Alcohol Consequences

[Kindphriend]

Hello and thank you in advance for your responses.

During the past few weeks I suspected that my girlfriend was pregnant, but was unsure. Yesterday we finally did a home pregnancy test and she is! We are scared but excited. My major concern is that she drank the previous night and also about a week ago. Now she is not in any way a alcoholic but a week ago was a friend of her's birthday and she had maybe 2 or 3 rum and cokes. Last weekend the same...maybe 3 or 4 over 4 or 5 hours. Now she was not drunk, but let's say "happy". I understand the consequences of alcohol especially during the early stages and after doing a pregnancy calculator she is currently at 6 weeks more or less...which means she drank during weeks 4 and 5 (more or less) and I have read this is the worst time to drink and the greatest risk of the child developing FASD or other problems.

My question is how worried should I be? Is there an acceptable amount of alcohol during the early stages? Is there anyway to know early on how the child is developing and if the alcohol has had a negative effect on the early development of the child?

Any responses are much appreciated.

Kind regards,

A worried soon-to-be Dad.

[Sunkissed19]

its sounds like you're gonna make a great dad! i wouldn't worry a bit as long as she doesn't continue to drink. i had some drinks on my birthday this year when i was about 5 weeks pregnant and didn't know it yet and now im 18 weeks pregnant with my baby boy and he is perfectly healthy in every way!

[Kindphriend]

Thank you all for your comments.

I think during this time with all of the emotions that I have and since this will be my first child I am investigating alot and researching about everything that has to do with pregnancy, which I think might be a little dangerous cause there is just WAY too much information about every possible side effect that things can have and what you should and should not do. I'm going a little crazy and think i'm freaking out more than she is.

You're help has put me at ease.

Thank you again.

[martikadragoon]

I drank before I knew I was pregnant for sure both times with my pregnancies. It didn't cause any harm, and as long as she doesn't CONTINUE drinking now that she knows for sure, then things should be perfectly ok.

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

[eddiblair]

Most of the people that I know drank before they knew they were pregnant..I wouldn't worry about it one bit. There is no way to tell in advance (like during pregnancy) if the baby was affected..but that really only happens to alcoholics who drink the entire time the are pregnant. Really. I've never ever heard of it happening to anyone who drank before they found out they were pregnant. Don't worry, and congrats!

[Quinns momma]

She is fine... MANY, MANY women myself included drank very early in pregnancy as we did not know we were pregnant.  Alcohol consumption that early will not have any affect on the growing baby...  as you stated she now knows she is pregnant and is no longer going to consume alcohol. :)   Make sure she is taking her pre-natal vitamins...

Congrats.. :)

[Kindphriend]

Sorry as a side note let me say that I know realize that no alcohol is acceptable and it was irresponisble on both of our parts to have had drinks when she suspected that she was pregnant. Also she will not be consuming a drop more of alcohol as we both understand the negative impacts.