That’s what this post is here to help with. When you first find out you’re pregnant, quite a bit of work is ahead of you. Sure you’ve got about 9 months to fully figure it all out, but it’s best to start as soon as possible and make sure you have an idea of what you want your pregnancy and birth to look like. So without further ado, here are the best things to do when you get a positive sign on a pregnancy test. 

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Talk to a Doctor

Of course, the first thing to do is talk to a doctor. You need a medical professional to confirm your pregnancy as soon as possible, or if you’d prefer you can make an appointment with a local midwife instead. Indeed, a lot of prospective parents find it much easier to talk to a midwife thanks to how closely they work with you as pregnancy goes on. 

But why do you need to see a medical professional? Well, you’re unlikely to have many of the answers over the stage of your pregnancy and/or how your baby is currently doing and this is the best way to get clued up. It also ensures you don’t have to go through the difficult process of finding pregnancy care alone! 

The doctor can advise you on having blood tests done to see how well you are, and whether or not you could do with taking some supplements as the pregnancy goes on. You’ll also have the chance to book screening tests to check out the development of your baby, and see if they’re at risk for any conditions or genetically inherited disorders. Prepare yourself for multiple appointment dates. The midwife's office is going to be your second home. And of course if you have any worries or anxieties you can go back and talk to a doctor and/or midwife at any time. 

Talk to a Mental Health Professional

Pregnancy can cause some very confusing feelings and not just because your hormones are currently all over the place. You might be happy about having a baby, or you might be scared and not sure what to do now. You might have already told your partner and are concerned about their reaction, whether they’re over the moon or feel just as apprehensive as you do. 

Even if you’re sure that you want a baby and you’re excited about starting a family, it’s good to still consider this action. If some troubles crop up along the way it’s nice to know there’s a real support net there, and it’s always lovely to get some impartial advice from someone who only knows you on a professional basis. Sometimes you just need an outside point of view that isn’t judgemental! Furthermore a mental health professional can also support you in your parenting too.

Take Things at Your Own Pace

Now that you’re pregnant, you’re going to be bombarded with a lot of opinions. People are going to try to help even when they’re crossing boundaries and sometimes you can just want to scream at people to back off. And because of that, it’s important to remember that you’re perfectly allowed to take things at your own pace. This is your pregnancy, and it’s up to you how it’s handled. 

If you’re worried about your diet, for example, and relatives are trying to push in and cook or meal prep for you, you can be firm about what you want here. You can once again speak to a nurse, doctor or dietitian, if you’d like some bona fide advice, but it’s down to you what goes in your body. You know the way you feel, and if you fancy a few vegetables and some red meat, that’s your prerogative. 

Get as much sleep as you like, rest when you feel like it, and exercise in your own preferred way. Go for walks with your partner, have a picnic in the park, and keep working if you want to. Maternity or shared parental leave is a right by law, but it’s mostly up to you when and how you take it. Your place of work does not need to know until you are ready, and once you are you can discuss how much time you need to take off for maternity and when you plan on going back to work.

Track Your Pregnancy 

Tracking your pregnancy is highly recommended just so you can keep yourself in the loop with what’s going on with your baby. From the day you find out you’re pregnant to the day you give birth you can follow along with how your baby is developing. In the modern era we understand a lot more about the way pregnancy progresses and it’s often a privilege for soon-to-be mothers and fathers to see things unfold in real time! 

You could use a simple calendar and pen here but there are a lot of pregnancy apps out there that’ll allow you to follow along without much effort. You can also use the official NHS website to find out where you are in your pregnancy, including what symptoms you should be experiencing and what changes you’re likely to experience at certain stages. Pregnancy apps are a great way of giving you assurance and helping you to understand the changes your body will make.

Make a To-Do List

And now that you’ve got all that hard work out of the way, it might be time to let yourself get excited! You’ve got the chance now to make a plan about everything you want to do whilst pregnant, and what you need to do to make sure you’re feeling safe and comfortable at all times. 

If you’ve been given any recommendations for antenatal care by a medical professional, now’s a good time to look into them and see what classes or groups you’d like to take part in. You may also want to find some pregnancy friendly exercise routines, or even just some regular gentle forms of exercise that’ll help you to stay strong and flexible through each trimester. Don't forget those pelvic floor muscles!

You could also research the best baby products to add to your shopping list for the nursery. Include the furniture you like the look of, baby formula and food brands, baby wipes and other hygiene items (including creams and salves for you), and even just the clothes you’d love to dress your newborn up in. Get all this work out of the way now and you can rest easier when the little one finally comes along! 

What to Remember From This

Finding out you’re pregnant is going to change your life, there’s no doubt about that. However, what happens next is totally up to you. As far as recommendations go, it’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible and it’s often helpful to talk to a therapist about the way you’re feeling. But apart from that, make sure you’re doing what you need to to stay comfortable and healthy. Your pregnancy should be done the way you want!