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Drug/alcohol use before knowing I was pregnant

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funlover

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Aug 20, 2014
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I very recently found out I'm about one month pregnant. I am thinking of keeping the baby, but am concerned because I drank frequently throughout this month, used cocaine maybe 3-4 times (not a ton each time, a couple small lines), and smoked cigarettes and pot every day. I quit all as soon as I found out and before I make a decision, but I am wondering if anyone knows whether my chances of having a healthy baby would be good at this point. Thanks
 
There must be a lot of women who indulge in alcohol, cigs, poor diet and drugs etc before they even know they are pregnant. As long as you stop as soon as you know, all the better for you and your growing fetus. If you know after a month you have a great beginning to work on.

Try not to worry about it but keep up with a healthy lifestyle and medical advice.

Best of luck x
 
The chances are at one month they will be fine. Perhaps not the best start to life but I'm positive any damage to your child can Be offset by reading to them every night once they are born and ensuring they receive their vaccinations.
 
As long as you didn't IV coke left and right then babys gonna be okay(not a doctor) keep in mind the "clean,sober,healthy" pregnancy hasn't been around all that long for real. They used to give babies Herion cough drops and that wasn't but a century ago, chicks have been abusing there bodies and birthing healthy babies for ever. I wouldn't do it haha but don't stress yourself cuz that IS bad for baby, hope you have a smooth birth and healthy baby, they're the shit
 
I have taken several courses this year regarding alcohol and drug use during pregnancy and the first month is the most important month in terms of development as the brain and spinal column are the first things to form and everything else forms around them. Alcohol can have devestating, cascading, and pervasive effects on the development of a fetus with respect to physical and mental development. Smoking cigarettes also does significant damage. While it's possible to have a "healthy" baby, it's also very possible to have a baby who has mental and physical disabilities, and those diasabilities may not be obvious until later into childhood. At this point the damage is done and can't be undone because that phase of development is finished.

Children who were exposed to alcohol and cigarettes during development have a much higher chance for mental illness and depression which can be debilitating in their own right. Being a good parent and reading to them may have an impact, but how well will they function as an adult and how enjoyable will their lives be if they constantly have to struggle with depression and mental illness or other disabilities? Some of those issues also dramatically increase the likelihood of them becoming addicts themselves which is a difficult and tortuous path.

I am familiar with some of your other posts and am honestly concerned about the amount of alcohol that you could have exposed your child to, as 30 years old is young to experience some of the health issues you have experienced because of your use. It also seems that you have some unresolved issues to deal with which are difficult to do when you're not a parent, let alone trying to work on them when you have a child. Please don't think I am judging as I'm not, I was a horrible alcoholic myself and am just very familiar with different aspects of alcoholism (I also have chronic gastritis from drink and I hate it - you have my sympathies).

I think you should have this conversation and speak openly and honestly with your doctor and get their feedback. There may be tests that they can do. Having a child is a personal decision and I'm not going to make a recommendation one way or another. Your situation is a huge gamble. Things to consider, do you want children right now - are you ready to stop the partying? Is your health in a good state for children? Are you mentally prepared for motherhood, and do you have support for such a lifestyle change? Can you take care of a special needs child, both financially and emotionally? Are you prepared to take care of a special needs child who may never be able to live on their own as an adult? Do you have a plan in place to take care of both you and the child should you get bad postpartum depression?

I also want to add that becoming a parent is a personal decision. If you're not quite ready yet there is nothing wrong with terminating the pregnancy and waiting until you are ready. I understand that everybody has their opinion, but this is your life. You have to do what you think is best for you. Too many people enforce their ideals on others, and too many people listen to advice that doesn't work for them and end up miserable for years, if not the rest of their lives. Why bring a life into this world if you're not ready or it doesn't have a good chance to thrive or may be miserable for its entire existence? You have to do what you feel is best as you have to live with the consequences. please discuss your concerns with your doctor, and please do what is best for you.
 
Unfortunately, Moreaux is right - the earlier on since conception, the more prone the fetus is to all kinds of stressors and harm. Moreaux may have overstated some of the possible consequences; not that they can't happen, but the likelihood isn't as big as you might think, but it's not non-existent either, and very real. Whatever your personal beliefs on abortion are, you have to also realize that you're deciding for two people if you decide to have the child. However unlikely, the chances your child will have problems in their life (and you as well) if you have it now rather than later are significantly bigger. Having a planned child is better for both the parents and the baby; let alone the fact that the alcohol-rich headstart isn't exactly perfect.

Just some food for thought.
 
Before I knew I was pregnant, I got drunk about 10 times. Xanax twice. Handful of cigarettes, some pot. Coke once. Stopped everything as soon as I found out which was about 5 weeks gestational age. Jake is a very alive, healthy 5 year old that scored 9 goals today at his soccer game! This of course doesn't give you or anyone a free pass. I'm not a doctor but know that all of the aforementioned activities could have devastating results in the first trimester. Who knows, had I abstained from everything Jake could have scored 15 goals today.
 
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