I'm Pregnant, Now What?

Congratulations on such a milestone event happening! Whether this is a big surprise; or you were planning to fall pregnant but it happened quicker than expected; or if you have been trying for a while; the minute the test reveals that you are pregnant your life is destined to change forever.

So now what?

Firstly take a minute to think and just feel. You may feel elated, scared, overwhelmed, anxious or you could be totally freaking out. Accept these emotions as normal and think about what information you need to put your mind at ease.
Tell your partner. Depending upon your situation you may prefer to tell your partner immediately over the phone or later in private when you are together. I find telling them in person is best as you can talk about whatever is on your mind. Just try to remember the feelings you had when you initially found out. Your partner may need a minute to process the news.

When I first fell pregnant, although we had decided to have children and the news of our pregnancy was good; my partner had not expected us to fall as quickly and was in complete shock which turned into bewilderment followed by a feeling of OMG when I gave him the news. I too had gone through a feeling of pure happiness into a state of pure happiness mixed with uncertainty. What should I do, what do I need to do, what happens now? So here are my tips on what to do following the news of your pregnancy.

Try to Calculate your Due Date. Jump online and use a Due Date Calculator to find out when you are expecting your little bundle. If you are not sure of the date of your last period, ask your doctor for a referral to get a dating ultra sound which will tell you the age of the foetus and the estimated Due Date.
Determine what method of prenatal care you are going to use. Some of the options include:

Utilising Private Healthcare with a chosen Gynaecologist in a Private/Public Hospital
Utilising the Public healthcare system, in which case you can choose to have your Doctor; a team of midwives, or an individual midwife look after you throughout your pregnancy, with the birth to occur at your local public hospital.

Based on the option that you choose, you can then find out what the next steps are by booking into a Gynaecologist or by phoning your local hospital and learning their booking procedure for their maternity program.

Look after yourself. Being pregnant does not mean that you need to change your life completely; however it does give you a great incentive to take better steps towards looking after yourself more. Try to improve your diet. Eating healthy meals will give your body the nutrients it needs to create a healthy baby. Increase your water intake and cut down on caffeine or sugar filled drinks. Folic acid is extremely important when pregnant, so as soon as you find out, make sure you stop and get yourself a Pregnancy Vitamin with Folic Acid. Building a baby is hard work for your body, so remember to reward it with some time out. Go to sleep early if you are tired, take a break, have a bath, try to stress less and just let your body unwind and rejuvenate.
Know what to avoid. When pregnant there are certain foods and activities that are known to be harmful and should be avoided wherever possible. The most common ones include soft cheese, smoking, alcohol, drug use and raw meat. See a complete list food items to avoid in pregnancy here. With exercise during pregnancy, it is best to speak to your health practitioner about the activities you currently undertake and what should be avoided.
Decide when to spill the beans. Decide together with your partner about when you wish to tell your family and friends about your news. You may choose to tell family before friends or tell everyone straight away or after 12 weeks. The important thing is that both of you agree and follow the plan.
Look into your maternity rights/entitlements. Whilst the government sets the basic standards for Maternity Leave and entitlements, your work may have additional entitlements or information requirements. Look up online the Paid Parental Leave Scheme along with the entitlements that each of you is given at your place of work. When you are ready to share your news, tell your boss and/or speak to HR
Buy a few pregnancy books to help answer any questions and to give you a good look at how your body will change and your baby will develop over the coming months.
Look forward to your 12 week scan when you first get to see your baby!
Work out your financial situation. When the dust settles, sit down and work out where you are financially; the amount of leave that can be taken and/or if there is anything you need to do with your finances before having the baby.