4 weeks pregnant, first pregnancy, need encouragement!

[nervous84]

I have just found out I am 4 weeks pregnant. 2-3 Weeks according to digital test but 4 weeks since last P.

Myself and my husband are thrilled but I am a natural worrier and don't know how I will get through the next 8 weeks without going crazy!

Anyone else in the same boat?

Words of encouragement welcome!

Congratulations!
Pregnancy makes a lot of us into big-time worriers. I am! This is my second pregnancy and the first trimester was still filled with worrying until my scan! It's part and parcel of it I think.
Just take each day as it comes, it's one day closer to your scan. Do what you need to get through the weeks if you get sickness. I was utterly exhausted and going to bed before my toddler most nights for about 6 weeks!
Try and remember that worrying doesn't add anything to the journey. As hard as it is, there's nothng you can do to control whether or not a pregnancy is viable etc so try and relax as best you can. And remember 4 out of 5 pregnancies are healthy and go to term! The odds are in your favour :)
In all honesty I hate the first trimester but it's something you have to get through. And you will :)

My boat is almost identical to yours Got BFP this morning (1st pregnancy) and am also a worrier. Not anxious yet as I just don't believe it's real!

Yes I was exactly the same, time just dragged! We booked a private scan at 8 weeks as I was so paranoid and wanted to know if anything was actually there.
I promise it will get easier, and time will soon start to fly by!!!

I had a private scan at 8 weeks which showed a heartbeat which was so reassuring. Was £69 I think but you can find vouchers, special offers for less.

Due to a holiday we missed 12 week NHS scan and nuchal fold test so we paid for a serenity test (aka Iona test, harmony test). This was expensive but SO worth it. It's a blood test on the mother that collects baby DNA from you and is 99.7% accurate screening for downs, Edwards, Patau syndrome. This was awesome for reassurance. I'll defo do again if preg again.

So I suppose if you can afford it I really recommend this to address worry.

Same boat @nervous84 (same age too, I think!) and @MrsHarker - BFP with first pregnancy today. So many emotions! We're delighted (were TTC, very lucky cycle 2), very very excited, bit nervous, very surreal, and eight weeks feels a long long time right now, let alone months.

Also thought I had a basic understanding of next steps but realise I'm at square one really, so much to take in! Starting with what not to eat! Could really do with a glass of wine to steady the nerves tonight

My GP (midwife) sees people at 7-8 weeks so appt on 1 Feb. Even this feels a long time right now! How about you guys? Also feel I'll keep needing encouragement; MN so good for staying in touch!

Good luck both x

Same here! Got a BFP last week and since then have been going through the rangeeeee of emotions. Excitement, happiness, nervous, anxiety etc etc. We are all in the same boat I guess. I have an appointment with the mid wife this Thursday but I guess she won't entertain me much until 8 weeks which would be by 7th February. So nervous and wish the waiting game becomes easier!!

All the best to all those expecting! (same boat! hope its a smoooth sail! )

It's a relief to hear that others are experiencing a range of feelings too- this pregnancy is very much wanted & planned for, but I just don't seem to be able to trust the test and that's making me a bit nervous! Best wishes fellow captains!

@passtheeights My birth year is 84 😁

I have first appointment with my doctor on Friday. Apart from falling asleep really early, yawning all day and boob growth I feel normal.

Spoke to my husband aboit doing an 8 week scan. Will definitely look at that!

I really want to get excited but trying not to just yet. I'm desperate to visit Mothercare and read baby magazines! It's so hard not telling people too.

Me too @nervous84. Trying to wait til first appt to allow myself a bit of a celebration and even that'll be a scant 7 weeks - and I thought the TWW was hard.

When's everyone planning to share with close fam (if not already)? - PIL very nearby and see us a lot so will be hard to get to three months without them guessing :/

Tempted with a bottle of Seedlip on offer in Tesco - anyone tried it?

What is seedlip?

We have decided to book an 8 week scan. Scared to book yet though in case tempting fate. I have anxiety at the best of times so this is a nightmare!

I don't get notifications when there are messages on here....can these be set up?

Would be good to keep in touch and see everyone's progress!

We're going to tell parents after the 8 week scan.

Poor you @nervous84, fingers crossed for you not feeling too anxious x

Yes I think you can set up to get emails if you click "I'm watching" at the top menu then at the top of the table there's a line saying "send emails when thread is updated" or something that you can click on or off. It should email you when someone namechecks you too?

Seedlip is basically non alcoholic gin, I think, or similar - apparently very good with an indian tonic water and grapefruit if you're preggo and off booze / having cramps or aches (the quinine in the tonic helps or something) - if I get hold of it will feed back!

Ah ok. Giving up coffee is to be hard. Hasn't been too bad last couple of days but once tiredness really kicks in it'll be a nightmare. I'm up early each day to get to work in London! Hopefully the summer months being light will help.

