Just found out I'm pregnant - how worried should I be that I have spent the last 2 months guzzling G&Ts?

[blob2be]

Have a DS who is 18 months old - stopped breastfeeding at 16 months and went a little overboard with my new-found bodily freedom, and have had about 5 nights of fairly heavy drinking (4-5 glasses of wine, on one occasion more like 2 bottles) in the last 2 months - and I'm 8 weeks preg. (only just realised. Am so used to not having regular perids due to BF that I didn't notice !).
We weren't trying to conceive but also weren't not trying to conceive, so it's a happy (if very badly timed career-wise) accident. The only thing I'm really worried about is the fact that I've been so boozy.
Should I be worried? I also had a couple of sneaky cigs .

Congrats but what a worry. Should be okay though, I should think a fairly high percentage of unplanned pregnancies occurred at the bottom of a bottle of something.

I assume you will now stop?

No point in worrying about things that have already been done, and can't be undone. Just focus on having a further healthy 7 months.

dont worry about it. The baby is a free cell or something anyway before 6-8 weeks (or something)

fwiw I fell pregnant over christmas 2 years ago (very very unplanned) and drank like an absolute fish for over a month, oh its christmas type thing. Then felt pregnant and drank a bottle of denial wine before tesing ds2 seems fine though But lots of people do the same, please dont worry

Oh yes - teetotalling from now on!

I went on a baileys binge before I knew that I was pregnant with DS1 - he is OK

Thank you oiFoiF. So good to hear that..

Well I got rat-arsed on gin and red wine at about 6 weeks PG, so much so that I fell off a decking patio. I had no idea I was PG, had not planned it etc, and my DS who is 3 now is absolutely fine. THis is far more common than you think and nearly everything you will hear about the dangers of drinking in pregnancy is misogynistic scaremongering bullshit, so put it out of your mind and enjoy your PG.

oh please don't worry, so many of us have done the same
my best friend was on her honeymoon, downing loads of booze, thought she felt sick cos of all the alcohol but it was cos she was 2 weeks pregnant
baby absolutely fine

pls don't worry xxx

It's a sure fire way to get a bfp isn't it?! No point in dwelling on it and as you say you won't be drinking any more for the next few months. And congratulations!

Thank you for these stories...I suppose it must be v.common (when i think about it, after a few bevvies is the only time DH and I do anything with baby-making potential !

I was the drunkest I've ever been in the two weeks before finding out I was preg with DD (I had lots of wine and I was refused entry/being served 3 times - I was going through a breakup am not just a wino!).

I was SO worried and saw my GP who reassured me that for the first 6-8 weeks it can't transfer to baby and even so less than 5% would crosses the placenta.

Am sure you'll be fine

madamez is right, its so common for people to get pregnant and not know and just carry on as normal. Really, do not worry. My friend got to 30 weeks (yes 30 weeks!!!) without knowing she was pregnant and drank/smoked/ate crap etc etc without even knowing and her ds is fine aswell. It is so common and everything will be absolutely fine x

Thank you, this is so reassuring!
Interesting about alcohol not being transferred to baby for first 6-8 weeks.
Am drinking peppermint tea now in a bid to feel better about baby's nutritional intake!

I don't know where people (including some GPs) get this idea that drinking in the first few weeks doesn't count though.

According to this recent article, "The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is advising that women should not drink alcohol at all during pregnancy - and that it is particularly important not to drink in the first three months."

I know that we all want to be reassuring, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be honest.

Peppermint tea sounds good .

Well, I was very drunk , on my hen night, and I did not know was pregnant. I think lots of people do it.
However there was this truely shocking article today, mailand yes, I KNOW it was the DM.
But it said that they are NOW recommending nothing at all. And that facial features are formed, at 8 weeks, can be badly affected from heavy drinking.
But I had to take this with a pinch of salt. Surely scaremongering. On minute they are saying the odd glass is o.k. The next they are saying nothing. It is no wonder women are confused.
I wouldn't worry. There is nothing that you can do now anyway. I suspect that no harm AT ALL has been done.

Oblomov - the official govmnt advice changed to no alcohol in pregnancy in early 2007, and NICE brought their advice in line with this v recently.

Can'st sleep, I am just saying that I read another article, this year, not in the Dm, that still said an occassional glass of wine was o.k.
A tad confusing, I guess.

Have heard a rumour at work recently (work in CAMHS) that the propensity for developing FAS may have a genetic link. i.e. some unlucky women could just have a few drinks and their baby may develop it whereas for others the threshold is a lot higher. As I said it was a whisper and I don't know what research it stems from.

I was unknowingly pg for 7 weeks all through december (works do's) Christmas and a WILD NYE party. Whoops! Dd is fine, sharp as you like too sparky for me

I know several people who have had their drunkest night ever whilst newly (and unknowingly) pregnant. I'm not saying we should all just go out and get lashed but their children are all perfectly fine. You can't do anything about it now (other than not drink any more, which you are doing) - so I wouldn't worry unduly.

A friend of a friend didn't know she was pregnant til c. 32 weeks. I'm not joking. So imagine how worried she was! (Due to a general level of drinking all through the pregnancy, not knowing). Baby was fine. Again, not an advert to go for it, but still.

And: congratulations!

Oh yes, how rude of me not to say congratulations!

honestly, what is the point of linking to FAS articles on a thread where some poor woman needs reassurance because she is worried? If you want to be 'honest' start another thread. Everyone knows FAS exists but it is well known that it always occurs in babies born to Mothers with an alcohol problem and usually alcohol is consumed all the way through the pregnancy at very high levels.

Having an unplanned pregnancy and drinking/eating/smoking happens all the time and the vast majority of babies are absolutely fine. Please dont scaremonger people

I was preg over NYE and got pretty pissed - also got pissed the night before I found out. I'm still preg but not worrying about it. My friend had a hen night the weekend before she found out and her DD is fine. TBH I tend to think that babies that want to stick around will, pretty much whatever you do while preg. So many babies are born to anorexic, drug addicted, alcoholic mums and turn out fine, not that I'm advocating it (!) but that babies are mre resilient than you think.

oh please.....

So they say don't drink at all one week, then a galss or 2 is fine its so bloody confusing.

BUT when it comes down it it millions of woman have been drunk when PG and I'm pretty sure is on;y those who continue to down gollons of alcohol throughout the PG that are at risk. The OP isn't doing that.

Come one girls, I think a reality check is in order here.

Ha, it seems I just posted the same a fio

i had no idea i was pregnant and was out every night still had periods although was 10 weeks

doctor said it will be ok its excessive drinking through out that causes long term problems

i did panic but all was ok

was funny my cousin came into pub to tell me she was pregnant i was downing my drink saying rather you than me

oops i found out and i was further gone than she was

me and dp were happy as i was told couldnt have children

congrats