Here you are; you have made it to the other side and are confirmed pregnant. You and your person have been tracking your fertility, having very organized and goal-oriented sex, and after peeing on all the sticks, you are actually pregnant. And not that we are the first to say it, but congratulations!

So, what do you do now?

Consider Doubling Up on Pregnancy Tests

Not to be a downer, but the first thing on the list is to confirm that you are pregnant. Human error and misreadings can occur, so taking a second test or scheduling an appointment with your doctor is valuable in determining if you are actually pregnant. Although at-home tests are trustworthy, there is a slight chance of a misread if the pregnancy test has expired, if you recently experienced a miscarriage, or if you are taking certain medications. So, either way, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Get Excited

Whether by yourself or with your partner, take time to let the news soak in–This is a life-changing moment! Feel all the feelings: joy, fear, relief, excitement, etc. And after you have done that, share the news with your family. Hot tip, prepare yourself for all of the questions: “When are you due? Are you going to find out the sex? Do you have names picked out?”

Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment

As we mentioned above, be sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor. The first prenatal visit typically happens around week eight of pregnancy. So, get an appointment on the books. And, while waiting for appointment day, start thinking about the kind of care provider you prefer. Do you want prenatal care from an ob-gyn or a midwife? Based on your history, pregnancy status, or preference for delivery, an ob-gyn or midwife might sound better. You might find that you don’t have to choose and that the hospital works with midwives. The most important thing is finding a doctor that works best for you.

Spread the News

Many people share the news with close friends and family between six to eight weeks. For the larger public (social media), many people wait until after 13 weeks because, at that time, the risk of miscarriage significantly decreases. Ultimately, it’s up to you and your partner when you feel it is best to share the news and celebrate. If you are concerned about work, you have time. When you start showing, around week 20, you can choose to tell your co-workers and human resources, and they can then walk you through maternity leave.

Build Healthy Habits

This is a nice way of saying no more drinking or smoking (and limit your caffeine intake). Take that glass of wine and switch it out with a prenatal vitamin!

Everything that a baby needs to grow comes directly from you, so make sure you stock up and don’t get depleted. Prenatal vitamins help, and be sure to review what needs to be removed, monitored, or avoided in your diet so that you and the baby keep feeling good. 

Prepare Your Belly

At this point, stretch marks are almost synonymous with pregnancy. But how do they happen? During pregnancy, an increase in estrogen, relaxin, and adrenocortical hormones cause skin fibers to weaken, and weakened fibers lead to stretch marks and loose skin. Dermaclara helps strengthen these fibers, erasing stretch marks and firming up the skin. Our SILICONEFUSION™ technology creates a microclimate, locking in natural moisture and increasing collagen production. So, skip the loose skin and stretch marks that sometimes put a damper on pregnancy and try Dermaclara.

There is so much more that happens next but what we summarized above is where you can start. Just remember, you’ve got 40 weeks of baby building time, so take it one trimester at a time, and go easy on yourself.