Did I hurt hurt my baby by smoking and drinking?

Question

I just found out today that I am expecting. I am so excited but worried that I may have hurt my baby because I was smoking and have drank a few times before I knew. I won't smoke anymore or drink, but I know first trimester very important and it's my first so at higher risk to misscarry. Anyone have advice or similar situation happen? I want a healthy baby and am scared I hurt them before I even knew about them.

Answer 1

Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy!

I think you should talk to your doctor if you're worried. Thay can give you the best information. You obviously know that smoking and drinking can carry risks during pregnancy, but it sounds as though you have this sorted for the rest of your pregnancy, and it doesn't sound as though you were doing anything wildly debauched before you knew about the baby. Lots and lots and lots of women find themselves in the exact same situation, or worse - a friend of mine, for instance, recently found out she was pregnant and she'd had an operation under general anaesthetic early in her pregnancy. She was really worried, but everything's fine with the baby.

I think your doctor will be best placed to give you the facts, and hopefully reassure you. If you're really worried, maybe you can ask for an early scan to check everything's progressing normally? Most of all, try not to beat yourself up. You can't make anything any better by worrying, and it won't help you or the baby getting stressed out.

(One thing that occurs to me at this point - did you know that the chemical signal in the brain of craving nicotine is exactly the same as the chemical signal for anxiety? So stopping smoking may make you feel a bit worried and anxious while your body adjusts. Hopefully knowing this will help you to recognise it and move past it.)

Best wishes.

Answer 2

A lot of people do those things in the first month when they do not realize they are pregnant and the babies end up just fine. But, if you think you might be, it would probably be best to abstain from those things since you wouldn't want to risk it. If you do end up being pregnant, you will most likely worry and feel guilty about the partying you did, and therefore it is not worth it for you or the child. Seriously, you can give up one weekend of partying until you know for sure. I've gone to a lot of parties while I've been pregnant, everyone else was drinking, but I still managed to have a good time with my friends without all that.

Answer 3

Please dont worry, this is the most common problem and fear that pregnant woman have. Most women dont know they are pregnant until they are pregnant until they are 8/11 weeks gone. Most women have done many things that they wouldnt have done if they had known, such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigaretts, weed, and harder drugs. I myself have been a drug and drink user for many years and worried the same about this, to tell the truth I still do. The staff at the hospital will tell you how common this is and not to worry, as long as you dont do it throughout your pregnancy. If you remember the 1st trimester is when the baby is really small, and this protects them somewhat. There is hardly a risk of the baby have any effects from the alcohol, if you werent a serious drinking who drank for most periods of time, fetal Alcohol Syndrom can be detected in the womb, when you get a scan so that will ease your worries. My baby was checked at 16 weeks and everything was fine, this has put my mind to rest but i wont be totally happy until i have it in my arms and know its okay.

I will tell you this though, a woman in my area didnt know she was pregnant until she had actually went into labour, she had been partying like mad, drinking, smoking, any anything else, and her baby girl was fine. Please try not to worry, though its easier said and done, and dont be ashamed or embarressed, you havent done anything wrong, and dont let people judge you.

Congatulations and Good Luck

x

Answer 4

It's possible but nobody can say for sure until the baby is born. Some people drink a little all during pregnancy and the child is fine. It's best to try not to worry about it right now and let the rest of the pregnancy go as smooth as possible. Congratulations and I hope the best for your baby.

Answer 5

If you are still really early in the pregnancy, then everything will probably be fine now that you have quit smoking and drinking. The baby lives off a "yolk sac" for the first few weeks of pregnancy and doesn't even start "tapping" into the mother's blood until 10-12 weeks. Of course, this doesn't mean that mothers should drink - just that if you drank at the very beginning without knowing, your baby should be fine.

Answer 6

Well, there might be some damage. I would go to the docotor and he'll tell you what to do next (obviously not smoke, drink, etc) anymore, but he might have you stay in bed for a while to make sure that you won't have a miscarige. When you smoke or drink when you're pregnant it's the same thing as if you would give your child a sigarette to smoke or put alcohol in his feeding bottle... well, at least you're not going to do it anymore so that's good. But remember also not to smoke after the child is born. Second hand smoke is just as bad (especially for children) and is bad for you as well... good luck with the pregnancy!

Answer 7

it really not good for the baby to do those things, but as long as you were within the first trimester when you did these things your baby has a good chance of being healthy. But remember your baby its drinks and smokes what you do, and its organs are still developing so babies cannot handle what you can, so be careful and see a doctor, make sure you tell them about this!

Answer 8

A general rule of pregnancy is this: if you eat it, drink it, or breathe it, so does your unborn child. All nutrients, drugs, and chemicals in a pregnant woman's bloodstream are transferred to the baby through the placenta and umbilical cord. These structures do not filter out harmful substances, like the carbon monoxide and nicotine inhaled as you smoke. If you smoke while pregnant, the toxins you inhale will be passed directly into the bloodstream of your unborn baby. Together, nicotine and carbon monoxide significantly reduce the amount of oxygen the baby's blood. The health consequences for the growing baby are serious. The major effect is reduction or retardation of normal growth; babies born to smoking mothers usually have a lower birthweight than those born to non-smoking mothers.

~Pryncess~

Answer 9

There's nothing you can do about the past now so just relax and start enjoying your pregnancy. Talk to your Dr about your worries but I'm sure the baby will be fine.

Answer 10

The baby doesn't share your blood stream until the 6th week. Many women do bad habits before finding out they are pregnant. Stopping now, is a good thing.. and I am sure your baby will be just fine and not have any effects. Congrats mommy! =)