First Things to Do When You Get Pregnant
Hello friends! We all know that finding out you’re pregnant is an exciting time, especially if it’s your first pregnancy. I was over the moon when I started thinking about all the fun things I got to plan—baby showers, baby clothes shopping, setting up a nursery, and much more! Before you can get started on those fun-filled last-trimester activities, you’ve got to prepare for your pregnancy ahead. Here’s a guide on the first things to do when you get pregnant that I wish I had during my pregnancy.
Look into Your Medical Care
If you completed an at-home pregnancy test, the next step is to visit a doctor to confirm your positive result. While false positives on-at-home tests are rare, there’s still a chance. Once you have medical confirmation of your pregnancy, you should review your health insurance and note what is and isn’t covered for prenatal care, the birthing process, and postpartum care. I wish I asked my doctor about current medications and if they might affect my pregnancy. Lucky for me, my doctor was great and walked me through a plan for medication that worked for my baby and me. Doctors are such great resources for any medical questions you might have—if you’re like me, you’ll have a LOT of questions!
But what if you didn’t intend to get pregnant? Pregnancy can be a time of great joy and anticipation, but it can also bring uncertainty. When an expecting mother is not sure who the father of her child is, she may turn to DNA prenatal paternity testing. This type of testing offers an accurate and reliable way to determine if a man is the biological father before the baby’s birth.
DNA prenatal paternity testing involves collecting cells from the fetus in utero through either amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Both tests are safe for both mother and baby, and neither carries any risk of miscarriage. The test results provide almost 100% accuracy in determining paternity, giving mothers peace of mind when it comes to knowing who their child’s father is. They also offer peace of mind that other invasive methods, such as blood tests, are no longer necessary during pregnancy.
Decide When and How to Tell People
I can’t keep a secret, and this was the hardest one ever to keep. As much as I wanted to tell everybody the moment I found out, I’m glad I waited. Since I write all day and don’t have a dangerous job, and the chances of miscarriage drop in the second trimester, I didn’t have to rush to tell people. Now, friends, if y’all work dangerous jobs, you’ve got to tell your supervisor right away so that you can work out a safer situation for the time being. Other than that, you can tell everyone whenever you want. Many women wait until the second trimester, but others spread the word right away.
Prepare for Pregnancy Ailments
I hope y’all aren’t like me and that you manage to avoid most of the ailments pregnant women commonly get. You might have to deal with morning sickness—spoiler alert, it ain’t just limited to the morning. Keep a garbage can near you whenever you can, and keep a hair tie on your wrist, just in case. You also might get puffy, uncomfortable, swollen feet or varicose veins. There are a whole bunch of symptoms you might get when you’re pregnant, and every woman is different. What’s most important is to simply pay attention to signals from your body and talk about concerning symptoms to your doctor.
