Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Drinking in Early Pregnancy - should I just give up on life?

45 replies

bettybettydaisy · 22/07/2013 19:02

I have never been so drunk in my LIFE as I was drunk the night that my period was officially due. It was my sister's hen night, and I was trying to keep it "reasonable" - just wine and beer. But it turned out being more like 11 glasses of wine and 2 beers over the night.

We had a few more beers (just 3, much more reasonable) the next day. I didn't drink after that, but I did realize a few days later that I was late. . . and I turned up pregnant.

Based on what the midwife says, I conceived about 2 weeks before the hen night.

Just wondering if anyone else has had A LOT to drink that late into a pregnancy. My GP says that there is a chance of foetal alcohol damage, but I have to think I am not the first person this has happened to.

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2013 · 22/07/2013 19:09

Not been in this situation but some people don't find out until later that they are pg (I know someone who didn't find out until she was 11 weeks!).

Some of these people will have carried on as normal and may have drunk a lot, smoked a lot, eaten blue cheese etc and not taken folic acid and gone on to have perfectly healthy babies.

You can't undo it now so try to focus on eating well and taking the folic acid. Have you had a scan yet? How far gone are you now? X

LostMySocks · 22/07/2013 19:11

I went to a 40th birthday 2 days before my period was due and drank a lot My midwife said this was common. I'm not worried. Due in 11 weeks and no issues with scan

PickleSarnie · 22/07/2013 19:12

An awful lot of babies wouldn't even have been conceived had it not been for vast amounts of alcohol.

They don't share your bloodstream until 6-8weeks or something like that so it will be totally fine.

LifeIsSoDifferent · 22/07/2013 19:13

I was about 3 weeks pregnant an I got so so drunk for a friends birthday. I mixed my drinks, done shots the lot. I had the mother of all hangovers and y DD is fine!! I asked the MW about it an she told me not to worry to much it happened to alot of people and it was a very low chance that anything with be wrong with the baby

Soontobemama · 22/07/2013 19:15

I got completely trashed at a christmas party the day my period was due. Baby is due in 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure there is very little chance that it would have had an effect so early. My GP certainly wasn't that bothered.

soupmaker · 22/07/2013 19:16

Oh FFS. Honestly at that stage the chances of any long term effects are minute as long as you are no longer drinking. I was on the piss for 3 weekends before discovering I was pregnant with DD and gave up as soon as I found out. I asked my MW about it as I was worried about my drinking before finding out I was expecting. She was very unfazed and just recommended not drinking anymore. DD was fine of course. Hope you find this reassuring.

Kiriwawa · 22/07/2013 19:16

I really wouldn't stress - the embryo will only just be implanting.

And I think your GP is very silly and irresponsible to talk about FAS - it's caused by sustained heavy drinking, not one night of excess in early pregnancy.

badguider · 22/07/2013 19:17

Four weeks from your last period your embryo would still be feeding from its own yolk sac as the placenta hasn't formed yet. Depending on the exact time of conception, it might in fact at that point not even be embedded in your uterus (in which case it's still a 'blastocyst' in other words a ball of cells).

Personally I am VERY dubious about what your GP said about foetal alcohol damage (partly as the blastocyst/embryo would still have been nowhere near even being a foetus at that point).

I drank pretty constantly from what must have been weeks 1 to 4 of pregnancy. Never getting really drunk but it was christmas so I was drinking red wine every day. I don't believe this will have adversly affected him for the reasons I mention above.

soupmaker · 22/07/2013 19:17

My FFS was for your GP!

Original poster
bettybettydaisy · 22/07/2013 19:18

@LifeIsSoDifferent - were you 3 weeks from your last period when you got drunk, or 3 weeks from conception?

I heard it makes a difference. Basically, my midwife said that we get a 14 day "cushion" after conception, when alcohol (and almost anything else we do) really CANNOT hurt the baby.

But after those 14 days from conception, the baby is plugged in and everything can have an impact.

so if you were 3 weeks from your last period, I could see the MW saying that everything is fine. I was just so stupid, I drank beyond that point.

OP posts:
jennimoo · 22/07/2013 19:19

I don't think the baby is even properly connected to you at that stage so not getting any alcohol, I can't imagine it would have any effect what so ever.

jennimoo · 22/07/2013 19:22

Just x posted Betty...

