Worried I drank too much booze

[Help23]

Advice (not judgement) on whether anyone thinks they have had more than this at the same stage of pregnancy and been fine.

I decided to follow the NHS guidance from 2008: www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/Documents/Living/Social%20Care/Care/Family-Information-Service/Leaflet-Library/Health-and-Wellbeing/How-much-is-too-much-when-having-a-baby.pdf

Which is 1-2 units 1-2 times a week.. and nothing in 1st trimester. I did this throughout May, (weeks 13 - 17 in pregnancy) and decided to put everything I drank in the Drink Aware app tonight to keep track.

By doing this I now realise I had more than I intended! I'm going to spell out everything week by week and would be really grateful if anyone has any reassuring words of wisdom for me:

Week 13: 125ml champagne (1.5 units)
Week 14: 1 pint and 3 x 125ml wine (6.8 units)
Week 15: 3 x 125ml (4.5 units)
Week 16: 1 x pint and 2 x 125ml wine (7.8 units)
Week 17: 125ml champagne (1.5 units)

Worst in one sitting was 3 x 125ml wine which is 4.5 units..

I'm just paranoid as I thought from weeks 14 there was less major development but I now realise there is very important neurological development in the beginning of the 2nd trimester..

Why did you follow advice from 2008 if you’re pregnant now in 2021?

Are you going to stop drinking now?

No. But the 3 x 125ml was too much for my comfort zone so I would never do that again. 2 x 125ml max, very slowly with a meal 2-3 times a week is okay for me. Since writing the post did much more research of scientific papers - and read Expecting Better which has confounded my views.

This is why evidence based practice uses up to date guidance. There is no “safe” amount to drink in pregnancy. If you seriously cannot manage to not drink for nine months you have an alcohol issue. Seek help. Your midwife can help.

Wow. Sorry but no I don’t think that will be ok. You may want to discuss this with your doctor so they can be aware the baby may have disabilities. You also need to seek help for alcoholism.

Is there a reason you just don't drink whilst pregnant?

You have an alcohol problem. Your babys needs and health should come before alcohol

Hi well done for posting and being honest about having alcohol issues.

I would not drink in pregnancy as advice is that it's safer not to. I know people who had a small glass at Christmas/ special occasion and honestly can't understand what the point is?

Please speak to a professional as drinking the maximum amount you find you're 'allowed' to is worrying.

Yes this could have caused issues for baby. Please don't drink more unless you are dependent in which case seek help.

It is very, very unlikely that you have done any harm to your baby. Babies born with disabilities as the result of alcohol consumption have usually been subjected to long periods of significant consumption.

The reason the NHS states that there is ‘no safe level’ of alcohol consumption is not because it has been determined that any quantity of alcohol is harmful to a developing foetus. It’s because there is no ethical way to determine by experimentation what the ‘safe’ level is, and so it’s an unknown.

Your baby is almost certainly fine.

All that said... alcohol consumption isn’t advised in pregnancy for good reasons. In the quantities you have consumed it has likely not caused harm, but it certainly hasn’t done any good either. And it’s easy to have just a little more than you intend, as has happened to you. You’re following outdated guidance which is no longer recommended by the NHS. While the NHS is over cautious on this issue, it’s because of the very real possibility of people sliding on the slippery slope into having an amount which is unsafe.

I would try very hard not to drink any more, or at the very least to minimise consumption - try to stick to one unit once a week if you’re really struggling to give up. And while I’m certainly not diagnosing you with an alcohol problem on the basis of one post, if giving up or reducing your intake for the rest of your pregnancy feels like an impossible task, it may be worth considering if you need to speak to someone about getting some help with that

Oh wow, only read first few posts and some posters suggesting op needs treatment for alcoholism, brain blown. This women is after reassurance and advice, not some hierarchical, judgemental women preaching lyrical.
Op, I personally had the occasional glass of wine here and there during my pgs, and it suited me to have no more, but I know of a few women who drank more, either because they didn't know until later in, or didn't adhere to government advice, and their babies/children, have been just fine. I'm sure given the amounts you've stated, you have very little, if anything at all to worry about.

I would be worried if I were you. Talk to your midwife/ doctor and see if they can put your mind at ease.

It says on that link plain as day that pregnant women should avoid alcohol altogether, although I suspect you purposely sought out a source that mentions ‘safe’ amounts of alcohol (13 years out of date) rather than the current advice, which as you know is to not drink at all

@User27392 spot on, agree with everything you’ve said.

You're just looking for someone to come along and say "oh you're fine, don't worry I've drank that much and my baby is okay"

If you're unsure, why not just stop? Medical professionals don't know what the "safe" limit is with alcohol in pregnancy which is why they say to avoid it.

It's hard not to judge here.

Just in case you are wanting someone to come along and say "oh you're fine, don't worry I've drank that much and my baby is okay" as Ragoo says , I can.
I was unaware I was pregnant until I was 17weeks hence the occasional alcoholic drink. DD is now in her twenties and good in all ways.
I did not drink in my subsequent pregnancies.
Don't know how helpful I am being.

As @User27392 says. I feel hers is the most useful and balanced post so far.

Not sure why other posters are trying to pile on the guilt. What's done is done. Your baby will most likely be fine but it would be preferable not to drink anymore until the birth.