Binge drinking during holiday before positive test

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First time posting and quite nervous so please be gentle (but truthful!) with me. Started TTC in June 2023, but was pretty relaxed about it and thought it would take a while since I am diagnosed with PCOS. July 2023 period came as normal and I did not think much of it as I expected I would not be able to get pregnant for months, if at all.

Went on a family holiday from July 31st to August 6th and drank up until August 3rd. I drank for 4 nights in a row (1-2 bottles of wine each night, with a strong cocktail on one of those nights, and 1.5 bottles plus two very strong tequila cocktails on August 3rd). I stopped drinking on August 3rd because I woke up with a nasty hangover on the morning of the 4th and then my mind just decided to not drink at all until my period was due on 7th, in case.

When I returned home, I took a test on the 6th and it was negative. Morning of the 7th I took two tests and they were faint but positive. Later that night I took a clear blue test and it was positive. This morning, 8th of August, I took a clear blue digital and it says 1-2 weeks pregnant.

Half of me is over the moon, because DH and I want a baby so desperately but were so concerned about my PCOS, being in my late 20s, and how long and hard the process may be, but the other half of me is TERRIFIED. I am scared my binge drinking may have done something to the baby and I do not know how I could live with myself if I did anything to affect my baby's health and well-being. I have read everything I could find on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and I feel so guilty and ashamed of not knowing or thinking about fetal alcohol syndrome properly earlier, as I never would have dared to drink during the two week wait with the way my anxiety is.

So sorry this post is so long but I have such tremendous anxiety, I am scared to death I have harmed the baby and I just need some advice about this situation. Already registered at the community maternity unity but don't think I will be in contact with a midwife for a while as I am quite early in my pregnancy. HELP!

Have you searched and seen how many threads just like yours there are on Mumsnet? This is extremely common and there's a reason I know - I've been where you are too! As long as you stop drinking now and start taking your folic acid then it's very unlikely this will have done any harm. Stop beating yourself up, I don't know many women who didn't drink before they found out they were pregnant. And congratulations!

Please relax OP . At these very early stages there is just a mass of rapidly dividing cells. It’s all or nothing in that the you could theoretically drink and do drugs To the extent that you create an unfavourable environment and the fetus can’t attach properly and you’d miscarry. But, remember that he/she isn’t even plumbed in to you yet! The placenta is just there for hormone production to begin with. They’re in a yolk sac bobbing about. The placenta and cord start working about 9-12 weeks and this is when chemicals that are in your blood can get to baby. So, don’t drink again, take your folic acid and you should be fine. Congratulations, I hope you have a straightforward and enjoyable pregnancy.

@Pip1402 Thank you for your response. I've looked at other threads and had some temporary reassurance but continue to be anxious that I will be the one who will suffer adverse consequences and do something harmful to my baby. That's just the way my brain works. I've had to take time off work for this and have already gotten back in contact with my counsellor because I know stress is not going to be good for the baby if I continue to spiral like this.

@Cognitivedisonance Thanks for the information. That does help to reassure me a bit. I think the problem is there is much conflicting information, with some sources saying exactly what your're saying and FAS charities/blogs, CDC, NHS, etc saying alcohol at any point, even >2 weeks can cause permanent damage to baby. It's hard to turn all that noise off.

Thank you for the well wishes and know I've got the folic acid packed in the house already :)

A friend of mine found out she was pregnant just after a very long and very boozy hen weekend…. She was panicked like you, but has a 9 month old now who is perfect. 💜

Thank you for responses. I am diagnosed with anxiety, so I think it will take me quite some time to get over this fear and find some way to rationalise the risk and forgive myself for what I did when I did not know or think I was pregnant.

I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the new information I have to take it; what's safe to eat, how to manage around cleaning products, which makeup products are okay, etc, and I think this is just highetning my anxiety further. All I want is to create the best environment for my baby possible but it seems like there's a risk with every little thing and I don't know how to put it all into context and relax.

I was on birth control so my pregnancy was a huge surprise. I’d been drinking for a couple weeks before I found out. Mostly casual drinking but one very boozy night of lots of wine. My DS is 16mo now and nothing (seems) wrong, he’s perfect!
Many of my friends have been in the same position before finding out they were pregnant and have healthy children.

As long as you stop now you’ll be fine - don’t worry.
congrats! 💐

In the early weeks the baby gets its nutrients from the yolk sac, so there isn’t anything being passed through to baby at this stage. Make sure you are now taking folic acid and vitamin D and try to relax a little.

I was absolutely not planning on getting pregnant when I did. There was a lot of drinking. Christmas and millennium new year. He is now coming up to 23 years old. Is 6 foot and is a pain in the neck at times but no issues cause by my drinking 😁

I was in a similar position, big drinking holiday just when we started trying, got my.positivr test a week after getting back. I've just had my scan today and we've got a wonderful healthy baby boy on the way. She checked all of his organs, limbs and spine and said everything looks perfect so try not to worry! Many people don't realise they're pregnant for a while and most people would have had a drink in that time

As pp have said, there's loads of threads about this. I was on holiday and drank loads the week before I found out I was pregnant and my 4 month old is doing great. Meeting milestones etc. You have to drink a lot through your whole pregnancy to risk FAS. You won't drink again obviously, put it behind you now.

Make sure you mention your anxiety to your midwife at your booking appointment.

Regarding what you can eat, don't Google! Just stick to the NHS website, it's very clear.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/

Congratulations!

You have got to let this go and relax. Your drinking has caused no harm, not even a little bit. It's not even possible. Congratulations and enjoy your pregnancy.

It was a big birthday for me the weekend before I found out. Had 4 days of all the things you shouldn’t do - spa/sauna, lots of drinks, shellfish, more drinks, all the cheeses you aren’t meant to have, few more drinks. The midwife at booking in said don’t worry, it happens to lots of women, as long as you stopped when you found out it’s probably fine. My baby is now 6 months and totally fine! Don’t panic, it’ll be okay.

I got pregnant accidentally after lots and lots of booze. Mostly vodka. I spent my whole pregnancy worried about it.

She's 32 now and an accountant.

Please don't spoil your pregnancy and worry so much.