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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Drinking and not taking folic acid in early pg

16 replies

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 18/07/2017 15:31

I cannot believe I am even writing this and am really cross with myself.

DH and I have beem ttc for ages. I have been taking folic acid daily but this month, I just started feeling all pathetic and hopeless about it all. I just got the feeling it wasn't happening. I stupidly stopped bothering with folic acid and also shared a bottle of wine with a friend.

Then today I got a postive test and now I feel so careless. How bad is it? Give it to me straight.....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BayLeaves · 18/07/2017 15:36

Er, I thought everyone does this! You're unlikely to have a folic acid deficiency if you've been taking it for months up until recently, plus it's in loads of food which is fortified with it anyway! And the booze thing, as far as I know, a lot of people don't give up drink until they know they're pregnant... I certainly didn't. Don't forget, in the old days they used to recommend pregnant women drink a pint of Guinness every day for the iron! Seriously don't worry about it.

If something does happen to go wrong with the pregnancy it's unlikely to be related to a couple of weeks of missed vitamins and a couple of glasses of wine.

Tormundsbrow · 18/07/2017 15:38

Hopefully not too bad, I have HG and have been unable to keep folic acid down ( no matter what time I try it ) since about 6 weeks.

Hopefully the fact you've taken it for so long will mean you have plenty in your system!

reetgood · 18/07/2017 15:39

Not bad. I had a proper big weekend in the first week. I also wasn't taking folic acid until i tested positive, 6 weeks in. I know someone with a healthy happy 3 year old, who didn't find out she was pregnant until 20 weeks (she'd been told she was unlikely to conceive without IVF). The midwife asked if she smoked, or drank every day, and said she was probably fine.

Doublechocolatetiffin · 18/07/2017 15:40

I didn't even realise about folic acid until my GP told me about it when I went in having found out I was pregnant! My DD is fine. So many people drink in early pregnancy too and have perfectly healthy babies. I'm sure all will be ok - congratulations on the pregnancy!

Original poster

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 18/07/2017 15:42

Oh really? Thanks! I listened to a radio programme about spina bifida ages ago and it really put the willies up me, but I have no idea how common it is. This is making me feel a lot better!

OP posts:

tellitlikeitispls · 18/07/2017 15:42

Sometimes, your body recognises when you take the stress away from it, and perhaps that why you conceived after chilling a bit!

Congratulations. Calm down. Many of use got pg after months of getting ratarsed and smoking like chimneys xxx

Sunshinegirl82 · 18/07/2017 16:24

One shared bottle of wine? I really, really wouldn't worry! The weekend before I found out I was pregnant I went out for a friends birthday and drank (at least) a bottle of prosecco to myself! Ds is absolutely fine!

You will have loads of folic acid stored up so don't worry, obviously start taking vitamins again now but I can't imagine a few weeks off has made a huge difference!

Congratulations!

Crunchymum · 18/07/2017 16:30

I wouldn't stress.

Think about all the unplanned pregnancies (like mine!!) where the mothers are drinking regularly and not taking FA.

I obviously stopped the nightly glass or 2 of wine and started the FA as soon as I found out

Ratbagratty · 18/07/2017 16:35

Don't worry I made it to 30 weeks unknown pregnancy which involved eating and drinking a lot (on holiday) and activities that I shouldn't have! Was told alcohol is really only an issue if drinking consistently high amounts. As for the folic I never took it for that pregnancy and have had no ill effects. Enjoy your pregnancy and dont dwell on what has passed.

ijustwannadance · 18/07/2017 16:36

Baby wouldn't have even been plumbed in to your blood supply that early anyway so the alcohol would not have done anything.

Lemondrop99 · 18/07/2017 16:57

I did exactly the same thing! Was diligently taking folic acid and cut right back on drinking while TTC. It got busy around Christmas, and we'd been trying a while, so got slack thinking it wouldn't be our month. Went to a leaving do abc drank three bottles of wine between me and one other person!!!!! Got my BFP a few days later. Whoops!

All was fine. The embryo had a yolk sac and you won't have a placenta yet, so it's not taking nutrition from you. So don't worry about a small amount of early drinking.

Folic acid, all you can do is start taking it now. I struggled to keep it down because of sickness. Also nobody told me I should have been on a higher dose due to my high BMI! According to the scans, all is fine.

So breathe. Chill. Stop drinking, steadying taking your folic acid and everything is likely to be just fine. Congratulations.

coastalchick · 18/07/2017 21:22

I just found out today I'm pregnant and had same worry! We only started trying less than 2 weeks ago and given I'm almost 39 thought it would take months. So been quite happily drinking away (esp as we were away at weekend) so total shock when got a BFP this morning!

Doctor was a bit shitty with me when saw her this pm and didn't really reassure me but I'm with the girls on here - so many pregnancies where people don't know they're pregnant and carry on drinking and baby is fine.

Obv I won't touch a drop now I know

feelingblue123 · 18/07/2017 21:35

I didn't start taking folic acid until I found out at 5 weeks, and did some serious partying before that too, far more than galf a bottle of wine. Sat here at 27 weeks babba kicking like crazy. Midwife said don't worry.

Sah2241 · 18/07/2017 22:41

Don't panic! With my first pregnancy, I conceived when I was on holiday so spent the first two weeks drinking wine and folic acid was the last thing on my mind. I was really worried once I found out I was pregnant but my midwife assured me that it happens all the time, and that drinking is more harmful after around 6 weeks when the baby's organs, etc are forming. I went on to have a perfectly healthy little girl.

ememem84 · 18/07/2017 22:46

Do not panic. The week before I found out I'd had 5 of 7 days drinking (work nights out, overnight stay in hotel just dh and I etc etc). I was already 6 weeks by this point.

mammabear4 · 18/07/2017 22:54

OP so so many don't realise they're pregnant and go out drinking and haven't been taking the required supplements from the start - definitely do not worry and do NOT beat yourself up about it!

A friend got pregnant on the implant, had absolutely NO idea she could even possibly be pregnant, went to Ibiza and drank her body weight in alcohol and took some illegal substances came back realised her hangover was never ending and her middle was getting rounder. One positive pregnancy test and one scan later she found out she was 16 weeks! 3 years on she has a very happy and healthy DS.

Ok so that's not ideal and a rare scenario but still! You're polar opposites to that tale!

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