Congratulations! You are now expecting! That’s huge! {the news, not you 😉} It’s typical to have a thousand thoughts circle your mind.  The next nine months are going to be the most amazing months of your life – especially if it’s your first child!  Before you go hollering from the rooftops, consider the following list of 10 things you should do as soon as you find out that you are pregnant:

1. Don’t tell the world until you hit 13 weeks. The first trimester is a very sensitive time in a pregnancy. It’s smart to keep things under wraps because the risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first trimester.  It is almost traumatic to have to go back and tell everyone that the pregnancy is not viable.  I think it’s okay to announce to your family, but it’s not time yet for a Facebook status.

 2. Get your blood work done. It is so imperative to get bloodwork done as soon as you know you are pregnant because it will lay out your ground work. It will tell you important information about any vitamin/nutrient you may be lacking in. If anything is less than optimal, your doctor can give you supplements or give you a plan to eat the correct foods to help replenish that lacking element.

 

3. Start taking a prenatal vitamin. I cannot stress the importance of a prenatal vitamin. We live very busy lives and sometimes eat too much of one thing and not enough of something else. Having a prenatal vitamin makes sure any gaps are addressed. Believe it or not, it has the added benefit of giving you beautiful, strong healthy hair and nails!  I took a prescribed prenatal; but over the counter ones are just as great.

4. Start eating healthfully. Drink a lot of water. I know you want to eat for two. I mean so many people tell you to do so, but really, in the beginning, you will only need an extra 150 to 200 cal in your diet. Eat lots of leafy green veggies and eat lots of protein rich and good fat laden foods like chicken, turkey, salmon, nuts and seeds.   
Your water intake will have to increase exponentially. The one thing your growing fetus needs more than food is water. You will want to get in 10-12 glasses of water a day at least.

5. Get a OB/GYN or midwife referal.   I​ don’t know how it works elsewhere, but you will need to get a referal to an OB/GYN as soon as you know because the waiting lists are crazy and you won’t get into the doctor’s office in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. Up to the time when your OB takes over, you family doctor takes care of you. Midwives are in such high demand in Ontario, especially the GTA, you almost have to get one even before you get pregnant! I called a midwifery at about 4 weeks pregnant, and they were full! What?!

6. Document your pregnancy. I have a daily planner so I started off with little notes, or “bumpdates” where I would jot down things that were happening during any given day. Than as I got more and more excited, I began a baby book where I kept track of a lot of pregnancy related things. I bought my book from etsy. [CLICK HERE] for a pregnancy planner book that is similar to the one I used! It’s a great way to look back on your journey and something I think kids get a kick out of when they get curious about their birth story.

7. Use a heavy duty moisturizer. One advice I wish I had taken. I used to use coconut oil at the start of my pregnancy and I didn’t see many stretch marks. Then at around the seven month mark, I thought I was home free and stopped using it. And in a few weeks, it was as if over night a lot of tiny stretch marks appeared out of nowhere {Zebra stripes anyone?} I have learned my lesson. Whether it’s Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, coconut oil or Bio-oil, start one regimen and stick to it! You’ll be glad you did.

8. Work out. Even if you are not an athlete, a simple workout plan of walking and prenatal yoga implemented during your pregnancy could aid you in an easier delivery.  Furthermore, if you are indulging your cravings {pass the Oreos}, it will help you keep off unwanted {read: more weight than your baby needs} weight gain.

9. Check your medicines to make sure you can consume them while pregnant. 90 percent of all medicines you used to take before, you can no longer consume. Ask your doctor, read the labels and ask your OB about the pregnancy hotline in your area. They are a great resource for any pregnancy related question, I found them most useful when looking at ingredients in medications.

10. Download a pregnancy app.  There are a few on the market right now but my favourite is The Bump. It is a comprehensive app that lets you follow your baby’s weekly developments.  Prompts you to make appointments, reminds you to take pictures, and has a helpful checklist. It also boasts forums with “Birthday month” clubs for you to communicate with other pregnant ladies giving birth around the same time as you. It’s amazing!

I hope this list gave you a comprehensive look at some of the things that you should consider doing in the first few days of your pregnancy to make the rest of it go smoothly.