I drank alcohol before I knew I was pregnant. Is this okay?

This is not an uncommon situation. Many women don’t realize they are pregnant and consume alcohol during those early weeks of gestation before they realize it. Unfortunately, there is no way to diagnose fetal alcohol syndrome until the baby is born. In some severe cases it can be diagnosed right at birth, but most cases are not detected until early childhood, and some very mild cases may not be detected at all. 

No amount of alcohol during pregnancy has been deemed safe, and the amount of alcohol consumed is a poor predictor of outcomes. The only way we can determine the effects of any alcohol consumption you might have had is by assessing the child during their development and seeing how they are doing with their cognitive, behavioral, and other developmental milestones. It is best to try and avoid alcohol when you are thinking about conceiving. Once you find out you are pregnant, cut out alcohol and avoid it for the rest of the pregnancy if you have not already done so.