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Alcohol support
Binge drinking before positive pregnancy test
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 20:40
Hello.
I'm just in the worst state I've ever been. I become pregnant a few months ago, but I was extremely stressed because I had several episodes of binge drinking before I found out. The pregnancy resulted in a blighted ovum, but Dr said it had nothing to do with the drinking.
After this, we decided TTC. Abstained from alchool except from when I was on my period or few days before ovulations. I can stay long times without touching alchool (weeks, months, not a drop after I found out I was pregnant). But after I have a glass, it almost always results in binge drinking.
In September tests were again negative and I had some bleeding so assumed period had started as it was about that time. Drank 3 glasses of wine one evening and an outrageous 2 bottles of prosecco the next day in around 10 hours.
A couple of days later took another test and it was positive. The line was not very visible, but clearly there. So when I drank, I was almost 4 weeks pregnant.
I am extremely desperate. I am having the worst thoughts as I am struggling with guilt and anxiety. I am so scared I've totally harmed my baby.
Are you aware of any situations like this? When the baby was affected on the long term? Please, be honest. I really need to know what to expect.
Gossipxox · 02/10/2022 20:44
Nearly everyone I know has a story about how drunk they were before they knew they were pregnant. I got absolutely hammered on Christmas and smoked loads of weed. Found out 4 days later I was pregnant.. I obviously quit during pregnancy and now have my beautiful baby girl. Please don’t worry or feel bad
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 20:44
@LuciaPopp , thank you so much. I am just struggling with the amount of alcohol I had in just one day. I am aware it is so much... I will not touch any again, but I feel desperate thinking the damage has already been done. :(
Bigbus · 02/10/2022 20:46
Years ago I was out with a friend of mine who was drinking cider and downing shots and found out she was pregnant the next day and now the baby is a healthy 11-year-old!
teaandtoastwithmarmite · 02/10/2022 20:50
I got hammered the week before I discovered I was pregnant. My DD was a bit of a miracle as I never thought I'd get pregnant. She is now a 9yo beautiful, lovely chatterbox. Please don't worry.
Wfhandbored · 02/10/2022 20:53
When I was unknowingly 3 or 4 weeks pregnant we had a night out full of cocktails, wine and cigarettes. Found out and felt the same as you! My pregnancy and baby were absolutely fine. You'll be okay xx
hangryorhungry · 02/10/2022 20:55
I had one of the biggest nights of my life (inc illegal class a's) a week before I found out I was pregnant. Then proceeded to drink strong coffee & eat prawns off a stick on a remote island as had no idea of the potential risks of these things either. I'm sure you'll be fine. Stress is just as damaging so try to relax and forgive yourself! Congratulations x
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 20:56
Thank you so much. Very happy to hear things went well.
I am struggling though to get over the amount. 2 bottles... It feels so so much.
Did any of you had to drink something comparable?
Sorry I 'm insisting, but I feel like such a mess right now.
Respectfullydisagree · 02/10/2022 20:57
According to Kara Manglani, CNM, a midwife and author of the blog TheFertileTimes.com, if women consume alcohol during those first few weeks, there is likely no effect on the pregnancy. “That’s because the placenta doesn’t develop until after the first missed period,” she says. “During this time any food or alcohol a woman consumes is not passed to the baby.”
The placenta is an organ that provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing child. But, before week five or six, it’s simply a ball of cells. At conception (when the sperm meets the egg), the cells begin dividing rapidly. Then, as the fertilized egg implants into the uterus, some of those cells start to form the placenta, while others begin to form the embryo. By the eighth week, the developing embryo is called a fetus and the placenta is fully formed and functioning to provide nutrients to the embryo.
hangryorhungry · 02/10/2022 20:57
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 20:56
Thank you so much. Very happy to hear things went well.
I am struggling though to get over the amount. 2 bottles... It feels so so much.
Did any of you had to drink something comparable?
Sorry I 'm insisting, but I feel like such a mess right now.
Much more!!!! Honestly, you'll be fine.
