Positive Pregnancy Test, What Next?
If you have just taken a pregnancy test and it came back positive congratulations!
I’m sure you have a whole array of emotions going through you at this time. First things first, just know that feeling this way is completely normal.
Finding out you are pregnant is one of the most exciting and overwhelming times of your life
Getting pregnant certainly is exciting!
Once the initial shock has worn off, what happens next? What do you do with your new found news?
Below I have listed 11 things that you need to start thinking about now that you are pregnant. You can also get my TOP 5 most important list of things to do at the end of this post to download so you can start to plan your new life!
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11 things to do once you get a positive pregnancy test
1. Check the results
Not to burst your happy bubble here but if you have just got a positive pregnancy test result then you need to think about how comfortable you are with the result.
Some pregnancy tests can be unpredictable and can give false positives.
Home pregnancy tests can be unreliable because of how they measure the HCG levels in your urine.
At certain times of the day, your HCG levels can seem a lot lower than at other times.
Depending on the time of day that you decide to take the test you may not see the correct results.
If you are not sure about the accuracy of your home pregnancy test then it would be helpful for you to perhaps visit a doctor.
Your doctor will be able to confirm the pregnancy for you by carrying out specific blood tests.
Aside from going to see your doctor, you can also be on the lookout for other early pregnancy symptoms that you may have.
This is a really good pregnancy test that will digitally tell you if you are pregnant or not so there is no confusion.
2. Calculate your due date
Now your pregnancy has been confirmed you should calculate your due date.
Your due date is calculated by going back to the first day of your last menstrual period and count on 28 days.
If you are not comfortable with this method then you can try a due date calculator like this one.
Some people also like to get a pregnancy planner just like this so they can keep track as their pregnancy progress which is a really good idea and a wonderful keepsake that you can forever treasure.
A pregnancy planner will help you to note down how you are feeling at certain periods of your pregnancy.
You can note down foods that may make you feel sick, cravings, that sort of thing.
It might seem like a bit of chore as time goes on but once your baby is born and you look back on it, you will really appreciate all those wonderful moments that you wrote about.
3. Decide a time to share your good news
This is a really exciting time. If you are ready to share your big news with friends and family you can begin thinking about the different ways you can make your announcement.
Some couples like to surprise people with t-shirts, pictures, videos, and many other ways.
There are thousands of ways to be creative with your announcement these days.
Or you may not be quite ready to share your good news with the whole world yet and that is perfectly okay too.
If that is the case then you must make sure your close family and friends are sworn to secrecy until you are really to tell everyone.
Some people find that after the first trimester has passed this is a good time to share.
The first trimester is considered to be a risky time for both mother and baby so once this period has come and gone couples feel more comfortable sharing the news of the pregnancy.
Don’t wait too long though as your pregnancy could soon start to show.
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4. Start thinking about your long-term caregiver and place of birth
Do you want to give birth using a doctor or a midwife?
Usually going with a doctor is a more “robust” option.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy involving things such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other complication then you may need to use a doctor to assist in your birth.
A doctor will have lots of experience in this type of delivery and be fully prepared for any complications that may arise.
Using a midwife is a little more relaxed and is a great option if you want to have a home birth and as little intervention in the birthing experience as possible.
Either option is suitable.
5. Prenatal care
Start to think about if you want to take folic acid or folate. I always prefer to take folate as its much more natural for the body to absorb. I have never had a problem taking folate but folic acid always upsets my stomach. This is my favorite brand of folate prenatal tablets to take.
Do you want pregnancy scans? Are you happy having blood tests? How often are you happy to meet with your doctor or midwife? Would you like a doula?
Is there anything you are unsure about that you would like extra clarification on?
Make notes of any questions that you have and be sure to discuss them with your caregiver. Remember, no question is too silly to ask.
6. Start reading!
Read about all the wonderful things to expect during your pregnancy.
Read about the things that you need to be prepared for such as morning sickness or any weird pregnancy symptoms.
Get yourself as educated as much as possible so that you are fully prepared for what is to come.
There are so many things that happen during pregnancy to not only you as the mother but also your baby. It can even have an effect on how you relate to your partner as well.
With pregnancy, you never know what exactly to expect! Each one of my 4 pregnancies have been different.
7. Think about creating some good habits
Now that you are pregnant, you don’t need to wait for January before you start those new year resolutions.
This is the perfect time for you to create some really good habits before your baby arrives and is still in the womb.
Think about clean eating habits. If you are a serial junk food eater, consider cutting down or incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet.
Look after your health more.
As your baby grows bigger inside you they will be using up more and more of your nutrients so you need to make sure that you stay healthy for the sake of your baby.
The great thing about all of this is that once you create these habits you can continue them after your baby is born.
Eating healthy will be great for your baby if you are planning on breastfeeding.
While we are talking about breastfeeding there is a wonderful online breastfeeding class that you can take here. When I gave birth to my firstborn I wasn’t actually even feeding him properly for the first few days. I had no idea he wasn’t latched on correctly and I felt awful once the midwives picked it up! You don’t have to make the same mistakes as me. Take a look at the class here, you will be so glad that you did.
8. Exercise
When you think of exercise your mind immediately imagines sweating in a gym somewhere. Honestly exercising whilst you are pregnant doesn’t have to be this way at all.
You can do gentle exercises such as take short walks or doing a pregnancy exercise class once a week which can be non-intensive.
You can even climb up your stairs at home a few extra times a day to help you to stay fit.
The point I’m making is that doing exercise just means being a little more conscious of staying active rather than doing something heavily intensive.
If you would prefer to more intensive exercises then just make sure you run it by your doctor to make sure you are well enough to do so.
9. Think about your options once you are almost due
If you are working will you be taking maternity leave? If so for how long? Do you want to return to work after your baby is born?
Will you breastfeed? Will you pump milk for your baby if you decide to go back to work?
Do you want a nanny or will you put your child into some type of childcare?
There are so many options to consider. Just make sure that you are comfortable with your choices.
10. Pick a name
Picking a name has got to be one of the hardest, most fun things you will get to do.
There is so much thought that you have to put into picking baby names.
Will your child be named after someone? Do you want the name to have a meaning? Do you want a middle name?
There is so much choice here…good luck with that!
11. Enjoy your pregnancy
Even though you may not be one of the women that get to have a smooth pregnancy, try to enjoy it.
Your 9 months of pregnancy will come and go by extremely quickly so you don’t want to miss it.
Write down happy things that happen. When did you first feel your baby kick?
The record number of times you were sick in one day, the smells that you couldn’t tolerate and the foods that you just can’t seem to get enough of.
All of these things make for happy memories.
Enjoy your pregnancy week by week.
Now you have your positive pregnancy test, you know what to do next!
My list of TOP 5 things you need to do now that you are pregnant
Get my list here by filling out the form below:
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