Significantly Drinking before finding out I am pregnant

[Hope15022023]

Hi.

Please help me with your thoughts/experiences, as I am more than anxious.

We've been trying to have a baby for some years, but only a few months ago I've started monitoring ovulation. In these months I completely cut drinking and tried to eat healthier. Still it didn't happen for us. So I made an appointment for further testing for us both for the end of June.

I had zero hopes it could happen in the meantime. So, when I was on a prolonged team-building I had quite some drinking experiences... probably every two-three days in a week and a half. Maybe a bottle, a bottle and a half of wine per night, and one time also a cocktail.

The next day I randomly had a test done, as i had no expectations, and it was positive. I was shocked, happy and terrified at the same time. I was 4 weeks pregnant.

With all things I've read, I cannot calm my anxiety. Do you know of any similar cases when the baby was affected? Or even better, positive outcomes?

Any thoughts would help.

Thank you so much!

Congratulations, that's fab news after trying so long.

Please don't worry about the booze. We had been trying for four years and I eventually conceived one summer after several boozy weddings/bbqs/hen nights etc. I was very worried but obv stopped drinking straight away. My midwife said it was very common and nothing to worry about, as long as you don't continue, obviously.

My twins were born very healthy weights (6lb+), and were perfectly healthy.

Don't worry OP, loads of people drink before finding out they're pregnant. In my case I went on holiday, was sure I wasn't pregnant (we were TTC but DH had been away for what I thought was my fertile window), drank LOADS as I was on holiday, couldn't believe it when I saw the positive test! DS is a tall healthy 16yo now!

THat should read I conceived before the boozy parties, but didn't know!

Babies are affected by long term drink and drug taking. Not a one off boozy week.

Yep. Having tried for years I'd given up. Went to Ibiza for a week for my my friend's 40th. Drank every day. Came back, missed period, thought it was early menopause, went out for cocktails on the Saturday. Felt really rough the next day, something told me to do a test. Pregnant with DD, who is now a bouncing, healthy, bright 3 year old.

I panicked too. Midwife told me it's really common and about 40% pregnancies are unplanned. As long as you stop drinking by about 6 weeks, you (and the baby)will be fine.

Thank you all. Very comforting. I hope to have the chance to encourage other girls in a fee months with a happy story of my own. I am very grateful for the support 🤗🤗.

Alcohol crosses the placenta. At 4 weeks pregnant there is no placenta, so you're fine!

Absolutely fine, do not worry just cut it out now ur baby will be fine x

I was drinking a beer WHILE i was peeing on a pregnancy test, test came back positive so chucked the beer out :P

Hope everything goes well!

Congratulations and please try not to worry. After 2 miscarriages I was knees deep in booze trying to console myself when I discovered I was pregnant a third time! Yet that pregnancy was the one that stuck and I have a thriving son to show for it. Please try not to worry, it's very common in those early weeks.

I didn’t think there was any chance at all I’d be pregnant and went on holiday to celebrate something really significant. We drank a LOT of wine…like, all the wine. Then I got back, found out I was pregnant and freaked out. Everything was absolutely fine and I’m sure it will be for you too. Congratulations!

I emigrated to Canada. Had a couple of boozy leaving events and some celebrations when I arrived. Not to mention the 10 hours of flying. Turns out I was roughly 12-14 weeks when all that happened.

DS is fine.

I treated my DP to a weekend in Swansea for his birthday (we had met at Swansea university 10 years previously!) and we literally drank the whole weekend - even went to the clubs we used to frequent as students! Plus went to a spa and used the jacuzzi and sauna. It was 2 weeks later that I took a test and it was a dye stealer...... she's 6 now and absolutely perfect xx

Thank you all. It really helped a lot. I'm getting quite crazy about everything now (what I eat, where I travel, if I get to tired in physical activities etc.), as I immensely wish things to go well and I'm trying to do my best.

I will come back with the outcome on my pregnancy as it progresses, maybe it helps other girls who read this in the future.

Thanks!

Hello, how are things? Have you been able to talk to professionals about your concerns? I too am in the same position (about 3 units over 2 days at just over 3 weeks pg), major worrier!

I found out I was pregnant while on an all inclusive holiday! I'd basically been mainlining Aperol Spritz for the best part of a week.

My consultant thought it was hilarious that I took a test because I took a swig of an Aperol and it suddenly tasted rancid. She wasn't concerned at all.

Can I ask how many weeks you were and how baby is now?

5 weeks I think? I'm still pregnant, but had scans, blood tests and everything looks fine. Consultant totally unconcerned - alcohol crosses the placenta, and at the point, the placenta hasn't taken over. I'm totally tee-total now, not least because I'm too sick to consume anything that's not bland.

Ahh exciting! When are you due? :-) I’m so pleased everything’s looking healthy! I I also had alcohol at around 3 weeks and I can’t stop thinking that I’ve damaged the cells!

@Hope15022023 how did it go?:)

I didn’t find out I was pregnant with ds until 7 weeks (I’d had another miscarriage and just thought it was taking a while for my periods to return). We had just been for a weekend away where I’d spent hours in the hot tub, basically only drank coffee until it was time to open the wine, and eaten all the things you shouldn’t.

Ds was born full term at 9lbs, and is now 5, happy, healthy and absolutely flying at school.

Obviously not advocating drinking while pregnant, but only a few generations ago there was no way of knowing you were pregnant until you had missed several periods. I’m sure at 4 weeks, a few bottles of wine is not going to cause any long term damage.

@Imnotarestaurant I was on holiday the first week after conception and drank 2 glasses of wine every day, and one drink. came home and took two tests that were negative and drank 1-2 glasses of wine every day for 5 days (it was summer holiday) and suddenly the test was positive. we tried to have children but ever since i found out i was scared because i drank alcohol. I feel like I can never forgive myself , feel like an idiot and now regret not having an abortion because I feel so horrible. I'm now 33 weeks and I'm not looking forward to giving birth and seeing the child grow up with mistakes that happened because of me. I have spoken to health professionals about this but nothing helps. I should have just had an abortion when I could.
I thought I made the right choice since I'm 33 yeara and thought it might take time to get pregnant again if I had an abortion. but it's not a good life to feel that kind of guilt either and I'll never be that safe, happy person again.

I honestly do t think m you have anything to worry about , congratulations please try relax and enjoy your amazing news x