What do I need to do now?

[reservoircats]

I have done 4 tests that confirmed I am pregnant.
What are the next steps?
The first day of my last period was 20th September which would make me just under 4 weeks pregnant.
Do I need to ring my doctor to confirm pregnancy with a blood test?
I don't want to ask anyone as that will obviously give it away and we don't want to tell anyone until a bit further down the line, any help would be appreciated :)

Congratulations!

1. Dance a little secret happy dance.
2. Get to 8 weeks then contact GP surgery and ask for a booking appointment from a midwife.

Good luck!

@reservoircats
I'd sit tight for a few weeks, then either register with your local hospital or your GP (depending on the rule in your area). Good luck!

Thank you both :)

And take folic acid and vitamin D if you aren’t already. Check the NHS website for a couple of foods to avoid. Good luck!

@piglet81 I have already started taking that today, I will take a look at foods to avoid too, thank you :)

@reservoircats You can call now btw - dont have to wait till 8wks. I called at 4 weeks exactly.

Check online - your area might ask you to call GP or to call midwife booking direct. Warning that they dont do a blood test anyone and it's all a bit anticlimactic:

Me: "Hi I'm pregnant !!!"
Clinician: "When was your last period?"
Me: "X date !"
Them: "Okay you'll get a letter with your appointment x bye"
Me: "oh, right ... bye then"

I called my GP surgery at 4 weeks as well. They told me self-refer myself at the hospital and expect a call from a midwife the next day. Sure enough the call came on the next day and she booked me in for a booking appointment which I think was at Week 10 (telephonic). She also mailed me some material and a booking for my Week 12 scan.

You should be able to search online for the process in your area or ask the GP surgery. In my area you can't refer yourself until 6/7 weeks I think, but then booking appointment is at 10 weeks.

All the best with your pregnancy OP!

Thank you all :) @Emelene @MnM156 @TheDaydreamBelievers

So helpful!

Both times I went to the GP the day I found out which was between 4 and 6 weeks. Filled out all the paperwork there and a midwife was in touch within a few days to arrange an appointment at 10 weeks.

My main reason for doing things straight away was because I wanted to deliver at an out of area hospital and wanted to make sure I was booked in there as early as possible.

Depending on your area you either call gp to refer to midwife or you can self refer directly.
There's no need to wait as they will schedule your first appointment for around 8 weeks. In fact if you wait a few weeks before phoning it could delay your first appointment if they're busy.

Congratulations

Congratulations!

I rang my GP’s surgery when I was 5w and booked an appointment to see the midwife for 8w. From there, she sorted my 12w scan and the rest of my appointments.

It varies from area to area. Where I live they won't make a booking in appointment for you until you're a certain number of weeks for obvious reasons (sorry to bring that up!) and the actual booking in appointment isn't until 10 weeks. As long as you book in before your 12 week scan, though it doesn't really matter. As others have said, it's best to just call your gp surgery and ask them what to do next. If they don't know they should at least be able to give you the number of your local midwife team, who will know!

I personally wouldn't make a booking in appointment as early as 4 weeks because I've been in the position of having to cancel one of those appointments and it just felt like rubbing salt into the wound , but for some women this might not be an issue.

Congratulations and I hope all goes well for you over the next 8 months .

I personally wouldn't make a booking in appointment as early as 4 weeks because I've been in the position of having to cancel one of those appointments and it just felt like rubbing salt into the wound sad, but for some women this might not be an issue.

I’ve also had to cancel one and you’re right, it made it worse. It’s why I waited until 5 weeks to call the next time.

I will wait until 6 weeks, then call the GP up and see what the process is in my area. I also don't want to book it, have anything go wrong and then have to cancel ☹️

I just want to have a blood test done to confirm it because it doesn't seem real yet.

@reservoircats no one will do any tests to confirm your pregnancy btw. Home pregnancy tests are just as accurate as any other test.
My first pregnancy didn't feel real until my scan, I booked an early private one at 9 weeks for reassurance for this reason.

Thanks @babygroups I might go down that route

Yeah sorry @reservoircats they dont do that anymore! Counting down the days till my scan and half convinced they are going to tell me I've somehow read 30 tests wrong

@TheDaydreamBelievers I feel exactly the same way!

Congratulations @reservoircats

I did the same as @babygroups and had a scan at 9 weeks last week just to help with the endless waiting! It was totally worth it! The past weeks have DRAGGED!!!

I found out at just before 4 weeks and self referred straight away and had a sparky midwife call me back to tell me a) I probably wasn't actually pregnant (despite multiple tests!) and that b) even if I was, there was a good chance it wouldn't go anywhere but she very reluctantly decided to process my referral. I was speechless coming off the phone! If they'd said on the referral "wait until X weeks" I might have understood a bit but there's no advice like that!!!!

Thankfully everything has gone well so far and I've got my 12 week scan coming up soon but just hoping I don't get that particular midwife again!!!

Good luck with everything, I hope it all goes well!

Depends on your trust, either ring your drs or the midwives, I’d do that now. I don’t really know why you’d wait until 8 weeks. I had my booking in appointment at 8 weeks so do it sooner rather than later.
I also booked an early scan for 8 weeks, it was lovely to see baby with DP as he couldn’t come to 12 week one.

@BananaFlavouredPancakes I would have been speechless too! What a rubbish and awful experience ☹️