“Extremely happy, a little scared, and a lot worried”
“My finding out I was pregnant was a birthday surprise! When I woke up that morning I knew something was up with my body. I just wasn't feeling quite like myself. I took the pregnancy test at home before my husband and I planned to go out for some special birthday activities. Good thing we hadn't planned to go out for sushi to celebrate! Even though we found out about the baby that day, it took me a really long time for the reality of it to set in. It wasn't until a few months later when I could see my son on the sonogram and feel him kicking that I finally felt like the phrase "expectant mother" applied to me. Once I was at that point (about 12 weeks in) we started to share the news with our family, friends, and my boss.” – Allison
“Is there anything less romantic than peeing on a stick? I had a Rachel-from-Friends moment where I didn’t want to look at the test myself, so I asked my husband to do it. But in a split second, I knew that he’d play Phoebe’s “It’s negative!” joke on me, so I ran over to the sink and beat him to it. It was honestly pretty anti-climactic — the lead-up to taking the test and finding out the results was so exciting that once we saw it was positive, neither of us believed it was true. (I even took a second test the next morning just to be sure!) It was fun keeping the secret between the two of us, and it took a while to set in, but it started to feel real at our 8-week ultrasound. Right after that, we told our parents, and we told the rest of our family and friends towards the end of the first trimester.” – Jeannie
“I was extremely happy, a little scared, and a lot worried when I found out I was pregnant. Especially as a working mom, you wonder how you’re going to make it all work! Life changed at that moment and I just knew my biggest dream was about to come true. A couple of months later we found out it was a girl and my heart fluttered. I always wanted to be a girl mom and have a built-in best friend. My daughter, Kansas, was born last June, and it was simply the best day of my life!” – Mandi
Now that the positive pregnancy results are in – what’s next? Here are some things to keep on your radar during the next nine months.
6 Things to Do After Saying, "I'm Pregnant?!"
- Visit your doctor. They’ll be able to tell you your due date and guide you on nutrition, exercise, and vitamins during your pregnancy.
- Download a pregnancy tracker app to see how the baby will grow week after week and share updates with family and friends.
- Invest in a good water bottle and stock up on healthy snacks to help fight pregnancy fatigue and morning sickness.
- Tell your boss and work with him/her to plan for your leave and return to work.
- Figure out your finances and plan ahead for new expenses.
- Have fun! Start researching baby names, plan a gender reveal (or not), and try to enjoy the process. Life will be changing before you know it!
How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant? Let us know in the comments below!
Editor's Note: Learn more about infant and baby daycare at Bright Horizons.
More on Pregnancy and Infants
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- Becoming a father can be a monumental identity shift. Discover ways to share your interests with your baby and make your new schedule work for you.
