong with having a couple of sips of wine with your anniversary dinner, or having turkey sandwich from a reputable deli, or bree cheese (which, btw, are all pastarized when they enter USA, so there is absolutely no change of getting any kind of bacteria from it)

To quot my own OBGYN yet again: during pregnacy, much like always in life, everything is OK in moderation!

Re: BOOZE-&-BABIES SPEECH WASN'T WEISZ, RACHEL

After the first 3 months I think if you had a glass of wine once and a blue its fine. As long as you are not drinking bottles I see nothing wrong with it. Everything is in moderation.

Re: BOOZE-&-BABIES SPEECH WASN'T WEISZ, RACHEL

Whether you agree with her or not, I can never understand why celebrities say things that they know are going to cause people to freak. If she drank while she was pregnant, she should have kept it to herself. IMO.

Re: BOOZE-&-BABIES SPEECH WASN'T WEISZ, RACHEL