Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

[Sunny12]

This is my first time posting and I am hoping I can get some advice/thoughts/help etc. because I am pretty devastated & disgusted with myself. I found out at the end of July that I was pregnant (4 weeks along). I was initially thrilled and then quickly horrified! I drank heavily through most of July before I knew I was pregnant. I was drinking pretty much daily and I couldn't tell you how much most days but it was alot (easily a bottle of wine or more - but also hard liquor a number of times). So I was drinking daily during weeks 3 & 4 (1st two weeks after I conceived). Of course I have absolutely stopped - not touched a drink since the night before I took my pregnancy test. I am now starting my 8th week. But I am so upset about the potential harm I've inflicted on my baby that I think about it constantly and I am starting to have a hard time sleeping and eating. I didn't mention it at my very first appointment with my obgyn last week but have since raised it with her nurse so it is on my doctor's radar and I am planning to talk with her about it on Monday.

I know there are many examples out there about women having drinks here & there before they knew they were pregnant but I am clearly way beyond that category and I'm really, really scared for my baby, the possibility of FAS, etc. and completely disgusted with myself. I know I have a problem and have been working on my drinking recently - the ironic thing is that I barely drank in June but (and this is no excuse) life fell apart quite a bit in July and, well, here I am. How likely is it that I've caused severe damage to my baby? Has anyone had a similar experience? Or would be willing to share their story? I would greatly appreciate it and thank you SO much for reading what ended up being a much longer post than intended.

[BigToe]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Never Been There...

But I do know this: heavy drinkers, alcoholics, if you will, tend to worry and build worst-case scenarios. Often all our hard work at building these prisons of shame and self-hatred are for nothing.

If your baby is damaged, that is something you will deal with in the future. Right now, just be happy that there is a little one inside you who is going to be a source of love and happiness forever.

[Pride before Fall]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Hi Sunny,

I'm so sorry something that should be exciting news is full of so much guilt and anxiety. You weren't planning to become pregnant, so I hope you can stop beating yourself up about how much you drank before you knew.

You really do have to be completely honest with your doctor about how much you drank, though, as hard as that may be, and of how anxious you're feeling about it. He or she is going to be your best source for an honest assessment of the risks, and there may be some method of prenatal screening. They need to have all the information to help you and your baby.

I wish you all the best, and please let us know how it goes for you!

[scarletletterman]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Hello Sunny12 , I just joined this sight today.I hope I can help you to put your mind at rest a bit.When I got pregnant several years back,I drank a lot everyday for the first 3 months(the big bottle of wine).I was also taking xanax.When I found out that I was pregnant I was scared to death.I told the pediatrician about the situation and he told me that I should relax,that babies dureing the first trimester are very resilliant.He offered to do an amniosentises later in the pregnancy but didnt think it was nessesary.Since it wouldnt have changed my desision to keep the baby,i didnt see the point.Anyway,I worried and worried my entire pregnancy anyway of course.I worried about the baby,worried what people would think of me if it was born with F.A.S also.I read about how a baby is born without (whatever that little groove between the nose and the lips )when they are born F.A.S.Needless to say when she was born,instead of the fingers and toes I checked that first.Long story short,my Stephanie was born fine.She is now going into the second grade and she was placed in an advanced curriculum(not to brag-grace of God).Soooo Anyway,please relax,Gods got this for you.Try not to eat yourself into a frenzy-60lbs of worry weight.Hope that helps.

[gyco]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

hi sunny im not a lady,ithink yu did more harm by abruptly stoppin,when i was born they should of givi me a shot of rum,i was yellow,instead the docs wanted to do away with me,i dont beleive it has anything to do with how much you drank just b4,its how youve handled your life from the beginning,or even how your family b4 you managed there lifes,you seem to realise theres more to life then you,thats a bonus,as far as the doctors or nuses,if yuve had an mri or whateverthey can tell if youve abused anything,i do wish you well,dont wish to scare you,and i hope the little gaffer comes out fine gyco

[Sunny12]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Thank you everyone so much for your insights and wisdom! I agree that I just need to be honest about this with my doctor and that making myself nuts about it 24-7 is definitely not helping the baby or me. I also need to stop assuming the absolute worst without actually having some more clear information about the real risks of my behavior. I think the hardest part is that there probably isn't going to be a definitive answer- at least not right away so I need to figure out how to live with that - the unknown. All of this is definitely easier said than done...but I need to do it so again, thank you.

