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Congratulations mama! You're going to have a baby! It's only natural to want to find out what to do when you find out that you're pregnant. I get it. The first time I had a positive pregnancy test, I paced the house not knowing what to do or what to think for at least 20 minutes. Life as I knew it had officially changed. The reality that I was carrying a life had hit me and I wanted to do everything right. I'm sure you feel the same way.

At the time that I am writing this, I am pregnant with my third little soul. This time is drastically different from the first but a few things remain the same with every pregnancy. No matter how many times you get that positive pregnancy test, you're going to want to be the best mom you can be from the very first day. If you're anything like me you're going to want to make sure that you take advantage of the short time that you have to carry this baby in your body and make sure all the important things get done when they should.

I have created this post to lay it all out for you so that you can organize your thoughts in this time when your mind is running a million miles a minute. These are the things that you need to do as soon as you find out your pregnant. Everything else can wait.

What To Do When You Find Out You're Pregnant

These 10 things are the things that are going to be important for your health and your baby's health but also will help you enjoy and remember your pregnancy in the best way possible. 

Before we dive in, make sure you check out The Ultimate Pregnancy Preparation Journal that I have for you! The journal has To-Do lists like this one for every month of your pregnancy. Yep! 9 checklists to keep you organized and never missing a beat. Click here to take a look to see if it's something you'd love to have during your pregnancy from the very beginning. 

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

As always, all information within this post is my own opinion and not to be taken as medical advice. Although I am a nurse, I am not your nurse and I don't know your medical history. Please see my full disclosure here. 

1. Call Your OB

You're likely going to have to wait some time before you see your doctor for the first time. My advice to you is to call your OB right away to make an appointment to get ahead of the game and get the first appointment possible if that is what you desire.

Many OB offices will make you wait until at least 8 weeks pregnant according to your last menstrual period before they bring you in for your first appointment. That being said, sometimes OBGYN offices are extremely impacted and appointments will not be available until your 11th week or later depending on when you notify your provider of your pregnancy.

2. Adjust Your Diet

When you first find out that you're pregnant, I'll bet that you're going to start wondering what you should and shouldn't be putting into your body. Evaluating your diet is going to be something that you'll do on that very first day.

With this pregnancy, I am really enjoying reading this book that was recommended to me this time around. It goes a little against the grain of what conventional medicine teaches us about the optimal pregnancy diet and it's completely based upon research. Check it out and see if it's up your ally.

Whatever you do, make sure you are aware of what you're eating when you're growing a new life. 

3. Start Taking Your Prenatal Vitamins

Ideally, you have been taking your prenatal vitamins since before you started trying to get pregnant. But if you haven't started taking them yet, there is no need to worry. Just start today! You're going to want to take your prenatal vitamin once a day every day for the rest of your pregnancy. The most important time to make sure you take your prenatal vitamins is right when you find out that you are pregnant.

Your baby's development is most incredible in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. By the eighth week of pregnancy your baby's internal organs are all present! Is that not incredible? You want to make sure that your baby is getting all of what he needs at this time to make sure that he developed properly.

These prenatal vitamins are Non-GMO, Vegetarian, Gluten free, sugar-free, and is free of all synthetic fillers. They are made with certified organic vegetables and herbs. 

4. Take A “Before Picture”

At four or five weeks pregnant (the earliest you can get a positive home pregnancy test) you're not quite going to see a baby bump or pregnancy bloat just yet. Quick! Take that “before” picture before that bloat creeps in…because it will be sooner than you think!

You'll look back at that sweet “before picture” with love even if right in this moment you don't love the way you look or you're embarrassed to take this silly picture of the lack of a belly bump. I promise, in about 10 months, you're going to see that picture and remember this feeling with love.

5. Sign Up For A Free Pregnancy Week By Week Email Sequence

When I started this blog, my goal was to help new mamas like you figure out the ins and outs of pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and new motherhood. I am passionate about these subjects for more reasons than one.

I am a mother who's been there, and I am a labor and delivery nurse that has been there…hundreds and hundreds of times. Because of the experience that I have with pregnancy and new motherhood, I created a Free Week-by-Week Pregnancy Course that gets sent straight to your email every week of your pregnancy. 

You'll find that getting an email tailored to exactly where you are in your pregnancy will be helpful and a sigh of relief when you realize that what your thinking and feeling is normal and you're not alone. Think of it as a built-in mom friend that is right at your fingertips. Sign up today to start the free course and get all of the advice from a labor nurse that you need before the big day. 

 

6. Download a Pregnancy App

My favorite pregnancy app that I check all of the time is Glow Nurture. My favorite feature within this app is the easy to use calendar that you can quickly scroll through to see how many weeks you'll be at what point in the year. I use it all of the time to see when I'll reach certain milestones so that I can plan ahead and be prepared. 

I also use the What To Expect app. This one I mostly just use for the community aspect of it. The women that I get to interact in the groups that I am a part of are like friends even though I've never met them. It's a great place to go to find comfort in knowing that you aren't alone in pretty much anything you're going through. It's mom advice at the click of a button. Of course,  never take advice from random women over your providers, but it's still nice to interact and feel like you're a part of a community. 

Lastly, I also use Ovia Pregnancy. My favorite things about this app are the hand and foot features that show you how big (small) your baby's hands and feet are now compared to how big they will be at birth. CUTE!! I check it every week just so that I can say “awwww look at how big it's getting!”. It's so fun. Plus they are probably my favorite app for the fruit comparison. They show a picture of a different fruit every week to compare to the size of your tiny baby. It's a must have. 

