Drinking during pregnancy

[vegemamato]

I'm not looking for a debate, just some links/info.  It turns out that I may be 5 weeks further than I thought I was (op here) and I did do quite a bit of drinking during what would be the first 8 weeks or so of pregnancy.  How worried should I be?  I had maybe 10 nights or so of 3-5 beers..

[Snugglebugmom]

I wouldn't sweat it. For the first six weeks, as I understand it, there is no direct blood link between mama and fetus. He/she lives off the yolk sac, since the placenta has not been established yet. A lot of us do stupid things before we realize we are pregnant, and although 3-5 beers a night is not a good idea at this point, I doubt you are at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome. If you are really worried, is there an obstetrician that you feel comfortable with asking? (Or does that open up a whole can of worms, like if you admit that you smoked pot at the beginning of your pregnancy? I've read some really creepy things about that.  )

[vegemamato]

Thanks!  I haven't smoked pot or done any other drugs and most of the drinking happened right after the 'miscarriage' when I was a bit depressed.  I don't have insurance yet but I will in a week or two, so I'll ask my ob at my first appointment.  My mom doesn't think it's a big deal either but I tend to worry :(  I'll try not to get too stressed though.

[SGVaughn]

I wouldnt let it stress you out...the truth of the mater is there is no established safe limit of alcohol in any point of pregnancy but mainly because its unethical to do any real controlled studies

anecdotal evidence has shown both ends of the spectrum BUT just think about how many literally millions of babies have been born ok after accidental alcohol exposure

[Snugglebugmom]

Originally Posted by SGVaughn 

the truth of the mater is there is no established safe limit of alcohol in any point of pregnancy but mainly because its unethical to do any real controlled studies

Funny, I had never looked at it that way... But it's true of course. What pregnant mama in her right mind would lend herself for such a study? Thanks, that's an interesting thought!

[annie2186]

Of course it is not a good idea to drink a ton while pregnant or even get "drunk" once.

HOWEVER - women in other countries drink moderately through their entire pregnancy and don't even know anything about not being able to drink anything at all! LOL

Also - how many times on "I didn't know I was pregnant" does a woman drink her entire pregnancy and the baby is fine?

I wouldn't beat yourself up or worry at all :)

[noahs.mom06]

I am 18 weeks and drinking a small glass of wine right now. I think it's sort of the same thing as the whole "don't eat lunchmeat" or "don't drink coffee" thing. And light drinking being ok in pregnancy is backed up by a large study out of the UK... http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2023984,00.html

[MrsBone]

I wouldn't worry about it, as another person posted, the first 6 weeks the baby is supported by the yolk sack, before the placenta is formed, so the exposure to alcohol is very minimal, even if you drink alot. I had to go on allergy medication my first pregnancy and was worried about the same thing since it was class C I think. But, I was only 4 weeks pregnant, and went off of it by 6 weeks. However, I'd make sure you don't drink that much again. I'm in the same boat as a lot of other posters, in that I don't believe that a small amount of alcohol is going to harm a baby. Even now, I drink a glass of wine every so often and I did in the first trimester..It helped tremendously with the nausea. I think it's really crazy too that when I'm pregnant, I have a natural limit I feel is enough..usually about 1/2 to 1 glass, and that is over a period of about 2 hours. It's like my body is telling me, that's enough. I don't get tipsy or anything, just casually drinking the wine over the course of 2 hours and it's relaxing. Anyone else have this happen?

[reelgeek]

Mrs Bone, I've had the same thing. I've put myself down for a glass of wine a week and it just gives me a nice relaxing thing to look forward to after work on a Friday. Normally I could drink quite quickly, but it seems as though during the pregnancy my body moderates me. I take about an hour or more to finish my glass. I spend most of the time just smelling it and smiling. :)

[noahs.mom06]

I had the same experience last night- it took me at least an entire hour to drink the glass of wine that would normally have taken 15 or 20 minutes to drink... and I found myself drinking it in sips more than I usually would.

[SGVaughn]

I went for a glass at about 14 weeks...with lobster tails (two grilled!!) and filet mignon and you know what?? it was divine ...absolutely wonderful and weirdly took me almost two hours to drink the whole glass and I was trying to drink it slow..but didn't have to pay attention to it if that makes sense..definitely subconsciously monitored as well.

I have a wine cellar...not pregnant I can polish off a bottle of a really nice blanc in two hours if left to my own devices