Research: FAS

Here's an excerpt from an article I found helpful. No, I don't binge drink (I don't drink at all anymore period) but I did enjoy wine and wine tasting before getting pregnant. So when "positive" came up on the stick I freaked.

What happens if I drink too much before I’m pregnant?

If you are planning a pregnancy, it is advisable to stay within a safe limit during this time.

Alcohol can affect a woman and a man’s ability to conceive.

Drinking heavily (over 6 units per day) before and during pregnancy can:

• affect your ability to conceive
• increase the risk of early miscarriage

Binge drinking can affect the way you think about yourself and the way you behave in social situations. Binge drinking can affect your relationships and your lifestyle. A baby, in turn, may be affected indirectly by these changes.
Many pregnancies are unplanned. You may have had a ‘one-off’ binge and then later discover that you conceived at or around this time. Many women in this situation want to know whether any harm was caused to the baby as a result of the ‘one-off’ binge. They want to know whether it is safe to continue with the pregnancy.

A single episode of binge drinking around the time of conception is less likely to be harmful to a woman or her baby.

Additional research:

• Reuters
• The Gestation of Stupidity
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Running to be a mommy

So, it’s official. I’m pregnant. I found out on November 21st and was a bit shocked. Happy, shocked, and freaked.

When the test first showed two lines I didn’t believe it. So I did another. Still didn’t believe it so I bought a different type of test – the type that says “pregnant” or “not pregnant.” After the first one of these I thought maybe it forgot the word “not.” So I did yet another. Thoroughly dehydrated and convinced, I called Matt. The call was thrilling – we were both giddy and felt as if we were disconnected from the world – only to the two words “I’m pregnant.” Then fear snuck in.

I was initially freaked because, as most late 20-somethings in San Francisco do, I had gone out the night before for dinner and wine with co-workers. A lot of dinner and wine.

After reading studies from UK clinics and the Mayo Clinic and then seeing a Dr. I was convinced I hadn’t caused FAS in this early stage. Phew! One hurdle down. Now the rest of the fear.

Will it be healthy? What do I eat? Can I work out? OMG, I qualified for Boston and can’t run now – I’ll be 6months by then… Where do we live? How can we afford this? And about a million more.

All in all, I have to say I’m thrilled. I have had “hush little baby” stuck in my head the past week and every time I see parents pushing their stroller by I feel a pang of joy in my heart.

The next nine months will be … interesting. The rest of the years after that, fantastic.