5 things to do when you find out you're pregnant

Congratulations! Whether you’re jumping for joy, still in a state of shock, or feeling a mixture of both - we’re here to support you every step of the way to help you have a healthy pregnancy.

Make sure you’re sitting comfortably, take a deep breath, and let us guide you through the early days. Here are five things to get your pregnancy off to the best start

1. Calculate your due date

Work out your baby's due date with our simple calculator, and sign up to our pregnancy email for free weekly updates on your baby's development.

2. Track your baby's development

You can sign up here to get weekly emails from our midwives that track your baby's development in the womb, tell you what to expect next and let you know what you need to do and when. 

3. Contact your GP

This will be the first appointment that kicks off your pregnancy care (antenatal care). Your GP will let the midwifery team know you are pregnant and they will give you a date for your booking appointment, which usually happens around week 8 to 10 of your pregnancy. You may also be able to self-refer or see a midwife straight away, but your GP can let you know how this works in your area.

4. Check how healthy you are

Work out your BMI and check your caffeine intake with our healthy pregnancy tools. Now that you’re pregnant you may need to make some simple lifestyle changes to help your growing baby.

Check how healthy you are with our healthy pregnancy tools.

5. Focus on these for a safer pregnancy

• Stub it out: If you smoke, now’s the time to quit. Get help to stop smoking.
• Say bye bye to booze: Drinking alcohol can harm your baby’s development and avoiding alcohol completely during pregnancy is the only way to be sure baby is safe. Find out how your midwife can support you to stop drinking.
• Take a break: Pregnancy hormones can make you tired and more stressed so it’s important to take time to yourself to relax. See our tips for winding down.
• Keep on moving: Exercise in pregnancy is great for you and your baby but it doesn’t mean you have to join the gym. A daily walk with a friend or the dog can be a great way to stay active in pregnancy. Download our pregnancy exercise plan.
• Get your vitamins: You don’t need to fork out for pregnancy vitamins but there are a few supplements that are essential in pregnancy. Find out which supplements you need to take.
• Watch out for certain foods: It’s important to have a healthy and balanced diet in pregnancy and to try and avoid foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat. There are also some foods that put your baby at risk and should be avoided all together. Find out what food to avoid in pregnancy.
• Be caffeine wise: Caffeine is found in more than just tea and coffee. For example, did you know that it’s hiding in chocolate? The advice is not to have more than 200mg caffeine a day – find out what that looks like.
• Know what medicines are safe: Talk to a health professional before taking any new medication or stopping any current medication. Find out which drugs to avoid in pregnancy.

6. Manage your early pregnancy symptoms

The first few weeks of pregnancy can be the toughest when it comes to feeling iffy. Tiredness, sore boobs and morning sickness are all common in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Find out how to cope with them.

There are some symptoms that could be a sign that something is wrong. Be aware of these with our symptom checker and get in touch with a midwife promptly if you have them.

Find out what happens next with our pregnancy calendar.