Wfhandbored · 02/10/2022 20:58
@FeelingHopeless02 hopefully this will help. I drank a bottle of Prosecco to myself before going out and then must have had at least 8 cocktails, 2 shots and 10 cigarettes. Minging haha. But honestly everything was absolutely fine.
TeeBee · 02/10/2022 20:58
I got utterly hammered without realising I was pregnant. The GP said it's really only people with chronic drinking problems that affect a growing foetus.
Respectfullydisagree · 02/10/2022 20:59
I read something similar to this when I had done the same thing early on in pregnancy. I’m no expert but I think this sounds like it makes sense? I think you would miscarry the baby if your drinking had damaged the cells beyond repair? But again no expert! Hope this helps! 🙂
Swedishmeatball · 02/10/2022 21:00
If you’re worried about foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) the highest risk is in the second half of first trimester - so this happened well before that. See eg; www.livescience.com/17971-drinking-pregnancy-worst-trimester.html
YerAWizardHarry · 02/10/2022 21:02
I fell pregnant at 18 and didn’t find out until I was 24 weeks pregnant. Of course I wouldn’t recommend it but my baby is a happy and healthy 10 year old now
Seainasive · 02/10/2022 21:07
Oops I pickled mine in gin one memorable (I think…) night. He’s grown into a perfectly healthy young man.
Please don’t beat yourself up about it anymore.
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 21:12
You are all amazing. Didn't even hope to receive so much support.
@Respectfullydisagree , I did read that as well and it would be great if true. What scares me is there are so many opinions out there saying that even these first weeks could be harmful although the placenta has not formed. I do pray with all my heart that you're right.
Mykittensmittens · 02/10/2022 21:25
I got married, then went on a 3 week all inclusive honeymoon. I was expecting my period middle of the first week but it had been erratic and I had been unable to conceive for the prior 5 years so didn’t give it a thought.
3 WEEKS ALL INCLUSIVE!!! I can tell you, your two bottles were nothing. We thought we couldn’t have children. We were having a wild time.
came home. Still no period. Hey ho - we had gifts to open and cards to read and lovely gifts of champagne so we had those too.
I have never been so sozzled as I was that whole month.
turned out I’d probably conceived just before the wedding.
DS is now a very healthy, happy pre-teen!
please don’t worry, just be as Healthy as you practically can from now on.
custardbear · 02/10/2022 21:26
The fertilised egg would be doubling, and rolling down the Fallopian tubes still at that point, it takes a while for it to stop and embed, so wouldn't have access to your blood at that point
Congratulations!
Wowzers12 · 02/10/2022 21:33
This is so common, I feel like it's a rite of passage into parenthood 🥲 did the same and my 6mo is lying next to me asleep in a milk coma, perfectly healthy. Don't worry! It's not for a good few weeks that they're even on your blood supply.
It would take a hell of a lot of alcohol over a sustained period to have effected anything. Chill out and enjoy your pregnancy. Congrats!
SalviaOfficinalis · 02/10/2022 21:38
Please don’t worry. This is so common, there’s so many women who don’t realise they’re pregnant till much further on.
All the best with your pregnancy.
FeelingHopeless02 · 02/10/2022 21:47
Thank you all for the good wishes and for sharing your experiences. I am praying with all my heart for things to turn out ok.
Shockmeafter · 14/10/2022 22:42
I drank 2 bottles of wine, rum cocktails and Prosecco over a whole day drinkathon the day before I tested. I was 3.5 weeks. As everyone has said it’s fine, that early on every cell has the ability to replicate/ transform to become another cell - and if too many cells are damaged the baby aborts, so categorically no damage has been done. Congrats on the pregnancy!
pinkolu · 14/10/2022 22:45
I don't drink often now but when I first found out I was pregnant with DS it was the morning after I came home from a very very boozy 3 night hen weekend abroad
Never drank the rest of the pregnancy and now have a very healthy & bright 9yo, never had any issues at all (touch wood)
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