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Original poster

Have I hurt my unborn baby?

26 replies

stupid · 30/07/2004 10:06

I found out I was pregnant last week, and I've been worried sick as (please don't judge me) the two weekends before I found out I took cocaine. Have I hurt my baby? I wasn't planning this baby as I'm only young and I wanted to wait a few years before we had children, but I can't have an abortion

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 30/07/2004 10:13

Hi stupid, welcome to mumsnet

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Obviously cocaine is not the best start to a pregnancy, but I think if you did a poll of 'surprise pregnancies' you'd find that the majority had done something 'risky' before they found out about the baby.

I'm not well up on cocaine, but I should think that you have done minimal damage (if any at all) and things should run smoothly in the pregnancy so long as you stay off the drugs and keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.

Original poster
stupid · 30/07/2004 10:16

Please don't think I'm a regular user, I'm not anymore, it's just we were away with some friends and they had some so we thought why not, obviously I wish I hadn't now.

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 30/07/2004 10:17

A few articles regarding cocaine use in pregnancy...

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Please bear in mind that a lot of the info conatained in these articles refers to long term use of cocaine in pregnancy.

NomDePlume · 30/07/2004 10:18

A few articles regarding cocaine use in pregnancy...

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Please bear in mind that a lot of the info contained in these articles refers to long term use of cocaine in pregnancy.

NomDePlume · 30/07/2004 10:18

Sorry, didn't mean to post that twice !

Original poster
stupid · 30/07/2004 10:24

Thank you, that very kind of you. It's scary what it can do to a foetus. Hopefully everything will be OK. Do you think I need to tell the midwife? I didn't tell the doctor.

OP posts:
libb · 30/07/2004 10:38

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Your midwife will be able to reassure you and they are not there to judge. Put it this way, you won't the first and you won't be last. That is what my midwife said to me when I mentioned how much I'd drunk the weekend before I found out! (believe me, it was a lot!) I am sure they have seen and heard it all before so please try not to worry. Easier said than done though!

malinki · 30/07/2004 11:47

Hi, I have a cold 2 weeks before I found out I was pregnant, I took Nightnurse, Sudafed, Benelin and Nurofen, I have a very healthy DD, tell your midwife, she won't judge you at all, if anything she will support you are you taking folic acid, as that is a total must and try not to worry

jampot · 30/07/2004 12:37

I used to work with a girl who took drugs and drank loads. Anyway she became pregnant about the same time as I did and we used to lunch together (she was a scream). One day she produced her "green notes" and had spotted the word "liquor" (amniotic fluid) on them. She was worried sick because she thought the midwives would be able to measure the amount of liquor(alcohol) in her bloodstream. She couldn't see what the problem was with taking drugs though. I think it's best to mention it to your midwife as they have seen it all before - congrats by the way

motherinferior · 30/07/2004 13:41

I think this happened to a friend of mine (honestly, it wasn't me) and IRCC her midwife said she should be fine (and she was).

I drank like a fish for the first few weeks after I got pregnant - accidentally - and I'll admit I drank actually more in the 'I can't be pregnant' week of denial. Baby was absolutely fine.

Angeliz · 30/07/2004 13:58

Just wanted to add my Congratulations and to agree with others. We all do things we think we shouldn't have in the first few days/weeks till we find out.

Hope you stay on mumsnet. When are you due as there is already a due in Feb-March and April page

Come and join one!

Heathcliffscathy · 30/07/2004 13:59

don't worry. don't worry. don't worry.

probably one night of coke a lot less potentially damaging then a week of binge drinking, and lets face it lots and lots of us (me included) were ratarsed before they knew they were pregnant...

congratulations on your pregnancy. this is the beginning of potential guilt about everything in your life from what you eat/drink/snort to what you feel (might your stress feelings cause problems for your fetus/baby?)...please try not to go down that road (sometimes you won't be able to help it)...fetus's and babies are a lot more resilient than we think: they survive wars/famines etc...some women are ultra ultra careful about everything from preconception onwards and still tragically things do not go well for them...imo, whatever is meant to be will be and as long as you take reasonable care of yourself from now on the overwhelming odds are that everything will be absolutely fine. i'm not sure about telling your midwife...it's done now, there is nothing she'll be able to do for your baby...and health professionals can be tricksy enough when you're pregnant, without giving them reason to make judgements about you...maybe wait until you get to know a midwife you trust and then tell her hypothetically and see what she says???

hth, and congrats again...try and enjoy, pregnancy can be a wonderful, mystical, incredibly beautiful time...

x

Yorkiegirl · 30/07/2004 14:34

Message withdrawn

Yorkiegirl · 30/07/2004 14:35

Message withdrawn

dinosaur · 30/07/2004 15:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

mummytosteven · 30/07/2004 18:39

stupid - mumsnet has a "resident" midwife, Mears who is lovely and helpful and non-judgmental and will hopefully see this thread and be able to give you the professional view point on it. Congratulations, and relax and enjoy your pg!

NomDePlume · 02/08/2004 11:30

Bumping for Mears' attention.....

Hulababy · 02/08/2004 11:32

Congratulations and try not to worry too much.

A few days before I found out I was pg I went to a school reunion and had loads to drink; way too much infact But DD is just fine and now a healthy 2 year old.

Thomcat · 02/08/2004 12:50

I did some things I shouldn't have done and then discovered I was pregnant, these included coming off a jet ski at a massive speed, and a lot of big nights out. I told the midwife and everyone I could everything and they all said that as long as I didn't contine being reckless everything was fine and there was no damage to my baby. I felt awful at having done so many things to have possibly endangered my baby, terrifing rides at Alton Towers that said don't go on if you're pregant etc etc.
My advice to you is tell the midwife, she won't think bad of you and then you can put the thought behind you and enjoy your pregancy. You haven't done anything wrong, don't worry, it's all fine okay.
Congratulations and i look forward to reading about the safe arrival of your healthy baby in the near(ish) future.

Blu · 02/08/2004 13:26

Hi Stupid- I was in a panic when I first found out I was pregnant, and rushed to my GP because I had drnk an entire bottle of wine on one night after i conceivedm but before I found out. My Gp said 'how do you think most pregnancies occur, then?' and said that in any case for the first couple of weeks after conception the embryo is surviving off it's own yolk sac and not much crosses from the placenta.

Good luck, enjoy your pregnancy and welcome to MN!

mummytosteven · 02/08/2004 15:17

bump

WideWebWitch · 02/08/2004 18:40

Hi Stupid. Actually, I wouldn't tell your midwife - I think you'd be at risk of being labelled when I assume we're talking occasional recreational use rather than a major habit (sounds like it from your post). If that's all we're talking about I wouldn't worry, really. Think about how many babies are conceived after a big night involving spirits and wine and drugs - it's LOTS of them! I think it would be a problem if you kept doing it but if we're talking a couple of lines before you knew you were pregnant I doubt very much that any damage will have been done. I'm surprised no-one's admitted to it actually. Congratulations on your pregnancy.

mummytosteven · 02/08/2004 23:06

bumping for Mears

mears · 02/08/2004 23:48

stupid - first of all congratulations on your pregnancy. How many weeks are you?
Please do not worry if you are not regularly taking cocaine. Many women find out they are pregnant after they have been blind drunk at a party or night out. It is unlikely to do any harm at all. I wouldn't bother saying to the midwife if it was a once in a blue moon thing. However, if you are a regular drug user then I would say to the midwife because then you will be given the advice and support needed to help you reduce or stop taking drugs for the wellbeing of your baby. Hope that helps.

mummytosteven · 03/08/2004 11:14

bump