Last Updated on April 23, 2022 by Ray
Seeing that positive test is one of the craziest moments of your life. It’s completely normal to have a billion different thoughts and emotions running through your head. It’s also normal to take some time to process this information before you do anything. As long as you’re feeling alright and don’t have any worrying symptoms, you can take a day or two to let it sink in. Or you can go ahead and sprint to the phone to call your doctor if that’s what you’re feeling!
Either way, it’s helpful to make a list of your next steps. This will help you plan, process your feelings, and ensure that you stay healthy. Here’s a guide to help you through the (sometimes) chaotic first stages of pregnancy. These are just some of the ways mom coaching can help you.
What To Do When You Just Found Out You’re Pregnant
Keep in mind that this is not the definitive, only correct way to do things! Everything on this list depends on your situation, as well as what your doctor recommends.
Step 1: Take Another Test
Before you flip out, stop and think – when was your last period? Does it make sense for you to be pregnant right now? Most doctors agree that it’s best to wait until the week after your first missed period to take a test. Any earlier, you run the risk of a false positive test or HCG levels that are too low to detect yet. If you simply can’t wait (understandable!), make sure that it’s at least 1-2 weeks after the last time you had sex.
If it’s earlier than that, try your best to wait a few days and then take another pregnancy test to confirm. Alternatively, you can go ahead and call the doctor and ask them for a pregnancy confirmation test.
Related: Best Guide to Stay-At-Home Mom Schedule
Step 2: Call Your Doctor (Or Find One!)
This is one of the most critical things on the list! No matter what your feelings about the pregnancy are, you should call an OB-GYN as soon as possible. They will know precisely when you should be seen and give you all of the advice you need to get you through until your first checkup.
Showing up for your prenatal appointments is the best thing you can do for your body and your baby. Even if you feel fine when your appointment rolls around, there are certain things that only a doctor can check for and detect at each meeting. Your doctor knows exactly when those things need to be checked!
Step 3: Start Taking Prenatals
If you didn’t start before conception, it’s essential to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. These vitamins are designed to give both you and your baby everything you need for a healthy pregnancy. Before you start googling which prenatal is best and getting lost in that wormhole, it’s best to ask your doctor what they recommend that you get. Your doctor will personalize their suggestion to fit your specific needs and give an honest opinion on what you need and what isn’t necessary.
Step 4: Cut Out Alcohol
As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, stop drinking anything with alcohol in it immediately. At the same time, if you recently found out you’re pregnant and you suddenly remember a particularly wild night last weekend – don’t panic. It’s not going to help to worry about potential negative consequences, since there’s nothing you can do about it right this minute. Take a deep breath, put that thought on hold, and add it to the list of questions to ask your OB-GYN at your appointment.
Are you having a hard time processing the idea of pregnancy and everything that goes along with it? Call or email Ray of Solace today!
Step 5: Limit Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, which can increase your blood pressure and your heart rate. These are things that you typically want to avoid during pregnancy. For this reason, most doctors advise that you limit your caffeine intake during pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, avoiding it as much as you can is the safest course of action, since experts disagree on the safe amount during pregnancy. Try and limit it for now, and then discuss it with your doctor at your next appointment. The two of you can come up with a plan that suits you best.
Related: Weird Pregnancy Cravings? Here’s What They Mean
Step 6: Share Your News (If You Want)
Announcing your pregnancy is a highly personal decision – you don’t owe it to anyone to do it at a certain time! Sit down with your partner and figure out when you’d feel comfortable sharing the news. Some couples choose to wait until the second trimester, some only tell their family at first, and others tell the world as soon as they find out. There is no right or wrong answer.
Step 8: REST!
One of the most important things that you’ll learn during pregnancy is that you should always trust and listen to your body. If you feel like you’ve done too much or you need a break – take a rest. The first trimester, in particular, leaves a lot of women feeling absolutely exhausted 24/7. When your body tells you to sleep, try to listen. It knows what it needs!
How Soon After A Positive Pregnancy Test Should I Go to the Doctor?
So your at-home pregnancy test or even multiple tests have come up with a positive result. It is always best to make sure you make an appointment with your doctor within the first week after receiving a positive at-home result. Call your healthcare professional soon after your positive result, and most likely, they will get you an appointment in the next week. Depending on specific medical conditions and other reasons, your provider might make an earlier appointment within the next 48 hrs.
Partnering with a professional significantly increases the chances of easy delivery and a healthy baby with good birth weight. In addition to prenatal care, a doctor can help you quit smoking, abstain from alcohol and certain products, or even prescribe needed medications, supplements, and vitamins.
So when your pregnancy tests read positive results. They say the earlier you go in is always better. The sooner you get an appointment, the more time the doctors have to detect conditions that may put the mother or child at risk. A doctor will want to find out your medical history, age, what medications you might be on, or if you have had previous birth issues.
If you happen to be at a later stage or haven’t called a doctor, stay calm, and don’t worry. Some women don’t visit a specialist until they are eight weeks or more and deliver healthy, happy babies. But it is highly advised to start professional prenatal care as soon as possible.
The Bottom Line
There is no “correct” way to handle pregnancy. Everyone is different and therefore experiences pregnancy differently. Remember that the opinions that matter the most are yours, your partner’s, and your doctor’s. Ray of Solace is a life coaching service that specializes in helping women get through pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood. If you feel lost, happy, sad, or just want someone to talk to – she’ll make you feel nurtured and supported in every way.
Do you need support to help you sort through all of the crazy feelings that come along with pregnancy and motherhood? Contact Ray of Solace today!