Congratulations- You’re pregnant!
Now what?
First of all, breath. There is nothing that you absolutely have to do right this very second. It’s ok to take some time to let your news sink in and do some celebrating.
Then, whenever you’re ready to get started, here are the 12 things I recommend doing first when you find our you’re pregnant:
1. Tell your spouse or significant other
With my first pregnancy, I was too nervous to look at the pregnancy test after I took it, so I made my husband look. Which means that he was the one who got to tell me that I was pregnant, lol.
But if you haven’t told your spouse or significant other yet, that definitely tops the to-do list.
2. Call your doctor
In the next week or two, you’ll want to call your obstetrician to schedule your first prenatal appointment. Each office is a little different when it comes to the timing. My doctor didn’t need to see me until I was about 8 weeks pregnant- about a month after I found out.
3. Start taking prenatal vitamins
If you have been trying to get pregnant, you are probably already taking prenatal vitamins. Great! Keep taking them.
If not, now is a great time to start taking vitamins every day. When you call your doctor you can ask for a recommendation. (My doctor told me any brand was fine for me as long as they weren’t the gummy ones.)
4. Decide when (and how) you’ll share the news with everyone else
This is a totally personal decision. Some people recommend waiting until you’re at least 12 weeks pregnant since the risk of miscarriage drops off by then.
But, in my opinion, you should start telling anyone you want to whenever you personally feel ready.
If you’re looking for some creative ways to announce your big news, check out these 10 classy pregnancy announcement ideas.
5. Take a look at your diet
While you probably won’t have to completely overhaul your diet, there are a few things that you should cut out when you find out you’re pregnant:
- Unpasteurized juice, cider, or milk (or anything that contains unpasteurized milk, such as soft cheeses- Feta, Brie, etc.)
- Refrigerated smoked seafood (unless you’re cooking it in some way)
- Refrigerated meat spreads
- Untreated or unclean water (for example, from a developing country)
- Raw sprouts
- Alcohol
Here are a few foods that should be fine as long as you take extra precautions:
- Hot dogs and deli meats: Heat them until they are steaming hot.
- Eggs: Make sure the yolks are fully cooked.
- Meat, poultry and fish: Make sure everything is fully cooked/well done.
- Produce: Wash everything thoroughly.
- Caffeine: No more than about 200 mg (1 cup of coffee) a day
You can check out the FDA’s full guide here, and then be sure to head over here for my huge list of pregnancy-friendly snacks.
6. Prepare for the dreaded morning sickness
Hopefully you won’t have to deal with morning sickness at all. Hopefully.
BUT, just in case you do, it’s not a bad idea to stock up on some remedies now. Be sure to check out my ultimate morning sickness survival guide here.
7. Find a pregnancy app that you love
Check out my guide to the best pregnancy apps, in order to find out which one is best for you. You’ll be able to calculate your due date, find out how big your baby is now, and read up on what to expect during your pregnancy.
Plus, you can start to take advantage of the articles and special tools and resources that come with each of these apps. If you want, you can even join a community of other women who are due in the same month as you.
8. Check out this e-book and pregnancy planner
I recently wrote an e-book and published a printable planner all about how to stay organized during your pregnancy. It’s a super helpful step-by-step guide that you can follow throughout all three trimesters. As the author, I might be a little biased, but I definitely recommend checking it out. 😉
9. Take a “baby bump” picture
Want a fun way to document your pregnancy and keep your family and friends up to date? Consider taking weekly or monthly pictures of your growing baby bump.
Check out 20 of my favorite baby bump pictures here for inspiration.
10. Stock up on pregnancy survival items
This is my ultimate list of items to stock up on for a comfortable, healthy pregnancy. Now is a great time to start to peruse Amazon for a few of these items. Or, ask your friend who just had a baby what you can borrow. 😉
11. Review your insurance options
Health insurance can be confusing. I recommend calling your health insurance company now to let them know that you are expecting, and ask them to go over your options with you. What will you be paying for out of pocket? What forms or paperwork will you need to submit?
Ask any questions now rather than later- it could mean the difference between having something paid for and paying for it yourself.
12. Take a deep breath, relax… and celebrate!
This is a super exciting time in your life. Give yourself a day or two to let the news sink in, and just relax. You’ll have lots of time to get everything ready over the next few months.
And from me to you- congratulations! This is a whole new adventure for you, and it is going to be awesome. You’ve got this, mama!
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