Have i done damage to my unborn baby from drinking before i knew i was pregnant?

Question

I am 10 weeks pregnant, i found out when i was 6 weeks. I'm worried sick because i drank heavily every weekend before i knew. I had a wedding, 30th party, holiday etc. I have read about FAS. Could i have done damge to my unborn baby? I havn't touched a drop since i found out. I have heard that in the early stages of pregnancy the baby is not yet feeding from the mother because it's organs have not yet formed. Is there any evidence that drinking in just early stages, before you know you are pregnant, can cause FAS or any damage? Please help.

Answer 1

Calm down... they have done studies that prove that drinking that early on in pregnancy doesnt affect the baby. If you are still worried though just talk to your doctor. But never feel bad about worrying though... your going to be a mom its your job to worry and your child. So dont ever feel embarrased or worried about asking stupid questions or too many questions because there is no such thing. Oh and if your doctor tells you your worrying to much then tell you doctor that your job and I have learned that if any doctor tells you that then get a second opinion. No one knows your body better than yourself so if something feels off ask!!!

Answer 2

No; think how many millions of times this has happened to people. Thank about in the 40s 50's and early 60s the medical profession was under the impression that the placenta was a protective barrier and didn't see anything wrong with pg women smoking & drinking. Obviously there would have been a huge number of birth defects, fetal alcholol syndrome children, etc evident in the population during those and subsequent decades. This is NOT to say that it's okay to drink whilst pg, only that if all women had to remain pristine during their pg (no air pollution, no caffiene, no uncontrollable exposure to environmental toxins no this no that) we would have a very small population and full of mentally disabled people. I conceived my son around Christmas (many years ago) and had been told by my gyn that it would take me a long time to conceive due to different problems I had; it was the 1st month I was off bc. and on that new years eve was the drunkest I've ever been. I didn't find out til Feb. that I was pg. He's now a healthy, smart, PITA 16 y.o. You'll be fine and if god forbid anything happens it will not be because you drank a few times.

Answer 3

No, don't worry...when you were drinking was around the time your baby was just cells forming...not even an embryo. So many of us women have done that. I went on a drinking binge the weekend before I found out, but never suspected I was pregnant. There's no way we can tell for sure the "second it happens". You'll be fine. As long as you stay away from alcohol from now one...this is when development is most crucial.

Answer 4

I'm sure your baby will be fine, many women drink before finding out they are pregnant, especially if it's an unplanned pregnancy. The real issues come when you drink throughout the whole pregnancy, that's what FAS is from. There are other alcohol related issues that can occur from less drinking, but I'm sure your baby wont even have those.

Answer 5

This happens to a lot of us. I didn't drink heavily, but did do a little drinking and was a smoker. My primary care and OB both said not to worry about it, just stop from there on out. I stopped both and am now 29 weeks. I have had several ultrasounds and everything looks great. Don't worry about what you can't change, that can do more damage than good. Just do the right things now.

good luck!

Answer 6

I think you'll be fine. They address this in "what to expect when you're expecting" and it explains that your body provides for protection in these very early stages before a mother-to-be finds out that she is pregnant.

Its basic biology, to help provide for the continuance of the race. I'm sure the few weekends of drinking will not harm your baby. Just relax and try to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

Good luck and congrats on the pregnancy!!!!

Answer 7

yes drinking in the early stages of pregnancy could harm your baby but the chance are very low. there are millions of women around who dont know they are pregnant till later than you did who have been binge drinking myself included, there is not much of a chance of it doing any damage. i beleive there is a chance that it could do some damage to some people but i also beleive that there must of been some underlining problems there already which doesnt help, i think the doctors play it up more to scare you as they are desparate to get the binge drinking levels lowered which in a way could only be a good thing in the long run.
dont spend time worring about it to much, but if you really are that worried make an appointment to see the doctor who could arrage a early scan to put you mind at ease. good luck

Answer 8

I was the maid of honor in a wedding the day before i found out I was pregnant and I was WASTED and smoked 2 packs of cigarettes that day. I was freaking out at the doctors office and she assured me that the baby would be fine. So far my baby is healthy so I think you'll b fine. I never touched a cigarette or a drink since the day I found out so she said baby would be okay.

Answer 9

This happens to many women since they were not aware they were pregnant at the time and they drank. Try and not worry, the baby should be perfectly healthy. Many of my close friends drank in the early pregnancy (while they were unaware) and all of their babies are healthy- not to mention the millions of women who have done the same thing.
Just make sure not to drink now that you know you are pregnant.

Answer 10

Congratulations! I dont think that your drinking will have effected your baby. What you are going through is mothers guilt, you have to get used to this because you will now suffer with this for the rest of your life!!

Seriously though....you need to speak to your midwife or Doctor so that they can answer your questions and ease your fears.

There have been millions of women that have drunk huge amounts of alcohol right through their pregnancies and their babies have been fine. Please try not to worry too much as there is nothing you can do about it now, and you dont want to have high stress levels.

Take care of yourself and the baby x