One too many... :(

[jennyl1980]

Hello there. I'm 5 wks pregnant, but drank alcohol the first 2 weeks before I realised. I'm terrified I've harmed my baby, and my Dr was really horrible about it this morning when I went for my first appointment, saying it was less a case of "if" my baby is harmed, and more a case of "how much" :(. Does anyone have advice or experience of drinking in the early days that might put my mind at rest? I want to talk to someone but we're keeping it secret until we've had our 12 week scan, so I'm feeling really isolated and scared right now! Any advice you ladies can give me will be gratefully received. Thanks in advance! Jen xxx

[Clairew7]

Hi there, I know every case is unique, but if it is any reassurance at all I was working away just before I found out and my manager could drink me under the table so we ended up having a couple of bottles of wine with dinner each night, then I stayed at my inlaws on the way home...with more copious wine, all about a week before we found out! My little boy doesn't seem to have suffered any I'll effects, I had a very healthy pregnancy and he's 2.5yrs now. My midwife said we can't do anything about what we don't know, as long as I was sensible after finding out and recommended pre natal vitamins.

I am sure you will be fine, there are people who drink a lot more and regularly throughout pregnancy, and from what I can tell it's those cases that have higher risks.

Good luck xxx

[georgina29]

Hi,

I have 5 children and with my 1st 4 pregnancies I had at least one night out with the girls and drank alot with in the 1st few weeks before I found out I was pregnant, I didn't drink again after ibfound out but each baby was healthy and suffered no effects from it, try not worry I'm sure your little one will be just fine xx

[LittleDolly]

The foetus doesn't usually implant until week three so any drinking before that wouldn't have any impact at all and at 3-5 weeks the baby is getting its nutrition from the yolk sac rather than from you so any drinking you may have done probably won't have made the slightest bit of difference. Don't let your doctor worry you.

For what it's worth, I know ladies who have found out about pregnancies much further along (all the way up to term) who have being drinking while unknowingly pregnant, and have never seen any major issues due to it.

[Hopeful1982]

I really don't think this is anything to worry about. I have countless friends who have had a few drinks before realising they're pregnant and gone on to have healthy babies. LittleDolly makes a good point about he yoke sac too x

[annajane77]

Hi

Same thing happened to me and my baby turned out perfect. You can't change what you have done - just look after yourself and baby from now on. Your GP shouldn't stress you - change GP if s/he doesn't give you the support you need.

Also I found this article which you might find interesting -

telegraph.co.uk/women/women...

Best of luck.

[london_mummy_tobe]

I had drinks during the first 2-3 weeks not realising as well! This was during the festive period so as you can imagine it was quite a bit. My friend was in the same boat, only difference is that she realosed at 7weeks I realised at 3weeks. No issues to report in either cases. Your doctor needa to go to hell really!

[Kaiso]

Your doctor needs to go back to school.

Many women drink in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, before they even know they are pregnant. It would be a known fact if that was an issue.

I am one of them, and I am not in the least worried.

I stopped as soon as i found out.

It's not right for a doctor to worry you like this.

[jennyl1980]

Thank you so much ladies for your support, you make me feel so much better. I'll still be keeping my fingers crossed until my scan, but at least I might get some sleep tonight

I'm definitely going to see a different dr next time, I couldn't do anything right with her. I told her I swapped to decaf tea as soon as I found out and she me that "that's no good because its full of harmful chemicals"! And she told me not to eat salmon, but the NHS website recommends it - so long as you have no more than 2 portions a week. It's a minefield - I can't win!!

Thanks for your help - it's really appreciated! Good luck to you all too with your pregnancies!

xxx

[missefp]

I drank and smoked right up until I found out I was pregnant and was worried about it too, but I'm not 17 weeks and baby is very healthy apparently I wouldn't worry about it xx

[tazmania]

first couple of weeks it really doesn't cause any harm my love. The egg is just attaching to the lining and things. Nothing is really forming. relax x

[tazmania]

p.s. your doctor sounds like an ill-educated, judgemental moron!!!

[jennyl1980 in reply to tazmania]

Judgemental is exactly right!! Won't be seeing her again!

I've dialled-down the crazy today. Yesterday I was in a tailspin. I was fit to burn at work - might as well have not been there! Woops.

Cheers for your reassurance hun! xx

[dmw1974]

Hi. I drank just before finding out that I was pregnant with my first child. It was our wedding anniversary and we celebrated, as you do, then 3 days later tested positive. It didn't do her any harm whatsoever. I know the professionals have to give you the hard facts and some are worse than others at deliving worse case but I would just put it down as one of those things, think of the millions of people who aren't even trying for a baby and carry on as normal to find out that they're pregnant! Just put it out of your mind and enjoy these first few weeks (and keeping it secret just makes it more special in my opinion, we did the same with all three) of a very special time. Good luck. x

[LottyB]

One of my good friends and I used to go out drinking regularly, five years ago, she also smoked heavily. Then one Monday after a particularly heavy weekend she rang me to tell she was pregnant. I obviously expected (as did she) that it was early days, so we stopped our drunken ways right away. Her little boy was born only three weeks later, a super healthy 9lb 2! Obviously a lot more pregnant than we thought, she hadn't even had a scan. He is absolutely perfect and healthy now, no lasting problems at all. That is extreme, I would not recommend to drink for that long at all, but it just shows that babies are strong determined little things. And if they want to be, then they will, whatever happens. 😘 your little one will be absolutely fine. Xxx

[vicki2bm]

I did the same, I got pregnant with my 2nd over xmas/new year time 2012 and had a lot to drink on those 2 special days. My son was born with a heart defect (aortic stenosis) and I blamed myself and couldn't see past that I'd drunk in the 2 weeks or so of pregnancy but after I did a re-calculation many months later it turns out it'd be almost impossible for it to have done anything because the egg would still have been rolling around at that point, I wouldn't have implanted until in theory after new years eve. My husbands side of the family all have heart murmurs and we think it may just be genetics and not my fault. I still wonder sometimes if I could have made it better but everything I've ever read says 2 things, 1) you don't implant until 7-10 on average even sometimes12 days after ovulation and 2) if drinking is to effect a pregnancy at such an early stage its usually all or nothing so healthy baby or miscarriage around the time of your period. My son is healthy so far but will need his heart valve widening 1 day but I have to try to remember that its most likely genetics and not a few drinks I had unknowingly.

[jennyl1980 in reply to vicki2bm]

The second dr I saw said exactly that. She said that you can do everything by the book and still have challenges, and that in all reality if I do have a problem later down the line, we would have no way of knowing whether the drinking caused it or not. So I'm best off not worrying about it. Easier said than done, but I know what she was saying.

Thanks for sharing and I really hope your little boy stays happy and healthy.

Xx