Keep looking on Pinterest at baby stuff and forcing myself to stop!

I just noticed you got lucky on cycle 2 of trying. So did We! Makes it even more unbelievable.

Hello! Same boat here! Got a BFP this morning as I was 6 days overdue for AF. Date of last period is 14th Dec so it's saying I'm 5 weeks. Feel terrified and excited and quite tearful!

Really missing morning cuppa and switched to decaf (doesn't taste the same, but my sense of taste is all over the place right now) but think I'm overreacting as apparently up to two cups of tea or one coffee is fine in a day. Might ease up on myself a bit.

Luckily gave up the commute to go freelance last year so massively feel for you @nervous84. Also struggling to stay away from pram reviews and baby clothes etc!!! So hard when the sales are on!

Congratulations @MrsCaecilius, you're a week ahead of me :) feel a bit funny but only major symptoms are consistent backache, a few bad headaches and the emotion - also tearful! Doesn't take much to trigger right now!

Feel very lucky to have a BFP so early in TTC, didn't expect it at all. Just as well as planned to be very cool about it and turned into a crazy person quite quickly so glad it didn't go on a few more months for DH's sake!

You'll be due September I think - if you look for the Antenatal Clubs section on MN you can join a thread for September due dates and worry away with all of the other just-pregnant ladies :)

Congrstulations!

This thread makes me want to start trying for #3 already!

So, my best advice is... YOGA. I too am a anxious Annie and it totally sorted my brain out. Tell the instructor you’re pregnant though as some exercises will be off limits.

Hi

I am hoping for a bit of comfort or advice.
I am 36 and found out I am pregnancy around 5 weeks. This will be my third but with a large gap, my daughter is 16 and my son 12.
I suffer from depression and anxiety I have done for 15 years which I have been medicated for.
This pregnancy was not planned though subconsciously I believe I did want to go again.
I am so very afraid that I am doing the wrong thing by having another child because I suffer the way I do. I feel like it is really selfish of me to bring another child into my life to watch me struggle with mental health. I am feeling alot of guilt and have not left my house since the 21st of Dec due to my anxiety.
To add to this my partner does not want this baby. He is 44 with a 13 year old daughter and does not want to start over again. He wants me to have an abortion. I believe that if I do it will only hurt my mental health more but I'm also afraid to have the baby because of the issues I have.
I am so very confused and very lonely right now. I believe because of my mental health that I am already a failure for letting my children witness their mum sad and bed bound at times for many years. Am I just going to do the same thing again?
I love my children so much and I am very proud of how they are but constantly beat myself up worrying that I have affected them and that one day they will have learnt to be depressed through me. Can I really do this to another child.
I have little support with these feelings at the minute.
I spoke over the phone to a doctor to let him know that I've been depressed over Christmas and that I haven't been to work since the 21st of Dec. I told him also that I was pregnant and worried because my partner does not want it and that I am on 200mg of sertaline. He told me I would have to come off the medication until baby was born but I could just go back on again after. This horrified me as I know from experience that it's not that easy and that coming off them will more than likely bring back thoughts of Suicide.

I am very frightened at the minute and would appreciate if anyone has had similar issues?

Many thanks K

@thelegendofbeans THANK YOU - that's so helpful. Have been wondering about whether to continue with Yoga (True with Adriene) - I love it and it does me a lot of good, mentally and physically, but have since read a lot of conflicting advice. Many UK yogis want to disclaim liability and advise against in first trimester but reading a lot of international instructors' advice to carry on, gently and without any twists / inversions and not pushing oneself, so tempted to carry on but very gently. Hope I don't live to regret it. I know there's no proven connection to MC but if I'm unlucky I know I'll inevitably look for a reason. But I do want to keep moving and keep calm and it's so good for both.

@Kitty, you poor thing - it sounds like you're badly in need of a hug, so sending one. You are not selfish or a failure and it sounds to me like your DCs are lucky to have you. I'm massively out of my depth knowing what to advise you but there are lots of ladies on the Mental Health channel who seem so so sensible and supportive and so many are going through the same thing - it might be worth having a look there too? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed keeping everything crossed for you

I was the same with my pregnancy at the start. Am 19 weeks now and still a bit nervous about my 20-week scan which is coming up.

I tried so hard to just focus on the little milestones. Have an app on my phone which gives you daily and weekly info about your pregnancy, and also compares the size of the foetus to fruit (mine is a grapefruit at the moment apparently!) I found this really comforting to know what things were happening and changing, and what the baby should be starting to do and develop.

It got easier after the first scan, then we heard the heartbeat at the 16 week midwife appointment, and I started feeling movements at 17.5 weeks. I can feel the baby everyday now which gives me even more reassurance.

As PPs have said, nothing you do can impact if your pregnancy will go full-term or not, but try to enjoy it! It's an amazing experience. Good luck!