Finding out you’re pregnant can bring a rush of emotions and an immediate question: what now? The first few weeks matter more than you might expect, so having a clear plan helps you feel in control. Here’s what to do, starting today.
Start a Prenatal Vitamin Right Away
If you’re not already taking one, start a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid today. Folic acid is critical in the earliest weeks of pregnancy because it helps prevent neural tube defects, which are serious problems with the brain and spine that develop before many people even know they’re pregnant. You can find prenatal vitamins over the counter at any pharmacy. Look for one that includes folic acid, iron, and calcium.
Schedule Your First Prenatal Appointment
Call your OB-GYN, midwife, or family doctor as soon as you get a positive test. Most providers will see you for your first visit somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks, though the office will tell you their preferred timing when you call. If you don’t have a provider yet, now is the time to find one. Ask friends for recommendations, check your insurance network, or contact your local health department for options.
At that first visit, expect a physical exam, blood work, and usually an ultrasound to confirm how far along you are and estimate your due date. Bring a list of every medication, supplement, and vitamin you currently take.
Estimate Your Due Date
You can get a rough due date before your first appointment using a simple formula. Start with the first day of your last menstrual period, count back three calendar months, then add one year and seven days. So if your last period started June 10, you’d count back to March 10, then add a year and seven days to get March 17 of the following year. This assumes a 28-day cycle, so your doctor may adjust it with an ultrasound later.
Review Your Medications
Some common over-the-counter medications aren’t safe during pregnancy, so review everything you’re taking with your healthcare provider before continuing or stopping anything. This includes prescriptions, herbal supplements, and vitamins. Even acetaminophen (Tylenol), long considered the go-to pain reliever in pregnancy, has come under closer scrutiny. Some studies have found an association between chronic use throughout pregnancy and neurological conditions in children, though a direct causal link hasn’t been established. The safest approach is to use any medication only when truly needed and to discuss alternatives with your provider.
Adjust What You Eat and Drink
A few food rules kick in immediately. The goal is avoiding bacteria and toxins that your immune system handles easily when you’re not pregnant but that can harm a developing baby.
- Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs. Cook everything thoroughly. Skip homemade Caesar dressing, raw cookie dough, runny eggs, and dishes like tiramisu that use raw eggs.
- High-mercury fish. Avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, bigeye tuna, and tilefish. Other fish and shellfish are great sources of protein and omega-3s for your baby’s brain development, just choose lower-mercury options like salmon, shrimp, and cod.
- Raw fish and shellfish. That means no sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or raw oysters until after delivery.
- Unpasteurized products. Skip soft cheeses like brie, feta, and blue cheese unless the label says “pasteurized.” Same goes for unpasteurized juice or cider.
- Unwashed produce and raw sprouts. Wash all fruits and vegetables well. Avoid raw alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts entirely.
- Deli-style salads. Pre-made ham salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad from a deli counter carry a higher risk of bacterial contamination.
Cut Back on Caffeine
You don’t have to give up coffee completely. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says moderate caffeine intake, under 200 milligrams per day, does not appear to significantly increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth. That’s roughly one 12-ounce cup of brewed coffee. Keep in mind that tea, soda, chocolate, and energy drinks also contain caffeine, so you’ll want to add those up across the day.
Stop Alcohol and Tobacco
There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol crosses the placenta and can affect your baby’s development at any stage. If you smoke or vape, stopping now gives your baby the best chance at healthy growth. If quitting feels overwhelming, your provider can connect you with support programs that are specifically designed for pregnancy.
Keep Moving Safely
Exercise is not only safe during pregnancy, it’s recommended. The goal is at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, things like brisk walking, swimming, or gardening. A simple test: if you can talk normally but can’t sing, you’re at the right intensity. If you haven’t been exercising regularly, start with as little as five minutes a day and build up gradually.
Some activities are off the table, though. Avoid contact sports (soccer, basketball, hockey, boxing), anything with a high fall risk (horseback riding, downhill skiing, surfing, gymnastics), scuba diving, and hot yoga or hot Pilates. Activities above 6,000 feet elevation also carry extra risk if you don’t already live at altitude. If you experience bleeding, dizziness, chest pain, or painful contractions during any exercise, stop and call your provider.
Be Careful With Heat
Hot tubs and saunas can raise your core body temperature to levels that may affect early fetal development. Research has found that it takes at least 10 to 15 minutes in a hot tub for your body temperature to reach the concerning threshold of about 102°F (38.9°C), so brief dips are lower risk. But the safest approach in early pregnancy is to limit time in hot tubs, saunas, and very hot baths, or skip them altogether during the first trimester when the baby’s nervous system is forming.
Handle Household Hazards
If you have a cat, ask someone else to take over litter box duty. Cat feces can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, an infection that’s usually harmless to adults but can cause serious problems for a developing baby. If nobody else can do it, wear gloves and a face mask, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Keep your cat indoors and feed it commercial cat food rather than raw meat. This is also not the time to adopt a new cat or handle strays.
Beyond the litter box, wear gloves when gardening (outdoor cats may use garden soil), and wash your hands after handling raw meat.
Know the Warning Signs
Most early pregnancies progress without serious complications, but certain symptoms need immediate medical attention. Contact your provider or go to the emergency room if you experience:
- Vaginal bleeding heavier than light spotting, especially bleeding that resembles a period or includes clots
- Severe belly pain that is sharp, stabbing, or cramping and doesn’t go away, or pain that starts suddenly and worsens over time
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
These can signal an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or other conditions that require prompt evaluation. Light cramping and occasional spotting are common in early pregnancy and often harmless, but heavy bleeding or intense pain is different. Trust your instincts: if something feels wrong, it’s always better to get checked.