13 Things To Do When You Find Out You’re Pregnant

Congrats on your pregnancy, mama! Seeing that positive result on your pregnancy test can bring on so many emotions. During my first pregnancy, I remember feeling so excited, so in awe, and then it hit me; what do I do now?

There are some easy and exciting things to do when you find out you’re pregnant. In this article, you will find everything you need to know to make this special time in your life go as smoothly as possible.

And once you’re done with these first tasks, be sure to check out the first trimester checklist to see what to do next in your pregnancy.

Let’s get started!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To find out more, you can read my disclaimer here.

1. Choose Your Healthcare Provider

Before you make your first prenatal appointment, you’ll need to decide what kind of medical provider you want. Now, if you already have an OB/GYN that you already use, then that’s excellent! 

But, if you don’t already have a doctor or want to know your options, you typically have three medical professionals to choose from; an obstetrician, midwife, or family practitioner.

Do you want an OB, midwife, or family practitioner?

Let’s delve into the differences between an OB, a midwife, and a family practitioner:

Obstetricians

Obstetricians are doctors that specialize in all things pregnancy. These doctors will help you from when you get pregnant until you deliver your precious baby.

Typically, an obstetrician is also a gynecologist. This means they not only handle your pregnancy and childbirth, but they can also help you with things like yearly PAP smears, birth control, and other women’s health-related things.

In short, if you already see a gynecologist for yearly exams, this might be a good choice for you. You will have a pre-established relationship with your doctor, and you will already be comfortable with them.

Also, if you choose to use an OB, they will be able to handle anything that might arise. If you need to have an emergency c-section, they can do that for you.

Midwife

Midwives are usually chosen for low-risk pregnancies. Because midwives aren’t doctors, if the need for a c-section or other emergency arises, they will have to call the on-call doctor to help.

Also, midwives are usually more open to helping you with different birth options, such as unmedicated birth or home births.

And, you’ll find that if you choose to use a midwife, they will spend more time educating you on things like healthy eating during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Family Practitioner

A family practitioner is a doctor that handles your primary care. For example, they can take care of yearly exams for you and your whole family.

If you use a family practitioner, they will help you before you get pregnant, then through your pregnancy and delivery, and then they will be your baby’s pediatrician after birth. 

But, not all family practitioners handle pregnancy care and birth, so you’ll need to check into that beforehand.

How To Choose Your Provider:

• You want someone who listens to you. Nothing is worse than telling a doctor something you are experiencing and getting brushed off.

• You want someone who can explain things clearly to you and in a way you understand. Many confusing things can come up during your pregnancy, and you need to be assured that you will always understand what is going on.

• Do you like their personality? Do you trust them? These are two huge things that you need to take into consideration. You will see this person often, especially as your due date approaches, so you don’t want someone you don’t like or trust.

• Do their views coincide with yours? If the medical provider you choose is totally against unmedicated births, and that’s a high priority for you, then that person won’t be a good fit for you.

2. Calculate Your Due Date

One of the first fun things to do when you find out you’re pregnant is to calculate your due date. To figure out your due date, you’ll need to know the first day of your last period.

Then, instead of counting out the weeks, you can find a due date calculator online. This one from What to Expect is straightforward to use!

3. Schedule Your First Prenatal Appointment

Scheduling your first prenatal checkup is another one of the first things to do when you find out you’re pregnant.

When you call, they will ask you what the first day of your last period was. As I mentioned above, this is how they determine your due date. Once they have the estimated due date, they will schedule your first appointment, usually between weeks 6-8 of your pregnancy.

4. Call Your Insurance

Shortly after finding out you’re pregnant, you will want to call your insurance. It’s beneficial to ask questions like what is covered in your plan and what your deductible is.

Also, if you want to breastfeed, you will want to see if a breast pump is covered. If it is, you will want to find out what steps you need to take to get a covered breast pump. Typically, it’s as easy as submitting your receipt or buying one through a certified medical retailer.

5. Share With People Close To You

Finding out you’re pregnant is an exciting time; you’ll probably want to share it with the world! But before you share with everybody, take a minute to think about who you want to share with the most.

Some women choose to wait to share the news until around week 12 because of the risk of miscarriage. But, if you want to share the news with everyone, that’s great! It all comes down to what you feel the most comfortable doing.

6. Start a Prenatal Vitamin

If you haven’t already started taking a prenatal vitamin while trying to get pregnant, you will want to start taking one as soon as possible. It’s best to look for a brand that contains folic acid.

I used this brand throughout my pregnancy and also as I breastfed for almost two years, and I highly recommend them. I have talked to people who said their prenatal vitamin made them nauseous daily, and I never experienced that.

