What You Need To Do Immediately You Realise You're Pregnant

1. Calculate your due date
Work out your baby's due date with our simple calculator , and sign up to our pregnancy email for free weekly updates on your baby's development.

2. Contact your GP
This will be the first appointment that kicks off your pregnancy care (antenatal care) . Your GP will let the midwifery team know you are pregnant and they will give you a date for your booking appointment , which usually happens around week 8 to 10 of your pregnancy . You may also be able to self-refer or see a midwife straight away, but your GP can let you know how this works in your area.

3. Check how healthy you are
Work out your BMI and check your caffeine intake with our healthy pregnancy tools. Now that you’re pregnant you may need to make some simple lifeclass changes to help your growing baby.

Check how healthy you are with our healthy pregnancy tools

4. Be good to yourself and you’ll be good to baby

• Stub it out: If you smoke, now’s the time to quit.
• Say bye bye to booze (sorry guys): Drinking alcohol can harm your baby’s development and avoiding alcohol completely during pregnancy is the only way to be sure baby is safe.
• Take a break: pregnancy hormones can make you tired and more stressed so it’s important to take time to yourself to relax
• Keep on moving: exercise in pregnancy is great for you and your baby but it doesn’t mean you have to join the gym. A daily walk with a friend or the dog can be a great way to stay active in pregnancy. Download our pregnancy exercise plan.
• Get your vitamins: You don’t need to fork out for pregnancy vitamins but there are a few supplements that are essential in pregnancy. Find out which supplements you need to take.
• Watch out for certain foods: It’s important to have a healthy and balanced diet in pregnancy and to try and avoid foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat. There are also some foods that are dangerous for your growing baby and should be avoided all together. Find out what food to avoid.

5. Your symptoms – what to expect

The first few weeks of pregnancy can be the toughest when it comes to feeling iffy. Tiredness, sore boobs and morning sickness are all common in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Find out how to cope with them . There are some symptoms that could be a sign that something is wrong. Be aware of these with our symptom checker and get in touch with a midwife promptly if you have them.