Do you suspect that you are pregnant? Grab a pregnancy test and follow the instructions on the package. There is a wide variety of pregnancy tests on the market but some are a bit more sensitive than others. I’ve always taken the Walmart brand test but I’ve heard the tests from Dollar tree are just as good. What steps should you take if you do get a positive pregnancy test?
If you have never been pregnant before, you are probably wondering what you should do after those two little lines or a plus sign (even if it is faint) shows that you are indeed pregnant. First of all congratulations! You also probably landed on this page because you just got a positive pregnancy test and want to find out what to do next.
Pregnancy can be exciting, emotional, joyous, make you nervous, or even scared. These feelings are all normal. And even though it may all feel overwhelming at the moment, you do have at least 8 months to prepare for the arrival of your baby.
Important Steps to Take After a Positive Pregnancy Test
Here are my favorite tips and suggestions guide you on what steps you should take after getting a positive pregnancy test.
Take A Prenatal Vitamin Daily
Once you get a positive pregnancy test, you should begin taking a prenatal vitamin daily so that you can ensure your baby is getting enough nutrients. Head to the pharmacy section of your favorite retailer and pick up a bottle of over the counter prenatal vitamins. Over the counter, prenatal vitamins are equivalent to a prescription prenatal vitamin. Prenatals bought over the counter are usually cheaper than most prescriptions.
During all three of my pregnancies, I struggled to take prenatal vitamins that contained iron. The iron in the vitamins would make me extremely sick to my stomach. Your body needs extra iron during your pregnancy especially towards the end to prevent anemia.
But if you eat plenty of red meat, leafy greens such as spinach, and other food that contain iron, you can get away with taking a gummy prenatal vitamin. I used the Vitafusion prenatal gummy vitamins (aff link) and had no trouble keeping these down. At the end of my pregnancy, I was borderline anemic but my OB didn’t seem concern since I was having a c-section a few days later.
Pick an OB/Gyn or Midwife Once You Get a Positive Pregnancy Test
Depending on your insurance company, you may need to schedule an appointment with your primary care manager first. But if you don’t need a referral, you can call and scheduled an appointment with your OB/GYN immediately.
Don’t get frustrated if the OB/GYN clinic can’t get you in immediately. When I was pregnant with my third baby, I had to wait until I was 8 weeks before I could get in to see the doctor. But if you notice any problems or are having complications before you can be seen, give the office a call immediately to see if they can get you in any sooner or go to your nearest emergency room.
Share Your Exciting News
Always share the exciting news with your spouse or significant others. If you want to tell your spouse or significant other in a fun way, you can find a bunch of cool ideas on Pinterest.
Once you tell your exciting news to your spouse or significant other, you can choose to wait and share the news until you are in your 2nd trimester or immediately. It all depends on your preference.
Clean Up Your Eating Habits
If you don’t necessarily eat healthy food choices on a regular basis, now is a great time to take a look at the nutritional value of the foods you are eating on a daily basis. My Fitness Pal is a great tool that you can use to log your foods and see if you are eating healthy or not. It is a free tool that you can download on your phone. The app is super easy to use.
Keep in mind that now isn’t the time to lose weight or cut calories. Your body needs foods that have nutritional value versus foods that contain empty calories. Focus on eating more protein, fruits, and vegetables.
One of the common complaints during the first trimester is nausea. The best way to combat being nauseated is to eat several smaller meals throughout the day. Protein is a great choice because it keeps you feeling full longer. Don’t be afraid to snack either. But you should choose healthy snacks like apples, popcorn, nuts, or your other favorite snacks.
Keep in mind that you aren’t really eating for two people during your pregnancy. Instead, focus on eating 300 more calories than you do on a typical day. Gaining weight is just a part of pregnancy and if you are struggling, talk to your doctor.
Skip the canned items. Canned items usually have tons of preservatives and don’t offer the same nutritional value that fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables
Drink Your Water
Experts recommend that you drink 6 to 8 glass of fluid on a daily basis. But water should be your first choice when it comes to getting enough fluids. If you struggle drinking enough water, you can try infusing it with lemon, lime, strawberries, peaches, mint, or cucumbers. Adding fruit or vegetables adds flavor without adding a bunch of empty calories.
Even though drinking juice, milk, sugary drinks, tea, coffee, or soda, count towards your daily fluid intake, it is better if you skip drinking too much of these choices. It is better to avoid drinking empty calories and loading up on too much caffeine.
Plus, drinking water can help reduce aches and pains associated with pregnancy. Keep your fluid levels consistent inside the womb. It also helps reduce pregnancy-related constipation and fatigue.
Continue to Exercise
Exercise during pregnancy is generally safe as long as you pay attention to your body’s signals and don’t overdo it. It is important that you don’t start a new exercise program such as running, aerobics, or other exercises that you aren’t accustomed to doing. During the first trimester, if you are used to exercising on a daily basis, you usually can continue but as your belly starts growing you need to be more careful.
Your growing belly causes your center of gravity to change so things that you could do prepregnancy aren’t necessarily safe. Talk to your OB/GYN if you have any questions about your current exercise program.
It is best not to start a new exercise routine; however, you can safely go walking, swimming, yoga (try Grokker free for two-weeks aff link), cycling using a recumbent bike, use the elliptical or stair-stepper, or stretching. Gentle exercise can help improve your overall health. But more importantly, it helps build endurance, increase your muscle strength, help control your weight, and help you cope with labor.
Share the Good News
Whether you choose to share the good news now or wait until your chances of having a miscarriage decreases, don’t be afraid to share the exciting news that you are expecting. Pregnancy is a joyous occasion but it is up to you when you want to share the news with family and friends.
Some couples, even wait to announce their pregnancy with a gender reveal. You can find fun ideas on Pinterest to help you come up with the perfect way to announce the gender of your baby. However, don’t be afraid to stay on team green. Team green is a term used for moms who don’t wish to find out the gender of the baby until he or she is born.
Now is also a good time to start thinking of baby names so that if you do decide to find out the gender of your baby, you already have a running list. As parents, we always want to pick out the perfect baby name and check out names for a baby for baby name suggestions.
Pregnancy is an exciting time but chances are if you haven’t been pregnant before, you have no clue what to do after you get a positive pregnancy test. I hope that you have a healthy pregnancy and that these tips have been helpful to you.
