How is alcohol passed from the mother to the baby?

Alcohol passes from the mother to the baby through the placenta. However, the effects of alcohol are doubly felt on the baby because of its size and because the baby is still underdeveloped. Though it has not been proven that alcohol in a mother’s breast milk can cause FASD in her child, research has shown that a small amount of alcohol in breast milk does affect the baby’s development, sleep and learning.