First pregnancy...what do I do?

[IceLemonGin]

After TTC for over 3 years, I did a test this morning and got a BFP! I've not really got anyone else to ask and but what happens now?

What can I expect in the next few weeks? When do I need to make doctors appointments etc?

Oh and I keep having twinges and cramps...is this normal?

Hoping to settle into this part of MN for the next 9 months or so!

I am no expert as this is my second, first one wasn't successful, pregnancy! But congratulations :)
Go to the doctors and ask for a midwife registration form, at my surgery they kept them behind the main desk.
Twinges and cramps are normal , just growing pains. I, unfortunately, am a spotter so for me spotting and bleeding is becoming a normal part of my pregnancy. So if you do experience some spotting try not to worry but always get it checked out with midwife.

Don't worry about 'normal' symptoms, i had just mild nausea and that was it. Some people have full blown sickness multiple times a day. There is no 'Normal' in pregnancy, everyone one is different. Some people get lots of symptoms, some get none. Do not compare your pregnancy to anyone elses, you will know what feels right for your body.

I get quite bad ligament pain and if i stand or move to fast i will get a stitch like pain, but online pains automatically scream 'BAD BAD BAD' but for me it is normal.

Im sure you will get used to what your body tells you and you will know if something is up. With my first pregnancy i 'knew' something was wrong, i had a gut feeling. Unfortunately it ended a few days before my 12 week scan, i was very unlucky but i fell pregnant again in Sept.

Good luck with everything, everyone here is amazing and will give you great advice :D

Thanks for your reply Leanne you've reassured me. I will get on with contacting the surgery. I had heard there wasn't much point booking a gp appointment if you've done more than one test.

I'm sorry your first pregnancy wasn't successful. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been.

As we have been trying so long, it's come as a shock and I'm a little anxious about letting myself believe it.

Congratulations to you too! I look forward to seeing you around this part of the boards

I think you should start things going by either asking GP to refer you or self-refer yourself to the midwives- I did it on the hospital web site. But as far as any care or checks they will not do anything until about 10w.

But what you should start immediately is the healthy diet, read up on what to eat and what not to eat, start taking folic acid and possible other prenantal vitamins.

I stopped all acohol, coke, coffee and tea immediately so completelly cut of coffeine.

It is very important what you eat as in first 3 months everything develops.

and no hot baths.

Thanks Zahrah. I currently do slimming world so eat pretty healthily with lots of fruit and veg. I've been told I can continue with slimming world but I will double check.

I'm going to go to the supermarket tonight and get vitamins and folic acid. I don't smoke or drink coffee but will avoid the odd fizzy coke. I was looking forward to a few glasses of wine next week at my work xmas do but obviously I won't be doing that now!

Can anyone tell me what happens at the first appointment with the midwife?

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I'm no expert (I'm only 11 weeks with my first myself!) but I experienced quite a lot of twinges to begin with and still get some now. I believe you can get 'implantation' pains at the very early stages which happen as the embryo attaches itself to your uterus. Also, if you think about the amount of growing and changing your body is doing (your uterus something like doubles in size in the first few weeks), you're bound to feel something!

Personally I made a doctors appointment right away (as at the time I was in shock and honestly didn't know how to proceed), she prescribed me some folic acid and I was booked in to see a midwife at about 7 weeks. She weighed me an asked some questions about family history, before making another appointment for the proper booking appointment at 9 weeks where they took my bloods and a urine sample etc. They give you a big folder and a list of appointments to make so it should all be nice and straight forward from thereon in.

Everyone is different so your symptoms may well be different to the next mum to be, however I experienced nausea, extreme tiredness, constant thirst (and constant need to pee!), a very sensitive sense of smell and very sore boobs. You'll hear all sorts of weird and wonderful symptoms though! If you're unsure of anything speak to your midwife - that's what she's there for :)

Good luck! xxxx

I would download all the pregnancy apps to your phone! They are ace for checking on weekly progress and what your developing baby is doing!

I just got a BFP this morning! But I will probably leave it a couple of weeks before I book a DR appointment.

at my appt with midwife she took personal info, health history, family history, stuff like that.

Then urine and blood. Bloos is for testing on STDs and if you or your parrtner are of certain background also some testing for sickle cell and thalassemia.

She weighted me, took blood pressure.

I was concerned because all my pregnant friends living in another country at 10 weeks already had couple of ultrasounds each, complete blood tests, some were taking prescription hormones...so this seemed very basic to me.

Congratulations!

There are all sorts of myths about what you can / can't eat in pregnancy so I would suggest starting here:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx

Regarding caffeine, you don't have to give up completely, just cut back. The link above goes into detail about appropriate amounts. In terms of diet don't worry too much if morning sickness makes eating at all healthily very difficult. I had horrible morning sickness during my first pregnancy and ended up living on bread, cereal and dairy - I couldn't face fruit, vegetables or meat at all - and still ended up with a very healthy 8lb 8 DS. Just do your best - your body will prioritise the baby.

Congratulations!

I've had four pregnancies. The short answer to your question - is nothing, if you're lucky! It's a hugely exciting anticlimax to realise that it's happened but actually nothing much has happened For everyone else!

If you're very early on, it could easily be another 5-6 weeks before you need a midwife appointment and 8-9 weeks before they offer a scan (usually at the last minute, at an inconvenient time)

Take some folic acid if you're not already, get a pregnancy week by week book or app, cut out the obvious stuff like smoking and alcohol, try not to drink too much tea and coffee, put your feet up, smile your secret smile and watch the calendar crawl round....it'll never move so slowly!

