Once you’ve seen that positive pregnancy test you might go bonkers. Tons of questions and concerns will raise and they make the first weeks of pregnancy scary, exciting and exhausting. But, do not worry, it will all eventually get easier. Find here a to-do list for those first few weeks, use it as a guide and find what feels right for you.

1. Arrange your first antenatal appointment

You might not be familiar with the procedures and timings of the antenatal appointments in your area. You should normally book your first appointment with your midwife when you are around 12 weeks pregnant, but it may differ depending on where you live.

During your first appointment with the midwife, you’ll go through both you and your partner’s medical and family history. Your midwife will also check your blood pressure, weight and height, take some bloods and give you some advise on how to look after yourself during pregnancy.

Until then, you can always see your GP if you need some support or use your private health insurance if you have one.

2. Learn what to eat and what not to eat

You might have heard a lot about the foods that should be avoided during pregnancy. Some of them are raw or under-cooked eggs, meat, fish, liver and pate and some strong cheeses and unpasteurised dairy products. You should also wash very well all fresh vegetables before eating them.

These foods might contain parasites, bacteria or toxins that could harm your developing baby like Toxoplasma, Listeria, Salmonella or Anisakis amongst others.

It is also recommended that you cut down on caffeine. So switch to decaf drinks or limit your coffee and teas as much as you can.

It is really a myth that you are eating for two. You won’t be needing extra calories till your third trimester, when you will need to add around 200 calories to your healthy, balanced diet. That will get all the nutrients that you and your developing baby need. Check out Baby Centre tips on how to eat well during pregnancy. Continue reading “Essential to-do list after a positive pregnancy test”