I don't think it's exactly a 14 day cushion, depends when placenta forms / starts working and you can't know exactly when the sperm and egg met (not necessarily when you DTD) so you need to just do what you can from now.

ch1134 · 22/07/2013 19:23

A friend's daughter had an 'invisible pregnancy' - didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth! Every time I panic about my pregnancy I remember this girl - who ate and drank as any fun-loving 25-year-old all the way through and gave birth to a healthy baby.

Futterby · 22/07/2013 19:32

I drunk almost every night for the six weeks before I found out I was pregnant. I'm 18 and my DP and I had just moved into a new place and our mates were around constantly. It was like one constant party. Unplanned pregnancy, and you have no idea the terror I felt when I got my BFP, knowing the amount of alcohol I'd been drinking. So far, my little boy is growing perfectly and I've had no issues on any of the scans I've had (I've had 3 and am 21+2). Just stop drinking now or drink within the recommended limits and you should be fine Flowers

Original poster
bettybettydaisy · 22/07/2013 19:34

That's true, ch1134. At least I found out I was pregnant before too terribly long! Still though it scares me to think that I had such massive amounts of alcohol before I knew.

OP posts:
VitoCorleone · 22/07/2013 19:37

I went to a wedding one saturday and got quite pissed, on the monday i found out i was pregnant.

Im sure it happens alot.

SlinkyB · 22/07/2013 19:38

I could've written your OP.

I had a normal, healthy pregnancy, and my perfect baby boy is now a perfect 2.5yr old!

Don't panic, just stop drinking from now on.

BoysRule · 22/07/2013 19:39

With both my DSs I had big nights out (more than a bottle of wine and a few crafty cigarettes) when in the first week of pregnancy and didn't know. I had fertility problems so with both I didn't have any idea I could be.

Both my DSs are fine and dandy. You really don't have anything to worry about.

MooseBeTimeForSpring · 22/07/2013 19:43

I was 17 weeks pregnant before I found out. I'd just emigrated to Canada, so I went to many leaving parties. There were also a few celebrations on arriving here. Lots of wine and champagne.

DS is 18 months and absolutely fine.

Oodelaranana · 22/07/2013 19:47

I drank about 10 units one night at 6 weeks pregnant and 2-3 units on several other days that week. I had had some bleeding so had no idea I could be pregnant. Like you I was initially really anxious about it and have done a fair amount of research into it. I've seen a couple of midwives who both said they'd seen so many women have similar stories and only ever seen problems with women who were chronic heavy drinkers. I looked at studies and there is some really interesting stuff pointing out that the issue is really where there is alchoholism, poor nutrition, drug use and combined factors. The standard medical advice has become really worrying for most women due to a slightly misplaced public health message. Look at this for an example: www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/Fetal_Alcohol_Syndrome__The_Origins_Of_A_Moral_Panic.pdf

Anyway, my first scan is fine so far. I've had plenty of friends in a similar position and the babies are all fine. I'd relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

sarahleanne · 22/07/2013 19:48

I WAS AT UNI WHEN I GOT PREGNANT....ENOUGH SAID [GRIN] HAD DIRTY PINTS, THE LOT!!

Original poster
bettybettydaisy · 22/07/2013 20:14

@ Oodelaranana, I wish it had only been 10 units for me! Some of these were rather generous servings of wine, really, so I'm probably looking more at 18 to 20 units total for the hen night, after counting the beer.

OP posts:
maja00 · 22/07/2013 20:20

I think your GP is very wrong about foetal alcohol damage happening when it's still an embryo. Foetal alcohol syndrome occurs in babies whose mothers are alcoholics.

I wouldn't worry about it a moment more.

absentmindeddooooodles · 22/07/2013 20:21

I did not find out I was pg until 21 weeks. At the time I was 20 years old and working in a club and a bar. I drank quite a lot. OK I drank lots. In my defense I had done tests, I was on the pill and docs didn't pick pregnancy up on two different visits ( another matter entireley)

But ds is fine. He's 2.4 and a crazy somewhat hyperactive little boy.

I also smoked until the day I found out so it could be worse!

I know so many people who drank heavily before they found out. All babies concerned are happy and healthy :)

Oodelaranana · 22/07/2013 20:31

Yes but from my reading of it you'd only really be at risk if you were drinking a bottle of vodka a night, every night - so about 40units!

Sadly, I do know someone who did this throughout both her pregnancies. Her two boys are bright, nice boys now aged 18 and 14 who have won scholarships and all sorts with no problems due to the alcohol. They were brought up by their Dad as sadly their DM died from liver complications :(

Really, your one night won't have harmed your baby!