7. Start Documenting Your Journey

Mama, this is crazy important. It might not be the first thing you think about when you get pregnant…but maybe it should be! One of the things about my first pregnancy that I am SO THANKFUL that I did, was document everything. I kept all of my ultrasound photos, letters to baby, milestone dates, and journal entries all in one place. 

The problem was, I didn't have a pregnancy journal to do it all in. I just stuffed everything into a notebook. 

You do not have to stuff everything into a notebook. Lucky for you, you have The Ultimate Pregnancy Preparation Journal which has a daily journal page, weekly journal entires, a place to keep every “bump shot”, ultrasound photos, and so much more. With this journal, you will have everything you need all in one place to document your journey and remember all of these precious moments. 

8. Save Your Mementos

You can create a little memory box for your pregnancy and the first item that will go in it will be the [six] pregnancy tests that you took to confirm that you were actually pregnant and that this is really happening. As your pregnancy continues, you'll be able to add your pregnancy journal, pieces of your baby's heart rate strip (if you're lucky), and other fun mementos that will be fun to reflect on when your baby is finally in your arms.

9. Decide How You Will Announce Your Pregnancy

Notice that I didn't say “when”. If you want my opinion, I think that you should announce your pregnancy whenever you want to. Don't follow the rules. Announce when you feel like you want to tell someone!

On the other hand, deciding on how to announce can be such a fun time. There are so many fun and adorable ways to announce your pregnancy to family and friends. Not to mention, cute ways to announce your pregnancy to your husband! Think about this now because time flies and before you know it you're going to be bursting at the seams and completely unable to keep the secret for one more second.

So if you want to announce in some special way, plan it right away! You can really get creative and clever here, so have fun with it!

10. Buy Pregnancy Books

The obvious book that everyone recommends is “What To Expect When You're Expecting”. I've got to be honest. I absolutely recommend it. Even though I live and breathe pregnancy in my every day life, I enjoyed reading this book when I was pregnant with my son. It gives information from how your baby is developing, how mama is feeling, and what to expect in your next stage. I really enjoyed the way it was written and how it was all laid out.

11. Start Learning Now

When you first find out that you're pregnant, it's important that you start to look into the future a little bit and get an idea about what you're getting yourself into. Random googling might not be a great idea, but getting advice, tips, and tricks from moms you trust can be really beneficial so that you know what to expect. 

Some posts that I recommend on my own site are: 

• 25 Strong Baby Boy Names With Meanings in 2019
• The Insider's Guide To Pregnancy Fitness Goals
• 16 Indispensable Pregnancy and Labor Tips From A Labor and Delivery Nurse
• 25 Amazing Gifts For Pregnant Women
• 13 of The Absolute Best Pregnancy Tips For First Time Moms
• The Best Way To make Your Birth Plan Your Reality

Throughout your pregnancy, I guarantee that you will be searching high and low for the best products for “this or that”. I make it easy for you on my Amazon Storefront! Here you can find my absolute favorite products for pregnancy, labor and birth, postpartum, baby, and toddlers, mom life and home. If you are ever looking for must have products, make sure you go here to check out what worked for me. Trust me…don't just buy random crap that you think might work. Get recommendations from moms who've been there, like me!

12. Learn About Prenatal Testing

This is something you need to know right away because you are asked if you want to participate in prenatal genetic testing at your first appointment. You need to make this choice prior to your appointment or at least be prepared to make the decision with your doctor when you get there.

Prenatal genetic screening tests are an option that you have that may or may not be covered by your insurance. This testing can be done to find out if you are at risk for having a baby with a neural tube defect, trisomy 18, or Down syndrome. The testing consists of blood work and an ultrasound, both in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Make sure you do your research before your first appointment so that when you discuss the option with your provider, you are well-informed and can come to an educated decision together.

13. Enjoy Every Second

Easier said than done! The first trimester can be a tough one. You're likely going to feel fatigued and nauseated through most of the first trimester and maybe a little bloated too. Those things aren't really lovable are they? But if you can, in-between the trips to the bathroom and the naps on the couch, try to find joy in the fact that your body is a miracle! You are carrying life and creating something that will change your world forever. 

You have started doing good for yourself and your baby by looking for good articles on the internet because you're interested in making the best out of your pregnancy. I'm proud of you! You're already doing great.

What To Do When You Find Out Your Pregnant

Alright, let's review. In no specific order, make sure that you do these things ASAP when you find out that you're pregnant! First time mom or not, you're going to want to get these things done before anything else. 

1. Call your OB
2. Start modifying your diet
3. Take a prenatal vitamin every day
4. Take a “before picture”
5. Sign up for a week by week pregnancy email sequence
6. Download a pregnancy app
7. Start writing in a journal
8. Save your mementos
9. Decide how you will announce your pregnancy
10. Buy pregnancy books
11. Start doing your research
12. Learn about prenatal testing
13. Enjoy every moment

Congratulations again, mama! I'm right there with you! If you ever need anything or have any questions about pregnancy, labor, birth, or new motherhood, don't hesitate to comment or shoot me an email!

Comment below to let me know what you did right away when you found out that you were pregnant! Is there something important that should be on this list? I can't wait to hear what you think!

What To Read Next: 

• Important Pregnancy Must Haves To Help You Survive The First Trimester
• 26 Early Signs of Pregnancy Before Your Missed Period
• First Trimester Bleeding – Why It Happens and What It Means
• 25 Strong Baby Boy Names With Meanings
• The Ultimate Guide To Packing Your Hospital Bag: What To Bring When You're Having A Baby
• Immediate Care of Newborns: 10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know About Their Baby at Birth
• How To Manage Visitors in the Hospital When You're Having a Baby
• Baby Must Haves For The First Year: Baby Products Experienced Moms Swear By
• 21 Of The Best Breastfeeding Essentials For Nursing Moms