Alcohol in early pregnancy

[SparklyH2O]

Hi everyone, I'm completely new to MN but I'm currently struggling with an issue that perhaps some people here can advise me on. I recently discovered I am pregnant, 7wks now. This wasn't planned and the timing is far from ideal however despite that my husband and I do want children and would go ahead with this pregnancy if it wasn't for one thing. Before finding out I was pregnant I had 2 episodes of v heavy drinking. Enough to have me feeling very rough the next day (I was on holiday so not the norm for me although I have been known to overdo it on special occasions/nights out). Anyway, this would have either been around 4wk and 4wk+4 according to dating scan or 5wk and 5wk+4 by LMP. I'm just so worried that this will have damaged the baby that I can hardly sleep and have been considering a termination. Doctors haven't been very reassuring although I completely understand that with current evidence they can't really be anything but cautious. I suppose I would really just like to hear from anyone who has been in this position and what your experiences were. Thanks in advance.

I had no idea I was pregnant with my dd and had a black weekend, lots of drinking. My periods were very irregular. I found out when I was 8 weeks. I had a very nervous wait up until my scan at 12 weeks. I have a perfectly healthy 10 year old daughter. Please try not to worry too much.

I know so many people who have done this and had perfectly healthy kids. You didnt know, stop beating yourself up! Congrats on your pregnancy

I had a very heavy weekend of partying when baby would have been about 5 weeks old. Midwife said not to worry at all - at that stage the placenta hasn't formed yet so the baby is still very much a group of cells doing its own thing. I'm now 34 weeks and all the scans and tests and stuff show healthy babba. I wouldn't worry but do start taking your vits. Worrying is worse for the baby than the heavy weekends. Congratulations xxx

I discovered I was pregnant a week after coming back from holiday. I drank a load of wine every day, ate pate, sushi, all kinds of cheese and seafood and took painkillers with codeine in.

PP is correct about no placenta yet - please don't worry - it's completely normal. My son is a healthy 4 year old now.

I'm sure everything will be fine op.

I think there is a lot of conflicting advice and opinions on alcohol in pregnancy from health professionals in the UK, and it deepens when you look at advice from other countries too.

I think that the majority of pregnancy food and drink related advice in this country is really over cautious and bordering on scaremongering at times.

I have a family member who bizarrely did not know she was pregnant until she went into labour. She had been eating all manner of foods, including those on the 'forbidden list,' and used to frequently drink alcohol, and socialise with people who smoked - including her DH who was a chain smoker. This relative used to drink mainly gin and lager, but also some wine too. She would get merry at the weekend, and have 2 or 3 drinks during the week.

She also didn't take any folic acid or vitamins, nor attend any pregnancy health classes or scans etc, and she gave birth to a very healthy baby who didn't have any development problems.

My Mum and her friends didn't take any vitamins, as they weren't advised to. They followed the food rules as much as they wanted to, but didn't feel pressurised into doing so and would often just eat a food because they fancied it. I think the alcohol advice was a bit more laid back at that time too, and they all drank wine and champagne for celebrations throughout their pregnancies - only ever up to 2 glasses at a time. I didn't have any issue at birth, and neither did my mum's friends children.

I think if it had just been a case of a couple of glasses of wine too many then I would be less anxious but these were full scale binges...probably talking 2 bottles of prosecco to myself on one of the occasions. Followed by similar just a few days later :(
Thank you for all the kind words of reassurance though. I really do appreciate it.
I agree about feeling conflicted regarding advice from healthcare professionals. Several people have said their doctors/midwives were very reassuring in similar circumstances whereas mine really haven't been at all which has definitely not helped with how I'm feeling unfortunately. My doctor just said there's no way to know if any damage has been done...which while I appreciate is just being 100% honest, really wasn't what I wanted/needed to hear :(
Once again, thanks everyone x

I was told that as the baby doesn't share a blood supply until the placenta takes over from the yolk sac at around 8/9 weeks alcohol couldn't be passed through to the foetus. Happy to be corrected if wrong.

I had just come back from holiday when I found out and had also been to a friends 40th where I did shots, two days before I found out. I now have a seemingly healthy 2 year old

I didn't realise I was pregnant with DD until 6 weeks gone and was drinking heavily at the time (mixture of stress and during the last two weeks being on holiday and meeting up with old friends which necessitated long sessions at the pub drinking copiously). I was also on strong medication - muscle relaxants and painkillers (God I was so unhealthy!). DD is a very healthy 6 year old now.

Your doctor is just covering their ass. As mentioned above the placenta doesn't take over until later - around the stage you're at now actually. I would see if you can get some counselling to reduce your anxiety. X

It'll be absolutely fine. Placenta isn't developed yet so nothing will have affected the baby.

I'm sure all will be well and don't beat yourself up about it.
However, re not having a placenta yet.. this is bollocks. The baby is an embryo until about 10weeks and this is when the major formation is occurring.. around 5weeks is brain and spinal cord and alcohol does affect this. In first trimester fetus' are more likely to be affected in a major organ way, 2nd and 3rd trimester see issues with IQ, intelligence etc.
Alcohol in the first week or so after conception can cause abnormal implantation.

There is a fair amount of research for this in embryology, not to scare anyone or stop anyone drinking but to correct the theory of alcohol is fine until placenta has formed.
I drank in my tww, and a few times since, same with my DS and all is well, however we shouldn't be using the 'well I did this and everything is fine' theory (works the same as 'my mother smoked all her life and didn't get cancer' 🙄)

Another one who did two massive binges before I even realised I was pregnant- everything was fine. You'll be fine!