My Midwives
We recently covered some of the significant steps to consider when planning a pregnancy, so what happens once there are two blue lines on a pregnancy test?
It is super important whether you have planned a pregnancy or whether it’s a surprise to just sit and take a moment when you know that you have a positive pregnancy test. There is zero point rehashing whether you have just eaten sushi or been drinking alcohol, but there is a point to considering where to from here. If there are any risk factors in your life – health wise or other – it is time to take stock and have a conversation with an appropriate person about what you need to do about them. An appropriate person may be a health professional – a GP, a midwife or someone else in that space OR it may be your partner or other loved ones who can support your choices and decisions.
The initial weeks require a few particular thoughts and they are firstly whether you are wanting to continue the pregnancy, what life changes you need to make immediately and whether there are considerations about steps you may need to take relative to your personal circumstances. The first question – whether you are happy to be pregnant – we won’t debate here. Suffice to say, it is a highly personal consideration which only the person who is pregnant can truly unpack. Many feelings will surface. They may be confusing and challenging. Seeking professional support is a great idea if things become even mildly overwhelming.
The early days require some clear thinking. Things that negatively impact the developing fetus are called teratogens and may include physical agents, metabolic conditions, infections, drugs and chemical agents. Consideration of work impacts (e.g. chemotherapy nurses, working in situations where lots of chemicals are used or where you are continuously overheated or exposed to infections), life impacts (drug and alcohol habits) and your overall health can be discussed with a health care professional who specializes in this area. If you haven’t started a basic regime of taking Vitamins that support the development of a fetus, such as Folic or Folinic Acid, these two can be commenced within the first trimester. Making even small adjustments early on – such as starting a smoking cessation package if you smoke or trying to stay away from people with infection to avoid an early pregnancy exposure – may make a difference.
Lifestyle considerations that may be important to think about at the commencement of pregnancy include where you are living and the impact of a baby in that space. If you need to move or change your living arrangements factoring that in as early in pregnancy as possible as moving late in pregnancy is a tricky thing. Where you live may also impact your choice of care provider and/or birth hospitals so it is worthwhile considering this early. Considering your relationship status and what impact a baby will have is also critical. Early in pregnancy frank conversations and potentially outside review (such as relationships support or counselling) is worthwhile as to ‘check in’ and ensure stability. Solid foundations built on discussing what all people involved expect from the changes of a new baby really helps cement relationships between partners or other family members who may be involved. Finally, this also contributes to planning around work and careers and what the views of partners and family may be on ‘who does what’ in the household. Talking about this is a start but not feeling limited in seeking outside support or online resources to assist in planning for life moving forward. The biggest strain on women during pregnancy and after a baby is born can be financial whether they are in a relationship or not. Financially setting out your cost of living, taking away work and considering what income you will have from government support, your partner, your savings and/or family may help in terms of how significant the stress may be. If things are looking difficult to navigate trying to accumulate something in the savings space or considering what alternative steps you can take is a good way to reduce stress.
