You. Are. Pregnant! Now What?!

You are PREGNANT! Congratulations!! You are about to break the internet with all your searches on pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Don’t worry. I did it too.

We all try to find the answers, and it is good to do your research on ANY topic you feel is worthwhile learning more about.

Knowledge is power.

There is so much information out there. And it is OVERWHELMING.

Below are some tips on what you SHOULD do, what NOT to do, and some “fun” little facts I have figured out with my two pregnancies.

I know there are so many emotions and thoughts running through your mind right now. What do I do first? What is next? I need to start a baby registry! Oh my god, I eventually have to BIRTH human! Read A Birth Story here.

I was 21 years old, bartending at a smoke-filled bar; not financially stable by any means. The relationship I was in was new and exciting. We spent most nights going out, drinking and dancing; falling in love. And then, three months into our relationship, something just felt “off”. I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive. I was pregnant.

The two tests I took immediately after were positive too. So, it was super unplanned, I was young. I felt nervous and excited. I knew my life would change, but I never imagined it would so drastically.

My second pregnancy was a little more “planned”. My fiancé (now husband) and I were in the process of selling my home and building a new one. We knew we wanted to get pregnant within a year, so I stopped taking my birth control. Welp, 2 weeks after stopping… I was pregnant! I felt the same “off” feeling that I did 11 years earlier. For many years, I thought I’d never have any more children. I was so grateful and felt it was a dream come true. I was anxious, more so with my first. I knew what to expect during pregnancy and birth. I wondered if I could love another child as much as I did with my first?

But, let’s slow down for a minute.

Take a breath and relax. It’s going to be alright woman!

What you should do next? Read on for some tips.

Of course do these things when pregnant..

1. Make an appointment with your OB
2. Take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, and take vitamins
3. Get a dental checkup – but skip the x-rays
4. Take a pre-belly picture
5. Decide who and when you will tell your people
6. Start a Pinterest board, with all things baby
7. Put together a morning sickness go-to bag
8. How will you document your pregnancy? Monthly pictures? So many ideas out in the world wide web.
9. Download and join a pregnancy app like Baby Center or The Bump
10. Make a list of all the things you want to do before baby arrives
    

And you should probably definitely NOT do these things when pregnant…

1. Drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or use illegal drugs
2. Eat raw sushi, shellfish, or fish like swordfish and shark
3. Go rollerskating
4. Dye your hair, especially during the first trimester
5. Change the kitty litter
6. Refinish any furniture or paint the nursery
7. Use the hot tub or sauna
8. Eat deli meat or unpasteurized milk products
9. Get tattoos or piercings
10. Believe everything you read

Here are some things that I found out to be NOT SUCH A GREAT IDEA

1. Sell and build a house at the same time
2. Eat Buffalo Wild Wings HOT BBQ wings. Let’s just say the after effects were not great.
3. Travel in your car without a barf bag available and ready for use
4. Tell someone that you’re pregnant, if you don’t completely trust that person. They may blab it to everyone they know. Choose your people wisely.
5. Trust every fart. Most women struggle with constipation during pregnancy, but oh no… not me. I had the opposite problem my entire pregnancy. So that was great.
6. Lay in bed instead of taking a walk.
7. Working all the way up until birth; I wish I would have taken some extra relaxation time towards the end.
8. Eat a whole box of macaroni and cheese in one sitting… multiple times per week.
9. Go anywhere that isn’t close to a bathroom. So much urinating.
10. Listen to your gut, get a second opinion if something doesn’t feel right.

Conclusion

Finding out you are pregnant feels different for every woman. Every pregnancy can feel different.

Some pregnancies are planned, some are “surprises”. Some women go through fertility treatments and miscarriages for years.

The amazing thing is that women have been pregnant and giving birth for hundreds of thousands of years. You can do it too.

No need to feel alone, there are so many of us out in the world to connect with and know how you are feeling right now!

No matter how you feel about your pregnancy, WRITE IT DOWN! Months or years down the road, you can go back to reflect on your past perceptions. This can be amusing and you might learn a thing or two.

How are you feeling about your pregnancy? Leave a comment below, I would LOVE to hear about it!