I'm a recovering alcoholic and relapsed after my daughter was born. I got back on track but relapsed again. I had my first child 14 months ago and she was 100% planned. I knew exactly when I was ovulating and we conceived within a month. I am still breastfeeding and pumping to keep my supply up and have had 3 periods in the last 14 months, very irregular and no clue if I was even ovulating! My husband and I planned our first getaway alone almosy 3 weeks ago. A 5 day cruise around the carribean. We were getting drunk everyday. I have had no pregnancy symptoms whatsoever and since I've put on about 30 pounds and am still flabby from my first I am not even showing! When we got back from the cruise I started having fainting spells, which at first I thought was due to the drinking and being on the cruise. Then I thought 'We'll maybe I got pregnant on the cruise? Let me take a pregnancy test." It was positive. I made an emergency appointment with my OB and come to find out I'm about 15 weeks pregnant! So I was getting sloshed at about week 13 or 14! The fetal heartbeat was strong and the ultrasound revealed nothing abnormal regarding the nuchal cord. I go in at the end of the month for the 20 week anatomy scan and I am petrified. I don't know whether to have an abortion or deal with it. I keep praying every night to please give me whatever pain but please not the baby. I am in total shock, fear, overwhelmed, depressed, stressed, you name it! If anyone knows or has a similar story please share it with me. I really don't know what to do except stay sober from nown on. I am so depressed I have no motivation to do anything. My husband is very positive but I am more realistic. I have read SO much and every story is about women who drank very early on, not in the second trimester! I feel like a horrible terrible human being. If anyone knows or has a similar story please share it with me. I really don't know what to do. My husband is very positive but I am more realistic. I have read SO much and every story is about women who drank very early on, not in the second trimester! I know FAS is real and that the spectrum is quite large. Even if there are no visible symptoms at birth there can be mental ones later in life. I could not live with myself should I have been the cause of an innocent persons struggles in life and feel like a horrible terrible human being.
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Cris, my heart goes out to you. It's obvious that you're a caring person (not a terrible human being) and you don't deserve this sort of mental torment -- no matter when and how much you drank. I did a little rudimentary digging and found this explanation:
Source: Fetal Alcohol SyndromeNo evidence exists that can determine exactly how much alcohol ingestion will produce birth defects. Individual women process alcohol differently. Other factors vary the results, too, such as the age of the mother, the timing and regularity of the alcohol ingestion, and whether the mother has eaten any food while drinking.
It seems that full-blown FAS would be a possible or likely result if you continued to drink throughout your pregnancy, but you're not doing that. There may be some effects, but -- please forgive my getting a little spiritual here when I barely know you -- I truly believe that God can do anything, and He can certainly protect your unborn child from those effects. Miracles happen every day and I think that protection, especially for the young, the weak and people whose hearts are in the right place, is one of His favorites. Thoughts and prayers your way. Please keep us posted on how things are going? :hug:"If you fell down yesterday, get up today." -- H.G. Wells -
Thank you lilbit. Please keep me in my your prayers. I do believe in miracles and I just pray for one for this little guy. I will definitely update when I get the 20 week anatomy scan.
I'm petrified, scared, well...you know.Comment
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