Amongst Stringfields

When my husband and I found out that we were pregnant, we were serious skeptics on whether or not we were “actually” pregnant (see post on pregnancy tests for the background story on that one). I mean, as two shocked, dazed and, confused people, we needed medical confirmation and that those 7 pregnancy tests we took were actually valid! None-the-less, this is our first baby, so some serious advice was needed from a physician to see what we needed to do next.

I made an appointment with went to my family practice doctor eager and excited to find out what the final verdict was. When the appointment began, my doctor asked me when my last menstrual cycle was, and how I had been feeling. Without much further thought, she immediately asked me to pee in a cup! Moments later she came back into the room saying that I was defiantly pregnant! I went on to ask her, “So Doc, am I like 1 week pregnant, 2 weeks pregnant? How pregnant am I?” She replied, with a chuckle, and said “my dear, you are 7 weeks almost 8 weeks pregnant”. My jaw LITERALLY dropped open and, I immediately said to her “this is not good… this is not good at all… I’ve been drinking!” She could tell how frantic and concerned I was. She assured me that things were going to be alright and that the baby was safe and that I should defiantly stop drinking. She handed me several brochures and pamphlets congratulated me and then answered a few more questions I had. As I left the doctor’s office, I was in shock, 7 weeks pregnant?! How did I miss that? How did I not know earlier! I called my husband to tell him and he was just as surprised as I was but, at that moment we were both finally at ease. We’re having a baby! It was finally officially, official in our eyes…we’re going to be parents.

So you’re pregnant! Now What?

Don’t worry, We didn’t know either!
So here’s a list of the things we learned & the most important things you should do!

10 Things You Should Do When You Find Out You Are Pregnant

1.) Make an appointment with your obstetrician-gynecologist.

 If you don’t have one yet, this is the perfect time to go shopping for one! Ask your friends to see what other people recommend and do your research online before selecting a doctor. Make appointments with several doctors to see which is the best fit for you and your baby! Try using Healthgrades.com it’s a great place to read reviews on what other patients think and their experiences.

2.) Start Taking a Pre-Natal Vitamin like um…yesterday.

If you have been trying to conceive you may already be doing this but, if you haven’t I defiantly recommend you get on this now! In the early stages of your pregnancy, your baby is developing all of its essential systems and organs and pre-natal vitamins provide your body with all of the vitamins it needs to produce and create a healthy baby during its prime time of development. I am currently taking an over the counter by Nature Maid. It is a multivitamin that includes Folic Acid & which is recommended by doctors for brain development. Find it Here: Nature Made Prenatal Multi-Vitamin

3.) Quit unhealthy habits… immediately
Let’s just list the obvious. Stop drinking, smoking, and taking birth control.  You have a little human growing inside you, its pretty self explanatory LOL. Also, check your medications to make sure they are safe to take during pregnancy.

4.) Adjust eating habits
There are lots of things that you should be careful about when you are pregnant. Avoid sushi, uncooked fish, cold deli meats, unpasteurized soft cheeses, sprouts, and seafood-heavy in mercury. Your immunity declines with pregnancy and you can be prone to foodborne infections that may affect both your health and your baby’s health. Bacterial agents like listeria and toxoplasma may be high in these foods and its best just to avoid them altogether. Limit your intake of caffeine, doctors recommend only having about 2, 8 oz cups a day. Studies have been shown that excessive amounts of caffeine can cause and lead to miscarriages during pregnancy so, limiting the amount that you consume will be beneficial to you to ensure a  pregnancy (CNBC article here about caffeine & pregnancy). Final note: DRINK LOTS & LOTS & LOTS of water.

5.) Google, Research, Read up, Pin, & Ask lots of Questions
The next 9 months are going to fly by and, your body is going to be changing and adjusting to accommodate the baby inside of you! It is never too early to start reading about pregnancy, babies, and parenthood. Order some books on Amazon, read articles on Pinterest, subscribe to a few pregnancy/mom blogs, and absorb as much information as you can! That way, as things happen you will not be taken back or surprised. Learning about your baby’s stages of development is so exciting and you can follow along on many Apps on your phone to track how he/she is doing! My two absolute favorite apps are for new moms are The bump & Baby Center.

Looking for a book? Try: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, to learn about what’s happening to you and your body. If you are looking for something light-hearted I would defiantly go with, Belly Laughs, was my it was absolutely hilarious and my favorite read of all the book I read. I would defiantly recommend reading both! Have questions? Make sure to keep a running list of questions on your phone so you can remember to ask your doctor at appointments. It may get overwhelming in those doctor appointments at times and you want to make sure you remember to ask about the questions you had!

6.) Start using lotion …NOW
Moisturize, & repeat. Everyday. Multiple times a day. As much as you possibly can. Be as proactive as you can at preventing stretchmarks. Your body is going to change as the baby grows, and the last thing you want when you are super pregnant is dry itchy irritated skin which will create stretch marks. Every person is different, and stretchmarks generally form when the skin does not have enough elasticity to do what it needs to do. So stay hydrated, use in the shower, or after the shower & pick up some stretchmark cream!

7.) Decide when & how to tell the world

This one is a little hard because most people will say that you should wait until after your first trimester to tell people since your chances of miscarriage decrease significantly. I say it is up to you and your partner to decide when and how to tell the world. No matter what your decision is, it will be the right one! Get excited because, there are so many cute ways to tell family members nowadays, just google pregnancy reveal ideas or keep it simple & sweet, it’s up to you!

8.) Sleep
Your body is working overtime, and you need all the extra rest you can get! Sleep when your tired, don’t deprive your body of what it needs. You don’t want to risk getting sick at any point in your pregnancy, so sleep as much as you can.

9.) Be Aware of Symptoms to Watch
Some of the most common symptoms to watch for are, cramping, spotting, nausea, soreness, dizziness,  bleeding, and headaches. At this time make sure to be in tune with your body, that way you know exactly what you are feeling at all times. Your doctor will always ask you if you have been feeling any of these symptoms at the beginning of each appointment, make sure you keep a good log of how you have been feeling so that nothing comes up that is out of the ordinary. We want to make sure that you experience a healthy pregnancy and that all things go as smoothly as possible.

10.) Relax & Find Support
These next few months may be a stressful and emotional journey but, it is important that you remain stress-free and positive. HEY! You are creating a little miracle! The journey may be long, so the quicker you find support the better. It may be hard to go through pregnancy without anyone to relate to or talk to about how you may be feeling and the symptoms you might be having so find a friend who has gone through the same thing, a partner, family members, or even online support groups. Now take a moment & take a deep breath in & relax. & Don’t forget to take lots of pictures when you can! This is one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have in your life!

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