Pregnant - and know NOTHING.

[Elledouble]

So I'm completely clueless. Realised this week that I'd not had a proper period for a while (just spotting) so this morning I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. Firstly, how likely is it to be wrong? It was a digital one and it said "pregnant" in the window (and when I took the strip out there were two definite lines on it), I'll take the other one in the pack later. Realistically I

So it's looking like I'm between 5 and 6 weeks and I've no idea what I'm supposed to do next. My partner is being remarkably calm - I've been crying and panicking - and we have talked lots about having children in the not to distant future. So I know I'll be happy once I've got used to the idea.

But I don't know if I'm supposed to go to the doctors, I'm terrified that I've been drinking and smoking my e-cig (I think the shag wot dun it was shortly before we went on holiday so there was plenty of beer taken around the time implantation was happening) so I'll have hurt my baby. I haven't taken any vitamins and I don't even know when would be the right time to tell my parents. I also suffer from IBS so every twinge in my belly I'm worried is something horrible happening.

I've never really been around babies very much - lots of my friends have children now but you never really hear about this part of the pregnancy. Please talk me down, I know I'm hardly the first woman ever to have had a slightly surprising pregnancy but I'm really stuck for what to do next.

don't panic re the drinking and e-cig... just stop from now on.. plenty of people don't know they are pregnant and drink/smoke and their children turn out fine and see if you can find the thread about pregnancy advice in the 70s - we (mostly) turned out OK.

second - congratulations.
Start taking folic acid and make an appoitment to see your doctor - although don't expect anything until you get to about 12 weeks

Don't worry about drinking. Loads of people do it and their babies are fine.

Yes book in at your GP to see the midwife. Most places the booking in appt is around 8 weeks so do this soon. It's a long appt so be prepared! Easy if your DP comes too as they ask about both family medical histories or screen for potential risks.

Then you're in the system and it goes from there.

Buy a pregnancy book from Waterstones or Amazon as you can leaf through it and learn about what is happening.

NHS choices website under pregnancy for what foods to avoid.

And congrats!

Oh and yy to folic acid, that is really important.

Congratulations!

I agree don't panic about what you can't change.

Start taking folic acid now (either on it's own or in a combine tablet like pregnacare).

Make an appointment with the doctor. Then you'll see a midwife at some point around 8-11 weeks and then have a scan at 12 weeks.

And breath!!!

Don't worry about the smoking and drinking, just stop now. I was 8 weeks pregnant when I found out and I'd had quite a few Christmas night out! Baby was born last Friday and is totally healthy!

I've got ibs too, the further my pregnancy went on, the better it got! Never felt so healthy!

Congratulations! It took me ages to get used to the idea of being pregnant, even tho it was planned! I still look at him and can't believe he's mine!

Try and enjoy it! Good luck xx

Congratulations.
I knew nothing but there's plenty of time to pick it up. Good sites on the internet, although many will tell you to stick to UK versions as USA stuff can be quite different.
One thing you might be interested in is having a private early viability scan - at around 7 weeks you can see the baby and hear its heartbeat and it can be very moving and exciting. You do this privately but there are many places around the country that offer the service and it costs from approx. £50 depending on where you go. It turned, what was for me, a rather abstract idea into something very real. The call it a viability scan because it checks a few basic things - naturally it picks up anything unusual - ectopic / twins etc.

Thank you all - luckily I'm working from home today (using the word "working" very loosely) so I've got some space to think. I'm alternating between laughing and crying (and pissing every half-hour - jesus, is this normal?!). Partner will be getting me some folic acid on his way home so I'm making a start on all the necessary stuff. Thanks again for the support

Congratulations

YY to starting folic acid as soon as possible.
Like others have said - try not to worry about the drinking and E cig. Many ladies who don't know they're pregnant have drank in the early stages and had healthy babies, I'd also imagine that rather a lot are conceived while under the influence I know 2 of mine were :) What's important is that you stop now that you do know.

There's so much information available now to help you, be it from the internet or books.

Apart from seeing your GP so that you can be booked into see the Midwife there's not really much else to do at this stage.

Relax, enjoy and start getting used to it - You're having a lovely little BABY!! :)

Hello - congratulations Elledouble and hope the shock wears off soon!

Apologies for the intrusion but this thread caught our eye and made us think of Bumpfest - our one-day event in London on September 27 for pregnant women and their partners. It's a one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about pregnancy and birth - and comes with free lunch, snacks, drinks and a rather marvellous goody bag.

There's a group offer going here here - three tickets for £50 each - but if you wait until Monday you'll be able to buy individual tickets for £45 using the code 'Mumsnetter'. (The goody bag will be worth about that by itself )

Here endeth the promomtional message - hope you don't mind. Any very best of luck with the pregnancy Elledouble.

Thanks
MNHQ