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I'm pregnant: What do I do now?

Congratulations, kudos, and woo hoo – you're pregnant! Here are the most important things to do as you wait to meet your baby.

smiling woman looking at a pregnancy test
Photo credit: iStock.com / Thomas_EyeDesign

Start with the pregnancy basics

  • Calculate your baby's due date. Don't bother with a pencil and paper – just use our handy due date calculator. Not only will it tell you the date you'll be looking forward to all pregnancy long, it'll give you a personalized calendar that shows when you'll hear your baby's heartbeat, find out your baby's sex, and more.
  • Choose a doctor or midwife. You'll be seeing a lot of your obstetrician, family physician, or midwife over the coming months, so it's important to find a good match. Once you've made your decision, help get your pregnancy off to a healthy start by scheduling your first prenatal appointment. (Prenatal care providers typically schedule the visit for when you're at least 8 weeks pregnant.)
  • Decide when to announce your pregnancy. Some women wait until after the first trimester, when the risk of miscarriage drops, while others announce it right away. Some wait to tell their co-workers or boss to avoid being treated differently at work, while others want their workplace buds to understand why they're a little green around the gills. Also consider how you'll make the news public – in person, by phone, in writing, or by picture or video.

Was this pregnancy planned?

Yes, very deliberately!

Yes, we stopped trying to avoid pregnancy

No, it was a surprise

Other

Plan ahead before you have your baby

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Take care of your body and baby

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Get answers about your pregnancy

  • Sign up for our free pregnancy newsletter. When you sign up, you'll get a weekly email about your pregnancy letting you know exactly what's going on inside you. It's always a thrill to see what your baby looks like and find out how much he or she has grown. It's amazing how fast your little blueberry grows to the size of a lemon!
  • Get your free pregnancy app. Want a daily dose of great pregnancy information that you can access on the go? Check out BabyCenter's My Pregnancy & Baby Today appOpens a new window. It doesn't cost a thing.
  • Join your Birth Club. Plenty of other parents-to-be are due in the same month as you – and going through the same things at the same time. Find a bunch of them in your online Birth ClubOpens a new window, where you can get advice and support on all kinds of pregnancy topics.
  • Pick up a pregnancy book or two. Nothing quite beats the feeling of curling up with a book and a highlighter. Here are a few titles to get you started: What to Expect When You're Expecting (Heidi Murkoff), Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy (Mayo Clinic), and Your Pregnancy Week by Week (Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler).

Where to go next

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Follow your baby's amazing development
Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

Mayo Clinic. 2022. Prenatal vitamins: Why they matter, how to choose. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-vitamins/art-20046945Opens a new window [Accessed June 2023]

Nemours Foundation. 2020. Miscarriages. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/miscarriage.htmlOpens a new window [Accessed June 2023]

OWH. 2021. Staying healthy and safe. U.S. Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/staying-healthy-safe.htmlOpens a new window [Accessed June 2023]

Evonne Lack Bradford

Evonne Lack Bradford is an educational writer and an instructional designer. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching documentaries, and pretending she has a green thumb.

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