appt today, kinda freaking out

will'sbeachprincess

So we had our 16 week appt today and everything was fine so I was told.  We had an unofficial ultrasound just to get the heartrate and everything was looking good.

I just got a phone call at home from my doctor.  She wanted to verify that I had told them at my first appt that I had drank some alcohol before I knew I was pregnant (I had 3 drinks during the week that I conceived and nothing else since).  She had told me at that first appt that it shouldn't affect anything and not to worry.  Today over the phone she says she wants me to go see a specialist "just to be on the safe side."  WTH?  She said nothing had changed as far as my exam or bloodwork or anything like that, this is just to be sure.  So she said this specialist would follow my pregnancy and the birth "just to be on the safe side."  Yeah I'm kinda freaking out now, thanks.

Anyone else have this experience or similar?  I'm kinda in shock and feeling like I've been labeled a bad mother. 

MrsRebecca

Wow. I got beyond trashed drunk the night before I found out I was 4.5 weeks pregnant and my doctor never batted an eye.

I wonder what she is concerned about? You don't even share anything with the baby until 6 weeks so you should be fine.

bobbidall

So she is your primary and you had the u/s with an OB or tech? 

MrsKlos

I went out for a bachelorette party two days before I had a positive pregnancy test (not thinking I was pg)...I told the dr. I drank off and on for 12 hours and probably smoked a pack of cigarettes (I am a drunk smoker).  She didn't seem concerned and it has never come up again...she just said.."well now that you know you're pregnant I would recommend stopping" and we both laughed.  I am not usually a "they are out to get you" kinda gal but does this doctor get any referral peks from the specialist because this just seems odd.

mrs.Awoods

MrsRebecca:

Wow. I got beyond trashed drunk the night before I found out I was 4.5 weeks pregnant and my doctor never batted an eye.

I wonder what she is concerned about? You don't even share anything with the baby until 6 weeks so you should be fine.

Exactly - that's just weird.

Taylor11

That is ridiculous, I would be livid...  WTF?  First of all, I was almost 7 wks when I found out, and had been in Cabo shooting tequilla, then came home and drank to celebrate my 30th bday, partied like a rockstar all of July, and my dr said 'no prob'.  If anyone has a reason to be concerned it is me!!  I also have 5 oz of red wine every now and then (like twice a month) w/dinner on a special occasion, my dr said it's fine.

I would call back and tell them this sounds very unusual and you have never heard of such a thing.  I almost wonder if she gets a kickback from sending you to a specialist?  Sounds very strange and fishy to me...  there has to be more to this story than she is telling you!

S2BMrsO

Weird... according to my due date, I conceived June 16th/17th... and we had a rehearsal dinner for our wedding on the 26th, wedding the 27th, and then our honeymoon from June 28-July 5= LOTS AND LOTS of drinking. I found out three days after we got back. My doctor never said anything about it...

Barneso

Hmmm. I smoked heavily until I got my BFP (4 Weeks, 6 days) and then I quit cold turkey.  I was told by my OB that anything done (smoking, drinking) before 6 weeks (6 and 1/2 actually, I think) does NO harm to do the baby as the placenta isn't even formed yet and you're not sharing blood supply with baby.

 

I would probe her for some more answers.  Something is telling me that she did find something abnormal (Not to worry you!)... otherwise I just don't understand this. 

jarbatz

What kind of specialist did she say you should see? 

Bhobbsdz

I met with a Genetic Counselor, I had been to South Beach among other things before I found out I was pregnant, drinking, shots, champagne, and smoking, and she said that early on in the pregnancy, it would not harm the baby.  I would call back and ask her specific questions before going to someone else.  

pandaluvr

I would get a second opinion. With my first child we were helping friends paint their house (hello fumes) and also drinking some really yummy smirnoff watermelon wine cooler thingies. 

I took a test three days later. I told the doctor this and also stressed I very rarely drink and I wasn't drunk I just was drinking while painting not the smartest mommy-to-be-move.

She said it wasn't a problem at all and my daughter is healthy and fine.

I would be careful with specialists too. Sometimes the doctor does get some perks but your insurance company doesn't always pay for those things. They can be very expensive. 

bobbidall

bobbidall:

So she is your primary and you had the u/s with an OB or tech? 

