13 Things to Do as Soon as You Find Out You’re Pregnant
What should you do as soon as you find out you’re pregnant? First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Take a second and breathe it all in. You’re having a baby! But now what?! What should you do in the first few weeks of pregnancy to prepare? Here are 13 important things to do as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.
1. Start taking a pre-natal vitamin (if you aren’t already).
My OB-GYN actually recommended I start my prenatal before trying to conceive as it helps your body absorb the vitamins better, and prepares your body for a healthy pregnancy. If you aren’t already on one, order it today! The nutrients are essential to your baby’s development, in particular in the first four weeks. Look for a supplement that contains at least 400 milligrams of folic acid (crucial to the baby’s brain health) and an omega-3 of DHA (this helps with visual and cognitive growth). I absolutely LOVE Ritual prenatal vitamins and highly recommend them. They have DHA and Folic Acid, along with all the other essential prenatal nutrients.
2. Schedule a doctor’s appointment
If you already have an OB-GYN, great – get in to see them as soon as possible for what’s called a ‘pregnancy confirmation’ appointment. Even though the pregnancy test came back positive, most gynecologists (unfortunately) won’t see you until six to eights after your last period. Don’t worry about that- it’s totally normal! But can feel like a lifetime! While you wait, it makes sense to book an appointment now so that you can get in with your doctor!
3. Check the ingredient labels on your skincare & makeup
With your pregnancy skincare, make sure you aren’t using any retinols or salicylic acids. In makeup, the major ingredient to watch out for while pregnant is phthalates, which are chemicals often found in beauty products that can be harmful to the development of your baby’s organs. If you find a product on your shelf with this included, find a replacement stat.
4. Download some pregnancy apps!
I’ve loved following along the progress my baby is making in the womb on the apps! Each week, my husband and I will read through the week’s ‘baby news’ and talk about the size and development of our little coconut! I like “The Bump” app and the “What to Expect” app. I like having both and checking both! They’ll tell you how big your baby is each week, and all kinds of fun details and articles.
5. Order a pregnancy book or two!
My favorite to start with? Expecting Better. And Bringing up Bebe next!
6. Get prepared for early pregnancy symptoms to start any minute
While you may be one of the God-gifted women who enjoys an easy first trimester, chances are, you might experience some level of nausea and/or vomiting, jaw-dropping fatigue, odd food cravings and aversions, sore breasts, broken sleep, and a lot of peeing. Like, a LOT. For me, the exhaustion and nausea hit me before anything else. Right around 5.5-6 weeks of pregnancy. But it’s definitely different for every woman. For me, I could fight off the nausea with eating (mostly carbs), but the exhaustion I couldn’t kick. I took naps every day and slept 10 hours every night. There were days I didn’t get out of bed! It was like being permanently hungover for 7 weeks (without any alcohol, of course). My worst symptoms were in first trimester from weeks 6-13 or so, but everybody is different!
7. Check out your company’s maternity leave / talk to your boss if you feel you need to at this stage
Depending on your work situation, you may need to tell your boss sooner rather than later. However, unless they’re dealing with horrible morning sickness, most women wait until the end of their first trimester to share any baby news at work. If you’re feeling great and able to move forward as normal at work, then you can definitely wait until closer into the second trimester to tell your work. Up to you! It also definitely doesn’t hurt to peep your company’s maternity leave policy, whether or not you’re telling your boss yet.
8. Pack your purse with water and snacks!
Your hormones are raging thanks to your body growing a HUMAN! As a result, it’s tough to predict when your blood sugar will suddenly hit a low or your nausea will kick into high gear. Highly recommend carrying snacks (and water) in your bag at all times. My favorites are these almond butter packets. And, bonus! Almonds are one of the healthiest things you can eat right now!
9. Read up on pregnancy nutrition
Speaking of great things to eat right now, I found it helpful to know about ‘pregnancy superfoods’ and what I should be eating more of during pregnancy to keep the little one as healthy as possible!
10. Decide when you’re going to tell people
When you share the news is totally up to you and your partner, and it’s personal for every couple! While we told our parents around 10 weeks, we kept it a secret from everyone else for a long time! I told a few close best friends, and kept it a secret from everyone else until I was 5 months pregnant. For us, this was so nice because we got to spend time soaking up the news together and nesting a bit before opening up to everyone, which worked really well for our situation (especially in a career like mine, when opening up to everyone often means a LOT of unsolicited online opinions on everything you do). That being said, what worked for us may not be for you! It can be comforting to talk to someone who’s been through it before early on, especially when your mind is reeling with emotions and worries and questions and your Google fingers are getting a little too trigger happy.
11. Take a photo of yourself from the side!
In a few short weeks, you’re going to start growing a little tiny bump!! Take a picture of your tummy now so that when the going gets huge, you can look back and see the progress. We’ve been taking pictures every week on Friday on a polaroid, and it’s been so fun!
12. Start brainstorming baby names!
This was one of my favorite things to do with my husband in the beginning of our pregnancy. It’s so fun to picture the little baby that will become, and what his or her name will be. Keep a running list of favorites in your phone, and, as a tip, DON’T TELL PEOPLE YOUR BABY NAMES!!! Everyone, and I mean, everyone will have an opinion or preconceived notion. If you and your significant other love it, it’s going to be a great name. Don’t let other people’s opinions sway you otherwise.
13. Start planning your babymoon!!!
An ideal babymoon takes place towards the end of your second trimester. So start thinking about what places would be fun to go that time of year! My husband and I babymooned in Anguilla, Cabo, and Maui! They were all so incredible. I have a bunch of tips on traveling while pregnant in this post here!
Check out these other blog posts
The most important things to put on your baby registry
The best babymoon destinations in the USA
The best babymoon destinations in Mexico
