Things To Do When You Find Out You’re Pregnant: Learn all the things to do when you find out you’re pregnant! After a positive pregnancy test, your head might be spinning as to what to do next. Use this as a guide to know what to do once you find out you are expecting.
Exciting, maybe a bit scary, and all the feels can race through your mind. Let me help ease your mind, and help you get started on the new chapter of your life!
What Do Do When You Find Out You’re Pregnant
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Prenatal Vitamins
One of the first things you will want to do is grab some prenatal vitamins. As you grow your baby, you will want to make sure you have extra nutrients to give your baby. One key reason for prenatal vitamins is ensuring you get enough folic acid in your first trimester. This can help reduce the chances of spina bifida, which is a birth defect.
I recommend looking for a supplement that has omega-3 of DHA and folic acid; both are great to help with the growth of your baby and development while they are in the womb. These are my personal favorite prenatal vitamins (I’ve taken them during every pregnancy! They taste great and don’t make you nauseous. These are also a great alternative and a lot cheaper (but are swallowable–so you have to be good with that!)
Make Doctors Appointment
Find an OBGYN you are interested in, and get an appointment set up. It can take time to get in, so don’t wait too long to call since you need to be seen around the 6-8 week mark of your missed period. Or if you are unsure of how far along you are, make sure to tell them that so they can get you in sooner to see how far along you are.
Insurance
One thing to consider is reaching out to your insurance company. You might want to check with them and see what your coverage is like. That way, you can kind of gauge how it will affect finances in terms of labor, prenatal care, and so on. You can also check to see that your insurance will cover your baby under you for the first 30 or 60 days of life. It always makes sense to know these things before you plan an expensive ultrasound!
We personally waited to book our expected birth date ultrasound until the new year with our third and fourth babies because by waiting a few days, we saved over $1,500!
Pregnancy Books
Consider investing in a pregnancy book or two. You will want to learn about the changes your body is going throw, how the baby is growing, and so on. Another thing is you will want to know foods to avoid while pregnant. There is a lot to learn, but remember, day by day motto and don’t stress. What to Expect When You Are Expecting is a classic book that is recommended by most doctor offices.
Drink More Water
Make sure to add extra water to your routine. It is essential to stay hydrated while you are pregnant. The goal is to drink around 10 cups up to a little over 2 liters of fluid a day.
Track Pregnancy with an App
Whether you use a book or an app on your smartphone, you can track the growth of your baby. Learn the size of your baby, milestones they are reaching, and more. It is the fun part of pregnancy, along with the first kick, seeing the baby move, and more.
My favorite free pregnancy app is Babycenter’s–it gives you weekly updates on what your baby is doing/ how big they are and what you might be experiencing!
Baby Bump Pictures
Consider start taking pictures of your growing belly. It is so fun to show your child later on in life how your belly looked while they were inside you. Plus, it is a great memory for you to look back. Most women do a picture at least once a month–most often one a week!
Announcing
After you find out you are pregnant, you might want to scream it from the rooftop! But, consider if you are going to tell family and friends right away, or wait to hear that everything is okay once you get past your first trimester. There is no wrong or right time, and it is all in what you feel comfortable with.
Along with that, also consider letting your work know about when you are due so that they can plan for the time off you will take for maternity leave. It is good to talk with them also to ensure you are covered for maternity leave.
Declutter
Consider decluttering your home a bit. Maybe you can work on cleaning out a room to transform into the nursery. Free up closet space around your home and more. I find that cleaning early in pregnancy will help you feel more prepared when you get closer to the arrival of your baby. You will be a lot less comfortable at the end of your beginning, so you might not have as much energy as you do in the beginning.
Everyone is different with their pregnancies, though. I was severely nauseous with all four pregnancies up until 12 weeks–and my best energy was between 13 weeks and 22 weeks!
Stock Up
When you find out you are expecting, slowly begin stocking up on essential supplies for the home. That way, when the baby arrives, you don’t have to worry about heading out to the store for toilet paper, and other essentials. That will save you a lot of stress, and if you do it slowly, you don’t have to worry about a big chunk of money spent all at once.