So you just peed on a stick and two lines showed up. Now what? It’s kind of scary and surreal, I know. But your body knows what to do. But what tasks do you need to do when you find out you’re pregnant?
There are several things you can do to prepare mentally and physically yourself for your upcoming bundle of joy! This list is not all inclusive. You may have more things you need to do, but this is a great starting place for what you need to complete early in pregnancy.
Disclaimer: the following information is not medical advice.
Budget
Babies are expensive. When you first find out you are pregnant, you should sit down with whoever will be impacted financially, whether that’s your spouse, significant other, or other family members.
If you don’t know where to start with budgeting, check out this post here.
Prenatal
When pregnant, make sure you are taking a prenatal vitamin that has at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. Folic acid helps prevent birth defects. Prenatal vitamins have many necessary vitamins that a pregnant mother needs to help her baby grow. If you can’t swallow pills, there are many gummies also available.
If you aren’t yet pregnant but are planning on becoming pregnant you should start taking a prenatal vitamin. Make sure that the prenatal vitamin that you choose has at least 400 micrograms of folic acid.
Schedule your first appointment
Decide if you want to go to a midwife or doctor and schedule your first check up with them between 6 to 12 weeks. Make sure that if you go with a midwife that you have a backup doctor in case something happens. I scheduled my first appointment when I was 12-14 weeks pregnant with my first. With my second I think we had an appointment at 8 weeks.
For my son I really wanted to go to a midwife at a birthing center, but during labor I ended up with my back up provider at the hospital. For my daughter I also tried to go with the midwife’s, but during my pregnancy I ended up with gestational diabetes and with the same back up provider. For my next pregnancy I plan on just starting out with the provider who delivered my two other babies.
Tell your insurance
Make sure that your insurance knows that you are expecting. Likely this will just take a phone call. It’s important to let them know because it may allow you to have extra services. It’s also good to know if somethings aren’t covered so you can financially plan for that.
If you do not have insurance, you may qualify for Medicaid when you are pregnant. Pregnancy and birth are expensive, if you dont have insurance, it’s best if you can find some way to get help. Call them and see if you will qualify.
Food
This is one thing that many people disagree on, there’s literally hundreds of things that you possibly should avoid when pregnant and it’s impossible to avoid them all.
With my son I was super stressed about trying to follow all the rules on which foods I should and shouldn’t eat. I think I had a list of 60 items that I shouldn’t eat during pregnancy at some point. After I became more comfortable with my pregnancy, I let up. With my daughter – I basically ignored any suggestions on which items I should or shouldn’t avoid. My morning sickness was way worse with her, and I had a toddler to raise.
With my son, we went to Japan at the beginning of my second trimester and I know I had raw fish several times while I was there. I also definitely had lunch meat as that was a huge craving during those early weeks.
I also had Brie, herbal tea, raw eggs (in cookie dough), and unwashed vegetables during both pregnancies – which are said to be no-no’s.
I personally wouldn’t worry about most of the foods that are “off limits”.
The take away: Definitely don’t have alcohol. Limit your caffeine intake. Lower your high mercury fish intake. All the other “rules”, as far as food goes, I feel are kind of extreme. Eat in moderation and you will be fine.
You should however try to green up your diet. Eating healthy will help set you up for a healthy pregnancy. Eating lots of whole foods in many colors will insure your baby is getting all the nutrients they need. Check out this post on how to eat spinach when you hate spinach.
Related: 9 Morning Sickness Remedies
Announce it
Decide when you want to share the exciting news, how you will share it, and with who. Will you post on Facebook? Will you tell close family and friends early on? Most people share the news at around 12 weeks.
For my son we shared the news around 8-10 weeks. At around 13 weeks we posted on Facebook about it. For my daughter I posted a very cryptic message that I didn’t realize was so cryptic at 11 weeks. After it seemed that no one got it I didn’t post anything about my pregnancy until she was born. When we have another kid, I might not post anything on Facebook at all. I actually really liked that people had to spend time with me to know my pregnancy status, instead of just knowing from Facebook.
Set up a registry
I like to get started on my registry as soon as possible. I use Amazon’s baby registry. I think there was only one item I couldn’t find on amazon for my first baby and it was definitely a want, not a need. But Amazon will allow you to add items from other sites! Everything you need for your baby is on Amazon. If you live in the contiguous U.S. you get a free baby box delivered to you. If you don’t, like me, then they won’t ship it to you. You receive a discount code after your baby shower for any items that haven’t been purchased.
Check out my post 12 Necessities For A Baby to get your registry started.
