Drinking before I knew I was pregnant

[BitWorried16]

I am driving myself crazy about drinking before finding out I was pregnant. I am so mad at myself because we had been trying for 18 months, which probably explains why (a) I had let my healthy habits slip and (b) I didn't realise I was pregnant until 8ish weeks gone (in fact a test around what I thought was the first day of my missed period was neg).

Until I found out I was pregnant after all (at about 8.5 weeks) I was having one drink maybe 3 times a week, and 3 or 4 drinks maybe once a week. I wouldn't class this as excessive when not pregnant but am worried about its possible effects in early pregnancy given this is A LOT more than the guidelines.

Does anyone have any reliable info on the likelihood of problems resulting from this level of drinking until this stage of pregnancy, or know where I can find it?

I am now 9.5 weeks and needless to say, not a drop has touched my lips since finding out...

Relax and enjoy your pregnancy. Large studies show no evidence of harm with this kind of consumption in early preg eg onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03397.x/full
Lots of women drink before finding out they are pregnant.

I think rather a lot of us have done the same. I know I did. My dc were fine.

Many pregnancies are unplanned so I expect the number of women who've done what you have is high.

Try not to worry. Congratulations on your pregnancy

It was my birthday, our first anniversary then my dhs birthday all in the space of 3 weeks or so before I found out I was pregnant. Drank rather heavily to celebrate each of those occasions (think 2 day hangover each time!)
Now 27 weeks and the wee man is fine and healthy! Don't worry about it. Just think about how many people drink before they find out and some of those who continue to drink throughout their pregnancy and go on to have perfectly happy and healthy babies.
Don't beat yourself up xx

Try not to worry. It's really really unlikely you'll have done any harm only the tiniest of tiny amounts will have got anywhere near baby before the placenta has formed.

I went on a 3 night cocktail/shots/beer extravaganza and when my three day hangover still had me feeling sick and dizzy I decided to take a pregnancy test. That faint line is now asleep on me, perfectly healthy.

I got pregnant on honeymoon and then went to a party and got very drunk. Found out I was pregnant a few days later. Ds is fine.

Don't worry, it is the regular drinking throughout the pregnancy when the brain is developing that is the most harmful. A few drinks in the first few weeks won't have done any damage. Just get used to the worry about everything though - it never stops

I did similar and was assured by the doctor that it's fine.

I was reassured by the fact that the foetus doesn't implant straight away so it's not as if 8.5 weeks means it's been exposed to alcohol for 8.5 weeks. That 8.5 weeks involves: egg release (ovulation), travel down the tubes, fertilisation at some point, more floating about, and other bits and pieces I don't understand/can't remember, then finally implantation in your womb. Also, I think that even once implanted it doesn't start getting stuff from your bloodstream straight away (don't quote me though as not sure where I learned that). And, as PP have said, It's the regular, steady drinking throughout that has the potential to do harm.

FWIW, I latched on to all sorts of reasons to worry particularly at the beginning. I still do to some extent but I remember at the start being particularly "bad" for worries. I think it's part of the psychological process!

Congratulations xx

DS1 is a September baby so conceived in December and following a negative test on Christmas Eve, I drank moderately over the Christmas and new year holiday, a week and a half later (at nearly 6 weeks pg) I did another test as still no AF and got a BFP! He is absolutely fine and midwifes had no worries about it, bare in mind the first two weeks you weren't even expecting, then it takes some weeks for the fertilisation etc. To occur and as far as I know the baby is not 'feeding' from you until the placenta develops which is a fair bit later on. I really wouldn't worry, the main concern would be prolonged heavy drinking through the pregnancy.

I went out for a friend's 30th and drank about 2 bottles of champagne when 3 weeks pregnant ( unknowingly). Ds is fine. Well, apart from being a moody tweenager

SIL only found out she was pregnant at about 17 weeks - all the tests she did until then came up negative. She thought her period was delayed for some other reason. She went out a good few times and drank quite a lot. Her daughter is 10 now and completely fine - thought SIL had been worried about what effect the alcohol would have.

I had the same worries until I read somewhere that even if you did cause the embryo harm, in the early days there are such few cells that it's easier for it to replace any damaged cells. Not sure on the science behind it, but it did make me feel a bit better for the birthday cocktails I necked before finding out I was pregnant.

I drank waaaaay over the daily & weekly recommended units and smoked during the first 5 weeks pregnancy. I just didn't think I was going to be pregnant that month. It's something I regret now but I know no amount of worrying will change that fact so all I can do is be the healthiest I can be for the rest of my pregnancy!

I went out on an all day drinking session 4 days before I found out I was pregnant. Even the night before I found out I was drinking too.
My perfectly healthy 10 week old boy is snuggled on me as we speak.
Your baby will be absolutely fine.

I spent the first I'd say 18 weeks of my pregnancy worrying about absolutely everything. I bought a doppler so I could hear the heart beat, I was constantly checking my knickers for blood, I worried that I wasn't eating well and that i drank alcohol at the start.... I regret now the fact that I wasted away those wonderful exciting weeks in a bubble of worry, stress and tears. It will go by so fast, please don't even think about the alcohol you consumed.
everything will be fine