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

[bettybettydaisy]

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.

[whyno]

Your GP doesn't know what she's talking about. This happened to almost everyone I know and all medical professionals said it doesn't get to the baby at that stage.

Poor you to have encountered such a poor excuse for a GP. Definitely change doctor.

[working9while5]

I was in Amsterdam smoking and drinking after conception with my first, was TROLLEYED.

Your GP is really not being helpful here AT ALL. There's even a theory that FAS really arises from the sustained poor nutrition of alcoholic mothers. When I had lectures from the medics in my degree about this, they basically said straight out that it is basically a disease primarily suffered by addicts - even women who find out much later in their pregnancies that they are pregnant like absentminded above and have been drunk throughout are far more likely to have healthy babies. Remember if you did damage before your period was due your body would probably never have even let you know you were pregnant, just ending the pregnancy on you rbehalf.

[bettybettydaisy]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the reassurance. Will try to relax. yes, I am VERY VERY excited about the baby on the way, although it would have been so nice to have some warning....like an alarm that goes off "Ding, you are with child." But I will do the best I can from here on out, believe me.

I am glad to know that I am not alone! I had a sinking suspicion/hope that I was not the first pregnant woman to have an unfortunately timed hen night, right before the pregnancy test.

[toni1bump]

Your GP my bad xx

[toni1bump]

Tut! You're midwife shouldnt have said that thats awful!! Dont worry AT ALL!!

I found out when i was 8 weeks pg. In the weeks before i found out i had...

1. Home made ocktail night with the girls. Got so drunk i passed out on the bathroom floor (5 weeks pg)
   
2. Worked at Aintree racecourse during the.national and there was a free bar on last night for staff... I.drank my body weight in sambuca, ammaretto, wine, beer (6weeks pg)
   
3. Friends wedding. Drank continuously from 10am ubtill 5am the following day... Suprisingly wasnt THAT drunk (7weeks pg)
   
4. Countless amounts of nights out/in... Which involved a lot of drinking..
   

Not bragging/proud of any of this! Just saying that ALL my scans (4 of them) and checkups have been 100% perfect and no problems.. Its continuous drinking throughout lregnancy that does serious damage! As long as youve stopped now its fine. Dont let your midwife scare you!

[Oblomov]

I can't believe what twaddle your gp told you. How ill-informed. One off being pissed is not the same as fas. I was pissed on my hen, before I found out. This happens to many many women. Please don't worry.

[Andanotherthing123]

I don't want to set you off worrying about something else but I don't drink, don't smoke (what do I you ask?!) and both my DC have additional needs with different conditions. It was nothing I did and there was nothing I could have done to prevent it. From reading other stories on this thread, I would say you are safe to let your worry go and start enjoying being pregnant.

[Charliewasagoodhamster]

I had the exact same thing happen with my first pregnancy. It was my sisters hen party. My beautiful daughter is perfect. So many people will have been through the same thing. A one off that early will be fine.

[star15]

I found out middle of January that I was pregnant, and panicked because I had drunk a lot a new year time, midwife told me not worry and (touch wood) so far have had a perfectly normal pregnancy.

Try not worry to much

[Carolra]

If it helps, I went on my own hen do unaware that I was pregnant. About 2 weeks after conception... I'm not normally a heavy drinker either, I probably drank more over the 2 nights we were away than I have in the 2 years since. We only found out we were expecting the day after we got married... I just assumed I was late because of the wedding stress....

[jammiedonut]

Please don't worry, one episode of binge drinking is unlikely to cause fas. Will it make you feel better to know I went on a very messy holiday where I got engaged, drank BOTTLES of wine and champagne to celebrate. Came home feeling so sick, and initially blamed it on hangover/ sunstroke, turns out I was7 weeks pregnant! The weeks before my scans were soul destroying, but as I wasn't a big drinker and the holiday was very much a one off I was told by gp not to worry. Your doctor sounds like an ass for worrying you like that!

[badguider]

Betty - you've been given LOTS of anecdotal advice and I and a few others have given you information about the status of the blastocyst/embryo at 4 weeks and its yolk sac and lack of placenta or shared blood supply and the fact that it is NOT a foetus at 4 weeks since LMP (2wks since conception) and therefore cannot have foetal alcohol syndrome, which is anyway a disorder that affects the babies of alcoholics not ordinary women who have one binge before testing positive, but you seem determined to not believe any of this and worry yourself sick.

If you are happy about this pregnancy and want to proceed you are going to have to find a way to stop worrying as you can't go through the next 8 months like this.
I don't think that any more information on this thread will help you as you seem too anxious and panicky to process new information. .. please speak to a MW (not your stupid GP) for more reassurance.

[SlinkyB]

It is possible that there's no damage tho betty, very possible.

My night out was a hen do; I had 1/2 bottle champagne in the afternoon, drank a bottle of wine to myself on the minibus (straight from bottle - classy!) Then started on the vodka red bulls when we got to the club. Then ended the night with a couple of Jagerbombs! Does this sound a similar amount of units to you? I did my test a week later and got my bfp.

Was this pg planned? Are you happy about the news? How does your partner feel?

[bettybettydaisy]

Thanks! It has just been hard not to worry. I have not really heard of anyone else having as much to drink as I did (at least 12 drinks) in a single night, right before the positive pregnancy test. That's what has me so worried, really - that I was drinking while pregnant and it was so MUCH at once. Seems impossible that no damage would result.

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

If your midwife said you get a 14 day 'cushion' after conception, you understand that that is up to four weeks after your last period, not 2 don't you?

Please relax. Your GP is being hysterical and showing poor understanding of FAS.

I read on this a lot when pregnant. Basically, the studies I could find showed that drinking before the missed period was not a major issue because you don't share blood with the baby.

[SeriousStuff]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

And please don't worry - I was still drinking while we were trying for a baby and was abut 4 weeks gone before I found out.

From what I understand, babies who do suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome have mothers who drank heavily (and I mean really heavily) throughout pregnancy. As long as you've now stopped and are taking care of yourself (and taking folic acid) I really wouldn't worry about it.

[Lj8893]

I didn't discover I was pregnant till about 6 weeks, i had a very heavy night when I must have been about 2 weeks pregnant and a fairly heavy night the night before I got my bfp! I'm 26 weeks pregnant now and all seems ok so far!

[Chilli81]

has happened to me with both pregnancies. you'd think I'd learn! one healthy two year old
and 1 seemingly healthy ds on the
way.

[Anothermrssmith]

This happened to me too,was trying to get pregnant so had all but stopped drinking. Period was late, took 4 tests which were all negative, went to America for a friends wedding with 10 friends and spent most of the time boozing - and i do mean boozing. Found out I was about 8 weeks pregnant a week after getting home. Told midwife and her reaction was you didn't know, don't drink anymore, you aren't the first and you sure as hell won't be the last. Now 14 weeks and had 2 scans and everything is perfect. It will play on my mind until the baby arrives but I'm not going to worry about it

[Lovemyprincess4eva]

I had been to Scotland for a wedding two days before I got my positive test and for two days I was drinking a lot!!! I don't think I have ever been that drunk. But I am now 22 weeks with a healthy growing baby girl. So try not to worry! Some people don't find out til a lot further on and the main thing is once you do know you stop then xx

[Oodelaranana]

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!

[absentmindeddooooodles]

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 :)

[maja00]

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.

[bettybettydaisy]

@ 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.

[sarahleanne]

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