7. Check Your Medications

One of the most crucial things to do when you find out you’re pregnant is to verify that any medications you’re on are still ok to take during pregnancy.

If you are unsure or if you find that one you are taking isn’t ok, give your doctor a call! They will be able to answer all of your questions and get you on the right track.

8. Download a Pregnancy App

A fun thing to do when you first find out you are pregnant is to download a baby app!

My favorite baby app is The Bump app. This app shows your baby’s weekly progress and uses fruit and veggies to show you how big your baby has grown that week. It also tells you things to expect at your next doctor’s visit.

My second favorite baby app is the What to Expect app. In this app, you’ll find visuals of what your baby looked like that week. Plus, you’ll see how big the baby has grown and how your body is changing.

Related Articles:

• The Ultimate Guide for Bathing Your Newborn
• Pregnancy Essentials That Will Keep You Comfortable!
• Everything You Need To Avoid During Pregnancy
• The Best Remedies You Need for Morning Sickness
• Things to Stock Up On Before Baby Arrives

9. Get a Pregnancy Book

Pregnancy is a massive change, especially when you’re a first-time mom. Having a pregnancy book that outlines everything you’re going through is essential! 

I read What to Expect When You’re Expecting during my first pregnancy, which was so informational! There is a new section to read for each month of pregnancy, and it goes over things like doctors’ appointments to expect, symptoms you’ll likely feel, and many answers to questions from moms like you!

10. Start A Pregnancy Journal

Starting a pregnancy journal is one of the most fun things to do when you find out you’re pregnant! I didn’t keep a journal during my first pregnancy, and I really wish I did.

When using a pregnancy journal, you keep track of memorable moments. For example, write down things like when you found out you were pregnant or when your baby moved for the first time.

Also, you can jot down your symptoms each trimester and the different feelings you have as you move throughout pregnancy.

When it comes to getting a pregnancy journal, you can either buy one like this one, or you can use a nice notebook. Either way, your pregnancy journal will be a cherished keepsake!

11. Start Taking Weekly (Or Biweekly) Bump Photos

One of the next things to do when you find out you’re pregnant is to start taking belly photos! Even if you don’t like your picture taken, you should take bump pictures anyway. Watching your belly grow through the 40 weeks of pregnancy is super fun.

When I was first pregnant, I decided I would take a quick bump picture even if I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to look back and realize I should have done it.

I choose to do biweekly photos, though. My baby bump didn’t change drastically from week to week, so this was an excellent option for me.

If you decide to take bump pictures, you will want to make sure you keep them relatively similar. I always had my husband take my photo from about the same length away, and I tried to wear a simple, snug-fitting maternity tee shirt every time.

After your picture is taken, you can either leave it blank or edit it to add things like how many weeks along you are or even different symptoms you were experiencing that week.

12. Look Into Childcare Options

Believe it or not, childcare options can be hard to get into. You might be looking at long waiting lists that could go into the next year!

If you are even slightly thinking about returning to work and using childcare, it might be beneficial to get some ideas of what to expect. 

If it turns out that you don’t need to worry about waiting lists in your area, then great! But at least you did your due diligence and know what your options are. 

13. Start a Baby Savings Fund

While you can certainly have a baby on a budget, it’s wise to start a baby savings fund. Now when you hear baby savings fund, you might think I’m talking about saving for college or other expenses parents face. But that’s not quite what I’m talking about!

A baby savings fund is a separate savings that you start early in your pregnancy. You can deposit however much you are comfortable with into it weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly; whichever works best with your paydays. 

Then, when it’s time to buy things for your baby and their nursery, you have a nice amount of money set aside to use. 

If you found out you were pregnant around week 4, that gives you 36 weeks to save until your baby is due. If you set aside just $25 a week, you would have $900 saved by the end of your pregnancy. That’s a significant amount of money to use to finish off buying your baby registry items!

Also, if you can keep depositing the same amount that you had been during pregnancy, that’s a great way to start a savings for your child to use later in life.

---

And there you have it! Finding out you’re pregnant opens up a whole new, magical time in your life. Try not to stress about having everything perfectly ready, and take it day by day; 40 weeks is quite a long time to prepare!

Before you go, check out these related articles:

• When To Start Buying Baby Things During Pregnancy
• What NOT To Put On Your Baby Registry
• The Best Reasons To Be A Stay-At-Home Mom
• The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Dad, and Baby
• How To Choose Between Breastfeeding and Formula

What do you think are the most important things to do when you find out you’re pregnant? I would love to know in the comments below!

Love this article? Spread the word!