Found out at 16 weeks!! Happy but worried first timer looking for any advice. Missed any tests, meds etc so far.

[LondonFamily]

I feel like such an idiot right now (a very happy idiot though) - I am overweight 34 yr old who always had irregular periods. So I thought nothing when I didn't have my periods so far, got (false) positive ovulation tests in the middle so we kept trying, finally took a home pregnancy test last week that came positive and immediately got a private ultrasound as I didn't want to wait for NHS appointment out of excitement (and slight worry how far along could it be). Was the most pleasant shock to see a fully formed baby and being told I'm already into my second trimester!

Now that the initial excitement has normalized, I'm starting to worry about everything I missed so far. I know I've missed the first scan does at 10 weeks, any blood tests so far, any meds to be taken. My first midwife appointment is next week. I've had no symptoms at all so far except the missed periods which I stupidly ignored. And maybe some breast soreness which at the time I didn't think much of and blamed on this cold af weather. Was reasonably active throughout as was trying to lose weight while TTC. Even had a few drinks on 2-3 occasions :-/

Any advice from experienced mums or those who've gone through this stage on what I can & should be doing now? Thanks ladies!

Congratulations @LondonFamily. I’ve not experienced this (only 6 weeks myself) but have had a family member who found out around the same time as you. In her case, midwife sorted everything asap out when she was seen such as bloods, tests etc. Baby now 6 months old and had no problems at all. The midwife’s will definitely advise whether there is anything medication wise you need to take.

Try not to worry about the few times you’ve drank, you can’t do anything about this now and it’s unlikely to have had any harm from the amounts you mention. Make sure you try and eat healthy and obviously avoid any foods recommended not to eat on the NHS website.

Hope next week goes OK and wishing you all the best for your pregnancy.

@Sunray33 thats very reassuring to hear - thanks for sharing! Hoping to get a midwife who understands my slight anxiety and helps move forward quickly :)

And good luck at 6 weeks - wishing the very best in this journey!

Congratulations!!

Many of the tests are for monitoring and can help plan your care in terms of prevention of complications when performed early but are not typically going to make or break your pregnancy.

You're still early in your second trimester. The biggest impact (in terms of detecting something gone awry) would be the genetic screening tests which go down in their ability to accurately detect issues after 14 weeks of pregnancy. Though, there are still some genetic tests that you can get if you want.

If you get any abnormal results from the other screenings, you likely still have plenty of time to work on things. Abnormal screenings are recommended in each pregnancy but most of the results come back just fine on moms who generally take good care of their health.

The best thing that you can do for your pregnancy is to manage that anxiety. I hope that you can find a midwife who can help as well because it sometimes gets worse in pregnancy or postpartum.

I actually find myself spending most of the prenatal visit time on mental/emotional health with my clients, in-person and virtually.

Folks tend to worry a lot about the physical health, but the mind and body are very much connected and the mental health is often neglected during pregnancy.

Hope this helps.

Congrats @LondonFamily !

Are you due in May? You might want to join the May 24 due dates board and see what they are up to. (I'm currently 8w + 4d with my second and I'm on the July 24 due dates board.) I find it reassuring that so many others go thru the same things, with all the varying symptoms and tests and things.

Remember to take folic acid and vitamin d (or pregnancy multivitamin.) Try to rest and take time to care for yourself. One of my friends recommended pregnancy yoga, so something like that (doesn't have to be yoga!) can be good for meeting other pregnant ladies and getting a little gentle exercise. I did pg yoga with my first in 2022 from sometime in my second trimester up until a couple of weeks before the birth and I enjoyed it.

I'm sure your midwife will get you up to speed soon! Good luck!