So you were feeling those pesky first-trimester symptoms and now you finally have a positive pregnancy test in hand! Congratulations mama!!! You’re pregnant!
Discovering that you’re pregnant is a momentous occasion filled with a whirlwind of emotions, from joy and anticipation to perhaps a touch of apprehension. Fear not, because I’m here to offer guidance on what to do next, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the adventure that lies ahead.
So now that you have confirmed your pregnancy, what do you do next?! Based on my experience, here is a list of things to do when you find out you’re pregnant.
Related:
How Do I know if I’m Pregnant?
Table of Contents
1. Start taking prenatal vitamins
First and foremost, let’s talk about the importance of prenatal care. As soon as you see those two little lines on the pregnancy test, it’s time to start thinking about your health and the health of your growing baby. One of the initial steps is to begin taking prenatal vitamins. While ideally, you would have started them before conception, it’s never too late to begin. Prenatal vitamins play a crucial role in supporting the healthy growth and development of your baby, reducing the risk of complications such as premature birth and birth defects. With numerous options available, it’s essential to find a prenatal vitamin that suits your preferences and meets your nutritional needs.
When I was looking for a prenatal I had two prerequisites: they can NOT taste like fish (likely due to omega-3’s from fish sources) and they must contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals in adequate amounts. When I found Ritual prenatal I was over the moon. Ritual is a plant-based company that sells prenatal and postnatal vitamins. All the ingredients are plant-based while still maintaining the necessary proportions our growing baby needs.
2. Change your daily habits
Next, let’s address lifestyle changes. It’s time to bid farewell to habits like smoking and excessive drinking and hello to a healthier diet and regular exercise. Pregnancy often brings about cravings and aversions, so making nutritious food choices and staying hydrated is key.
Incorporating light to moderate exercise into your daily routine can help maintain your physical and mental well-being throughout pregnancy. Avoid bending, heavy lifting, and abdominal crunches. Keep your body healthy and don’t be a couch potato like I was, although I know we all wish we could due to that pregnancy fatigue. Yoga, in particular, offers gentle yet effective workouts and can be easily practiced from the comfort of your own home. Just find a beginner’s tutorial on YouTube and follow along! As you get further into pregnancy, invest in a birthing ball and do exercises on it to help open your hips for labor.
As you embark on this journey, it’s essential to evaluate your environment and make adjustments where necessary. Take a close look at your skincare products and household products, opting for those that are safe for use during pregnancy. I created a skincare routine that is tailored for pregnancy and covers some of the most common skin concerns that may arise. I swear by these products and use them even when I’m not pregnant!
3. Check your medications
Next, review your medication list with your healthcare provider to ensure that everything you’re taking is pregnancy-safe. They will let you know what is and is not safe for your baby and can recommend substitutions for the medications that are not safe. If your first appointment is far away and you’re worried about something you need to take daily, call your OBGYN office and have them put you on the phone with a nurse or provider.
A few common medications to stop taking: Stop birth control 1-2 months before getting pregnant to allow time for your hormones to regulate. Do NOT take NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or Advil, for pain or fever; Tylenol is a good alternative. Check prescription meds; I take medication for my colitis which I had to make sure with both my GI doctor and my OBGYN to ensure it was safe! Check with your provider about any vitamins, minerals, and supplements such as greens powders, herbal teas, essential oils, pre-workout, protein powder, collagen, creatine, etc.
Stock up on essentials such as Tylenol, tums, ginger chews, etc that you may need to help curb some of those pesky pregnancy symptoms.
4. Book a dentist appointment
One common symptom in pregnancy is gum sensitivity. It is essential to keep up with your dental cleanings during pregnancy to ensure optimal gum health. Poor oral hygiene may be linked to a decreased immune system and more frequent infections. Keeping up with your 6-month dental cleanings is recommended.
5. Call your OBGYN/Set your first prenatal appointment
Speaking of healthcare providers, scheduling your first prenatal appointment should be a top priority. Reach out to your obstetrician or find one if you haven’t already. I recommend first looking at your health insurance and finding out who is and who is not in-network within reasonable driving distance of your home (you don’t want to end up having to drive an hour to the hospital when labor starts).
Keep in mind that some providers may prefer to see you later in the first trimester, around 8 weeks, to ensure the heartbeat can be detected, but exceptions may be made based on your circumstances. Such exceptions would be if you have preexisting health conditions, have had issues with previous pregnancies, or if you are experiencing new or severe symptoms such as vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain. For example, I had a history of late miscarriage as well as the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, so we had our first prenatal visit at 6 weeks.
6. Call your health insurance company
Now, let’s delve into the realm of insurance. Contact your health insurance provider to understand your coverage and benefits related to prenatal care, childbirth, and postnatal services. Knowing what expenses are covered can help alleviate financial stress down the road. come prepared with a list of questions to ask them, and they will happily provide you with answers. Here are some important questions to ask your health insurance company when you find out you’re pregnant:
Is my provider in-network?