[RedThread12]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Hi Sunny: I haven't had this experience, but there have recently been a couple of threads on the topic. You can read what others have to say here:https://www.mywayout.org/community/f7...day-43345.html and here: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f7...ost-43163.html

You can find other threads if you look back through this forum, too. You're not the only one to face this situation. I hope you find some reassurance and I send my prayers for your well-being and that of your baby.

[OverIt2007]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Hi Sunny!!!

First off, congratulations on your pregnancy!!! YES, I have been there before and so have some of the other ladies on this site.

Ill share my story with you briefly, and private message me if you ever need to ok?

I've always had messed up periods and when I found out I was pregnant I was at 24 weeks along. Yes really. Since I had no idea I was pregnant, ironically it was a time in my life of heavy drinking, partying. I felt the same way you did, "Oh God, I pray my baby is ok!"

Happy to report to you Sunny that the little boy you see in the picture with Minnie Mouse is that little boy and is a super duper healthy child at that. In fact, he rarely gets sick, is super super smart, and is just the best little surprise God ever granted me. He weighted almost 9 pounds at birth!

Im sure things will be fine. Talk to your doctor, but dont fear the worse. Its amazing how those little babies in there seem to get safely tucked in there.

Hope this can ease your mind a little. Good Luck with the rest of your pregnancy!!

[Sunny12]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Dear RedThread12: Thank you so much for directing me towards these threads and for your support. I just started to look through them and as you noted just knowing I'm not the only person who has done this helps. Taking deep breaths...

[Sunnyvalenting]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

FAS is a very serious problem and I am so glad you stopped drinking as soon as you suspected you were pregnant. It sounds as tho you stopped by about the 3rd week of gestation. The earlier the better. Be sure you are on prenatal vites and do tell your doc the extent and timing of your intake. I don't know what, if anything, can or should be done after the fact. This should serve as a "cautionary tale" to all fertile women who drink.
Best of luck and Congratulations on your pregnancy and your abstinence!
Sunny

[OverIt2007]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Hope you didnt skip over my post Sunny12. Yes, its true I feel very very blessed to have delivered a healthy baby. I did everything wrong in the beginning but changed my ways as soon as I knew. I actually had no intention of getting pregnant, it was one of those "opps".

I thank God to be honest for blessing me with a healthy child. I really think the odds are very much in your favor that your baby will be just fine.

[Sunny12]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Dear OverIt2007 and Sunnyv thank you so much for your words of support and advice. Overit2007 I'm so glad your son is healthy and he certainly is beautiful! I do take this FAS risk extremely seriously so I feel very empowered to be as painfully honest as I need to be on Monday with my doctor now. I also just wanted to say how great this MWO community has been in such a short period of time of my 1st post - it really means so much to me that you have been so open with your thoughts and experiences - thank you.

[OverIt2007]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

Oh your welcome Sweetheart. Is this your first baby??? Thank you for saying my son is beautiful. Having my baby was the best thing in my life I have EVER done, and honestly, I have done this all on my own (single Mom). Im really lucky that my family has been great mental support for me as well.

Just please try not to stress out too much, not good for you or baby, and take good care of both of you. I hope your doctor can ease your mind too. I really really feel things are just going to be just great for the both of you. Please keep us all posted on how your doing ok?

Take care!

[CS04]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

My first months at MWO were when I was pregnant. I was scared shitless. But when I was pregnant, I didn't really want to drink. I did have A beer or A glass of wine toward the end of my pregnancy, and it wasn't an imposed thing; it was all that I wanted.

[prancy]

Heavy Drinking First Month of Pregnancy

There are probably quite a few women out there (and here) who have had this situation. Drinking heavily before they realized they were pregnant. I was drunk the night I conceived (at least I think it was that night) and I worried myself sick about it. But truth be told, stress is probably as bad for the baby as that first heavy drinking. The probability is that everything will be fine!!!! Just take good care of yourself from now on, take the pregnancy vitamins and try to provide a calm, serene environment for that little one inside you. AND CONGRATULATIONS!!!!