Congrats ice lemon! I also got my bfp this morning so I'm pleased I've found this thread

Congratulations!
I would recommend checking online what the proceedure is in your area for GP/Midwife. In my area we phone the doctors to get a midwife appointment. I was given my first within a couple of weeks which was paperwork and a chat about dos and don'ts and then got an appointment at 8 weeks.

Oh and work out when you started your last period as they ask this and I didn't have a clue.

Thanks everyone for your responses and kindness!

Jenny I have always tracked my cycles so know the date of my last period. I will speak to my surgery, I've never been in since I registered there so probably best to ask.

Congratulations littlemiss such wonderful news! I still can't get my head round it! We will have to be bfp buddies

Ida I got some folic acid tonight at the supermarket. You're completely right, today has been the longest day of my life...the wait is going to be a long one

Ah Mochas your sickness sounds terrible. I bet your body needed the bread cereal and dairy to keep going. I think my ideas of following SW may change if I get morning sickness!

zahrah thanks for the info about booking in. Reassuring to know what to expect.

Thanks! Been so nice to actually tell someone today!! My docs said I have to make a self Referal to midwives. I'll give them a ring tomorrow. I also have two nights out this weekend where I know no one will believe the "I can't have a wine I'm on the antibiotics" not looking forward to trying to hide the smile on my face when quizzed!

I know. I've wanted to shout it from the rooftops but at the same time I don't believe it.

Oh I sympathise. I have the annual Xmas party next week and have gone on and on for ages about how much I'm looking forward the free bar!

Have you had much in the way of symptoms? Do you know how far along you are?

I always found it was better to either pretend to drink (and then ditch your wine, have fizzy water etc) or pretend to be so hungover that just the thought of alcohol makes you queasy! Those tricks have successfully fooled my friends in the past!

Congrats! I'm barely 4 weeks and I don't really believe and not sure what to so either! Left a message with my doctor yesterday who said she'd refer me over the phone, but she didn't call back.

I'm in Hackney and apparently I can choose what hospital to go to but I can't seem to find any info about this at all! Anyone know if there's a website or something where I can look this up?

I think if the doc doesn't ring me back today I'm going to self refer at my nearest hospital which is Homerton just to get things moving.

Oh and having just posted that, I found this link to find maternity units in your area! Might be useful to someone.

www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Maternity-services/LocationSearch/1802

Congratulations! Cramps and twinges are normal, so is feeling tired, off certain foods etc. some people have no symptoms, some have lots.
To not look like you're avoiding alcohol, you could have plain tonic or say you're on antibiotics.
The booking in appt involved an I depth medical history, lifestyle questions, height, weight, BP, bloods, carbon monoxide test and introduction to the services.
The first few weeks seemed to drag for me- I was desperate for a bump! It'll be here before you know it.

Hi everyone, I'm also pleased I stumbled across this page... I got my first faint bfp on weds and took another one today and the line is much darker so I'm starting to believe it now! I've also been getting the odd twinge so it's nice to know it's normal. Midwife doesn't want to see me until 31st dec so I'll be about 10 weeks then, my docs said it's usually 8-10 weeks but I guess I fall over the xmas period! Feeling over the moon at the min! But such early days I just need to take each day as it comes congrats to everyone else's great news and fingers crossed to others!

I'm so happy to hear of the other ladies who recently got their BFPs...congratulations!

I feel like I need to get the ball rolling with the drs then. Never factored in appointments not running the same over Xmas and NY.

I put used a little online calculator to work out an rough due date and it gave me 4th August.

I didn't sleep well last night...too excited. I've had (sorry TMI) diarrhea this morning but it's probably completely unrelated.

Thanks for the useful link Shantoto

Fifi yesterday dragged. I'm hoping Christmas distracts me a bit over the next month. Great idea about the drinks too.

Nothing is TMI on Mumsnet! I had diarrhoea in early pregnancy too....watch out for the trumps!! I think it's just the effect of the relaxin hormone on your digestive system.

I think you get extra syns on slimming world when pregnant, so there's that to look forwards to if you stay on it

If you are on ANY medication, you need to check NOW that it's safe during pregnancy (I had to switch some of mine) so GP asap and maybe even asking a pharmacist in the meantime. Otherwise, the receptionist should be able to advise your first moves if you contact the surgery

Oh I have the trumps to look forward to then. I suppose it's better than being bloated/constipated. Silver lining

I've had dreadful heartburn since yesterday lunch time which seems random and I suspect unrelated!

How is everyone else today?

Oh crosspost Ebwy That's good about the extra syns. I thought that was only while breast feeding. I will double check but I seem to have lost my appetite a bit.

Good point about the medication. I have mild asthma and only use an inhaler once every 6 months or so but it may be worth getting a GP appointment and discussing it.

I spoke to the Drs receptionist a minute ago, she was very miserable and told me I need to go in. I'm very unreasonable as I expect everyone to be as thrilled as I am

Hi Ice Congrats

It's hard when doctors, nurses, midwives, and their receptionists aren't more excited for you isn't it?

I well remember visiting our doc after my PPT (after TTC for what seemed a very long year) and he more or less told me to come back later. Probably did just about say congrats.

Anyway you might want to tell a few close friends - they will be much better at being excited for you!