Well my point with this is, if she is a primary physician, I would be less concerned that if it was an OB who does this every day as their job.  Also, DH's mother smoked and drank her entire pregnancy and he is just fine.  I wouldn't worry about it. 

Mrs.Syntax

Yeah, check into WTF your doctor is concerned about.  We conceived around July 1, and were drunk out of our skulls the entire July 4th weekend.  A couple of weeks later we went to a baseball game and had quite a few beers, and two nights before the BFP I had three glasses of wine. My doctor wasn't concerned at all.

will'sbeachprincess

MH is in the airforce so we have TRICARE so it's not like this is costing me any extra or going to affect my insurance premiums or anything like that.  I don't see how my doc could get a kickback since she's a military doc and the specialist would be too.  If anything I would think they'd try to be conservative with stuff like specialists.  And she is the one that did my US, not a tech, but again, that was just to get the heartrate. 

Yeah I'm really at a loss as to what the deal is or if there is more to the story.  Since I don't have to pay extra I guess I'll just look at it as extra care for my LO and me (?).  It can't hurt to have another set of eyes look at me, but I feel like I'm being labeled an alcoholic or something when I'm clearly not.  I'll certainly be asking the specialist if all of this is truly necessary and see what they say.  I'll be LMAO if they say WTF too.

aggielauren

Just to second/third/fourth/etc what everyone else said, I would call your doctor and ask for some more specifics. This pregnancy was unplanned so I had no idea I was pregnant at the beginning. I drank every weekend before my BFP and I even drank the Saturday before I took a pregnancy test on Tuesday - I didn't find out until I was 7 weeks 2 days pregnant. My doctor said it would be fine, just not to drink anymore. I haven't had to do anything extra because of it and my doctor is very conservative.

will'sbeachprincess

jarbatz:

What kind of specialist did she say you should see? 

I honestly couldn't tell you at this point.  I was so shell shocked.  The office of the specialist is supposed to call me within the next week to make an appointment.  I'll followup with you ladies once I actually know wth is going on. 

will'sbeachprincess

kellybellybean:

I had one drink in the two weeks after my LMP but before I conceived, and they still said that was a red flag!  They made me go for a level two ultrasound because of it.  I thought that was slightly insane.

Maybe our docs went to the same school!

mrshutch

MrsJulieT:

I had 3 drinks the week prior to testing too. You'll be fine. I'd call back and ask why she wants you monitored and that if there isn't a specific reason you'd rather skip it.

I would do the same. I didn't realize I was pg until the end of the 1st tri w/ DD and had about 3-4 drinks one night, was on birth control pills for a month, and my OB was completely not concerned. I would question the dr. further to understand what the specific concern is. 

JenGK

With DS, I didn't find out until I was almost 6 weeks, and DH and were on vacation at Sandals the week before I found out.  I was drunk off my a$$ most of the time.  I even won the resort beer-chugging consts.  My doc didn't blink an eye.  I'd ask for more details.  I wouldn't do it unless you get a good reason.  If you go and they do tests that wind up being inconclusive, or give you loads of literature on possible risks, you would be worrying yourself for nothing.

nestinginjapan

I'm really surprised your doctor said that -- I confessed to having 2-3 glasses a wine a night for the first 4 1/2 weeks of my pregnancy. She said that it's normal for women not to know until they miss their period and as long as I stopped when I found out (which I obviously did), I was fine!

will'sbeachprincess

Small update:

I called the dr's office back over an hour ago and they said she'd call me back.  Since they are now closed I'm guessing she might call me tomorrow. 

I also was able to talk to MH.  He said he thinks it's a military thing- any "red flags" and you have to be followed up on.  He says I would have been better off to tell them I never drink than to admit I'd had those 3 drinks.    He's not happy about it though and said I need to call the dr. back and make sure this is absolutely necessary.  Neither of us want it on my file that I'm being worked up for drinking while pregnant!  So I will be calling them back tomorrow hoping to get some answers!

nattyncbride

I hope you hear back soon, do keep us posted.  Just to add to the litany, I drank like I have not drank since undergrad 2 weeks before getting my BFP, and one week before I was at the beach with the in-laws chugging wine.  So we are all there with you!!  This just sounds crazy, don't blame you or your H for being a little miffed - at the least, they should have given you more info when they called!  

katester72904

Thats so weird.. I told my OB that before i knew i was pregnant about 4 weeks I drank a bottle of wine..