What is my deductible?
What is my OOP?
What is my copay?
What prenatal tests/labs are covered under my insurance?
What about childbirth classes?
What coverage is there if I have complications during pregnancy?
Are my breastfeeding pump and supplies covered?
Do I have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) (saves you pretax dollars to pay for certain medical expenses such as prenatal vitamins and breast pump and parts) and what can that be used towards?
What does my short-term disability cover?
Do I have to contact you when I go to the hospital in labor or can I contact you after the baby is born?
Are the expenses of an at-home birth, water birth, midwife, or doula covered under my policy?
How long of a hospital stay is covered for vaginal birth versus C-section?
Will it cover an extended stay if medically necessary?
What postnatal care is covered? Newborn care, NICU stay, circumcision, immunizations, breastfeeding support, and counseling such as lactation consultants?
How and when can I add my baby to my healthcare plan?
7. Determine your job maternity leave policy and contact HR about FMLA
Next, look into your maternity leave policy at your job. Some jobs have no maternity leave, some have little, and some may cover your entire leave. For me, my job paid for 4 full weeks of leave. After that, my short-term disability kicked in and paid me 60% of my normal pay. Once that was all used up, my checks relied on any saved PTO that I had accrued.
Don’t forget to check your husband’s job parental leave policy as well. Some jobs offer paid leave to both moms and dads, and this could come in useful. Find out if you can take this time off together or stagger your leaves as a way to avoid daycare costs for a little while longer.
I also recommend finding out who to contact about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Getting everything organized early on prevents added stress further into pregnancy. Sometimes there may be a small fee that comes with getting FMLA paperwork from your provider.
8. Start looking for a daycare
Looking ahead, start researching daycare options if you plan to return to work after childbirth. If you are lucky enough that you will be able to stay at home with your baby, I applaud you. I wish I could have had this option, but unfortunately, our finances were not there. The same goes for most of us.
Daycares are very competitive to get into and waitlists can be LONG, especially for newborns. Not to mention you have so many different choices about what type of daycare to send your baby to. There are daycare centers that have a census of about 1 worker to 4 infants, with a maximum of 8 children in a classroom. These centers tend to have the longest waitlists and can get very pricey, especially for newborns. Next, you can hire an at-home nanny who comes to your house to watch your kids and may even partake in some household tasks. This is likely the priciest option.
My husband and I send our son to an in-home daycare. This is a daycare that is provided in the caregiver’s personal home or another private residence. The caregiver must be fully licensed and must undergo extensive training that includes health and safety, rules and regulations, nutrition, identifying and reporting child abuse, child growth and development, behavioral observation and screening, CPR and first aid certification, fire extinguisher training, safe sleep/shaken baby syndrome training, and more. Ratios for how many children a home daycare can have is dependent on the age of the kids. Find out more about in-home daycares in Florida.
We found this option to be the least expensive and the most flexible with our work schedules. We’ve sent our son to two separate in-home daycares now (only switched from the first one due to moving) and we only have positive things to say. These caregivers treat our son like family and it truly feels like we’re just dropping him off at a family member’s home to play with his cousins.
9. Organize your finances
Financial planning is another critical aspect to consider. Take stock of your finances, pay off any outstanding debts, and create a budget to ensure financial stability during this transition. If you are struggling, you are not alone. My son just turned 2 years old and we are just starting to pay back debt. We even managed to accumulate MORE debt in the first 2 years of his life… that is why I emphasize this point SO. MUCH.
You don’t want to be struggling for money when your baby arrives. You don’t want to be worried about debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or struggling to find side hustles to help pay for everyday things like diapers or formula. Take it from me. We relied heavily on family during the first year of our son’s life, and we are SUPER thankful to everyone who helped us. However, not everyone has family that can or is willing to help out like we did. I recommend a bill tracker so you can find out where you can cut back on spending BEFORE baby arrives!
10. Document your Pregnancy Journey
Documenting your journey through pregnancy with photos or journals can provide cherished memories for years to come. There are pregnancy books to track your symptoms and how you feel or you can create a special pregnancy journal. I also love looking back at my bump progress pictures and even included some in my son’s baby photo album.
11. Download pregnancy apps
Pregnancy tracker apps are a great way to keep track of where you are in your pregnancy and what is happening with your baby at every stage. What to Expect is a great app for tracking your pregnancy. It will show you your expected due date and update you weekly on babies size, development, and symptoms you can expect to experience.
12. Plan pregnancy announcement
Lastly, don’t forget to celebrate this special time in your life! Plan a pregnancy announcement that reflects your unique style and preferences, and enjoy sharing the news with loved ones.
I hope that this list helps you to get organized at the start of your pregnancy journey so that you can have peace of mind through the next 9 months of pregnancy. Embrace this journey with open arms, knowing that you have the knowledge and support to navigate the highs and lows of pregnancy. It’s a remarkable chapter in your life, filled with anticipation, love, and endless possibilities. Congratulations again, mama-to-be!
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