Worried - Beverly,MA

if serious damage has been done, chances are you will miscarry. I hate to say it like that, but I don't know how else to say it.

Congratulations! If it helps any, when I found out I was 2 months pregnant I had been drinking a fair amount. Like you, I stopped immediately, and I was also very worried. That was a few decades ago, and today I have a healthy, smart son (graduated from a top law school.) Just stick to your plan (no smoking or drinking, eat healthy) and your baby will be fine!

Lots and lots of people have been in the exact same situation and nothing is wrong with the baby.

Heck, some of our parents smoked and drank throughout their pregnancies and the kids (us) turned out okay.

I did this with my first pregnancy - in fact, I found out the first week of January and I had had an entire bottle (maybe and a half) of wine on New Year's Day. The doctor wasn't worried - just reminded me it was time to stop (which, of course, I knew - as do you).

Don't worry about it! What's done is done, and no amount of worrying is going to help. Take a deep breath! This happens to so many women just because most of us don't know until the 3rd or 4th week.

Mention it to your OB so that he/she is aware of your concerns, but really, try not to worry about it.

With pregnancies and with life, it's important to do the best thing you can right now. And right now, you are doing the best you can.

Congratulations!!!

I had the exact thing happen to me! When I asked the doctor about it she said those first few weeks the fertilized egg isn't fully implanted so not to worry. Just fess up to your doctor when you go for that first appointment and I'm sure he/she will reassure you!

well first calm down. The anxiety can be worse for the baby than anything.

Second.... Congrats on your baby!

You'll want to be upfront with your Dr about the drinking. how much did you drink and how often? If you were 3 weeks late, although technically you are 7 weeks pregnant, your fetus is really only 5 weeks old (and a few days of that they weren't even implanted. So, we're talking about a month here.....

Did you drink so much you vomited? blacked out? repeated drinking daily until your words were slurred and gross motor function was impaired? do you drink so much that your body is physically addicted and you experience withdrawl on days that you don't drink any alcohol?

Or... are we talking 3 glasses of wine with lasagna twice a week?

There is a HUGE difference.

Alcohol kills brain cells and affects liver function. Of you AND the baby. That's why as the baby's cells are forming it can be bad if the newly formed cell is destroyed. But in order for that to happen it requires you to be DRUNK (or have a consistent daily intake of a large quantity of alcohol) - not just 'drinking'.

As far as smoking.... unless you are smoking packs and packs each day you are fine. Our parents all smoked constantly with us - so although it's not healthy for your baby I think as long as you stop now that is really what matters.

Definitely talk with your Dr. And be very up front about how much and how often and if you will need help to not drink or smoke any more throughout your pregnancy as well as after the baby is born.

Good Luck.

Yay, congratulations on your pregnancy! What an awesome christmas gift :) Try not to worry too much about it, I'm sure everything will turn out fine. Nearly everyone of us has had a drink while we were pregnant but didn't know it yet. In fact, my OB said it was fine to continue to have a glass of wine here and there throughout my pregnancy if I wanted to! The smoking too, as long as you have stopped now, that is the most important thing. Make your doctor's appointment and start taking prenatal vitamins ASAP if you're not doing so already. And give yourself a break!

I'm sure things are fine. Many women have had unexpected pregnancies and continued with "vices" until they realized they were pregnant. Congrats to you and your new little blessing.

I had a doctor friend tell me that coffee and alcohol was over villainized when it came to pregnancy. He was telling me this as I asked for decaf at his house. He said that a serving of alcohol or a serving of caffeine a day would not hurt your baby (I took the decaff anyway). If you think about a 6oz glass of wine that is 14% alcohol, for a 150 lb woman taking into account about a 60% body water ratio that results in a blood alcohol level of less than 0.01 by dilution alone. Plus, everyone is right that the baby doesn't implant until about the time your period is due anyway. I still wouldn't drink intentionally, but it made me feel better when I realized I'd had a beer the week before I found out I was pregnant with my now healthy and normal daughter.

If you are worried about it, I would bring it up with the doctor. But you can't beat yourself up over "what-ifs." Just be healthy from here on out and I am sure your baby will be fine.

The fertilized egg lives off itself for the first few days to weeks and once the placenta is formed that is when your bloodsupply feed the embryo. I would not worry too much, many a woman in the past did not know she was pregnant before these home pregnancy became available and many of us indulged before we knew we were pregnant. I think your body also does something to make you not like it anymore, since I knew I was pregnant but was allowed to have a stout (sweet) beer but it just did not taste right to me. As soon as my daughter was born the sweet taste I enjoyed returned. So relax, and congratulations.

SO many woman don't know they are pregnant, at first. Shoot, my sister didn't even know until she was 10 weeks, because she almost never has a period. She did drink during that time. Her baby is great!! I think your experience is very common, actually.

Just tell your OB how much you drank and they will know what to keep an eye on. I don't think you should worry yourself silly!!

Congrats! Try not to worry. Although, the first trimester is when most of the baby's development occurs, the fertilized egg is not immediately implanted. Don't stress & crongrats again