Worried that I have done everything wrong!

[Monday]

Hi

I am 4-5 weeks pregnant with my 2nd.  (I think 4 based on knowledge of my Ovulation pattern).  This month I didnt really expect to be pregnant mainly due to DS's nursing habits and the fact I was so used to seeing BFN's.  I had pretty much stopped taking prenatal supplements because I was scared of taking them indefinately (I can not stand taking tablets in any shape or form) which meant I wasn't getting a regular dose of folic acid.  I was also nursing a LOT and have since read that the nursing child takes folic acid from you.  I'm deducting that my folic acid level was very  very low at concption.

I can't even confort myself by thinking at least I eat healthily.  Usually I really do, but I'd been on holiday at the time of implantation to Spain to visit my family,it was all tapas and grease (no offence family).  I drank a couple of beers every evening and the last evening I drank LOTS plus smoked cigareretts all evening (I havent smoked for years!).

Its the combination of drinking alcohol/smoking/bad diet/NO folic acid and nursing which reduces folic levels even further that worries me! I'm trying to stop worrying but I'm in a bit of a looping thought process.

Oh the final worry is that when I got hom and got my BFP (yey!) I started taking my prenatals PLUS  a folic acid supplement (800 micrograms in total) and am now worried that I have binged on too much folic acid for three days or that they contraindict each other or something. 

The doctor said I drank too much, it wasnt ideal :( and the pharmacist I spoke to today said 800 micrograms is silly and of course it is too much :( 

What damage have I done? And why did my holiday have to be THAT WEEK!!?? (at least if I'd been home there would have been no smoking or drinking and lots of healthy food for implantation time)

Anyone got any reassuring advice?

Thanks

Monday x

[bearandotter]

Oh mama, please try not to worry. 

You found out about your pregnancy early. And sounds like drinking and cigarettes aren't something you will continue with further into your pregnancy. My understanding is that those toxic substances, while not ideal, tend to have the most major effects later in your pregnancy than your exposure (8-20 weeks for alcohol and for smoking when it is ongoing when the fetus is practicing breathing in the 2-3 trimester). 

Most of the time you are getting folic acid supplement through flour. All flour in North America has folic acid added to it. 

And then when you did take extra it should be fine. Here is a link to some info about the formal folic acid recommendations in Canada  . They recommend up to 1mg for all women - and for some up to 5mg per day. And folic acid is water soluble. You will pee out any extra your body doesn't need. 

:) 

[pammysue]

Congratulations!!! You are a great Mama! Please don't worry so much. Most woman don't even know they are pregnant at 4 weeks and continue to smoke and drink for weeks. It sounds like the smoking and drinking that much were short term. Ilm sure your baby is fine.

As for the prenatal and folic acid many women don't even take them when pregnant for various reasons (I didn't because they made my 9 month 24 hours a day "morning sickness" so bad I could not eat no matter when or how I took them) and deliver very healthy babies. If you do a search you will find many threads about it, maybe they will help you feel better.

Keep eating right, taking your vitamins and enjoy being pregnant!

[phathui5]

It would take a lot more folic acid than you were taking to overdose on folic acid.

And with the recreational/toxic substances, you can comfort yourself with the fact that it's hard to damage your baby before the placenta is formed.

[Monday]

Thanks everyone who responded.  You have made me feel a LOT better.  And no I definately won't be ingesting anymore toxis substances for a LOOONG time.  I keep looking back and kicking myself about that last night in Spain.  We eat pretty healthily when not on holiday so hopefully there was enough folic acid in my system through the green veggies I always eat a lot of.  I dont think flour in the UK is fortified with folic acid, I know some commercial cereals are but we generally eat porridge and I've checked and it isn't fortified.  My DH keeps telling me not to worry.  And there is nothing I can do now about it anyway.  I'm a bit paranoid that my BFP is going to fade as have had a chemical pregnancy a few months ago, although the line didnt get dark at all with that one it only lasted three days and this time the line is as dark as the control line and getting stronger each day.  Maybe I need to stop POAS 5 times a day and just relax more!  Yoga class here I come....

Thanks everyone