Pregnancy test: How early?

[JLiz]

Congratulations!

Don't worry about what you did last week. You can't undo it, and stress won't help the situation either. Besides, it wasn't heroin.

I think artificial sweeteners are worse than caffeine, imo.

Miscarriage risks lessens significantly around weeks 11 or 12. Once the doctor can hear the heartbeat on a doppler the risk goes down to about 5%. You'll be able to hear the heartbeat on an ultrasound at weeks 6 or 7, which is so exciting.

We didn't tell most people (post on facebook) until week 12 but told family right away. We're excited and wanted to share that with the people closest to us. Also, if the worst should happen and miscarriage occur, I wanted those same people there for support.

 

[DaisyLynn]

Congratulations! I am pregnant with my first and one thing that I did throughout my first trimester (and even now, since I'm not THAT far out of it) was to not worry about the bad stuff. I take care of myself, I do what my OB tells me to do. She told me from the beginning to not worry, because it changes nothing. Just do right for you and your baby. So exciting!!!!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Congrats!! I remember the feeling like it was yesterday (oldest is 19 )

I would recommend a OB/GYN and try to keep as much fluid in your system as possible due to the cold and the pregnancy. The doctor will give you a list of meds that you can and can not take.

For now though, Tylenol is usually on the go list. Doesn't help too much, but it is better than nothing if you feel really cruddy!

 

[Twende]

Thank you everyone!!! I'm so excited!! & starting to get a little bit nervous.....I've never been pregnant before! I'm just starting to research foods to stay away from:

-Deli meat (I gave it up 3 days ago thinking I might be pregnant soon)
-I'm going to give up ALL seafood, just to be safe
-Caffeine (fairly easy except for my beloved Diet Coke Can I have Caffeine Free Diet Coke or should I avoid it completely?)
-Alcohol (easy, I don't drink very often)

Anything else??

My New Years resolution was to start getting more consistent with my vitamins. Since then I've been consistently taking a Womens multi, calcium, folic acid, & vitamin E. Anything else? When should I start buying prenatal vitamins?

I'm so excited!

Congratulations!

Don't worry about what you did last week. You can't undo it, and stress won't help the situation either. Besides, it wasn't heroin.

I think artificial sweeteners are worse than caffeine, imo.

.......

I agree about the Diet in the Coke. The Coke is not nearly as bad as the diet part!

You need more Folic Acid that what is in a normal woman's vitamin.

Here is a great site about pregnancy diet. This is what is taught in Bradley Childbirth Classes. It is excellent!

http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/

This is just the start of a whole new world for you. There are so many decisions to make starting right now and you need to get as educated as you can.

You want childbirth classes that start early and teach you how to be a consumer not a good patient.

Do not over look something because it seems different or out there.

Never in a million years did DH or I think we would do the things we did or make the choices we made in birthing our children or in raising them. Keep an open mind and learn about everything you can.

Life is incredible and this is just the start of one of the most incredible times in your lives!

 

[bellarella]

Congratulations!

Don't worry about what you did last week. Prior to when your period is due, an embryo hasn't established a direct transfer between itself and your uterus.

Also, the only big drop in the miscarriage rate happens when you see a strong heartbeat. After that, it's just a gradual decline until delivery. The 11/12/13 week thing is a left over from before there was regular ultrasounds.

 

[aristocatz]

I agree about the Diet in the Coke. The Coke is not nearly as bad as the diet part!

You need more Folic Acid that what is in a normal woman's vitamin.

Here is a great site about pregnancy diet. This is what is taught in Bradley Childbirth Classes. It is excellent!

http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/

This is just the start of a whole new world for you. There are so many decisions to make starting right now and you need to get as educated as you can.

You want childbirth classes that start early and teach you how to be a consumer not a good patient.

Do not over look something because it seems different or out there.

Never in a million years did DH or I think we would do the things we did or make the choices we made in birthing our children or in raising them. Keep an open mind and learn about everything you can.

Life is incredible and this is just the start of one of the most incredible times in your lives!

Thank you!! I've been taking 400mg of Folic Acid plus a Women's Multi-vitamin since Jan. 1-is that enough Folic Acid? The pill is so teeny, I wondered.

Congratulations!

Don't worry about what you did last week. Prior to when your period is due, an embryo hasn't established a direct transfer between itself and your uterus.

Also, the only big drop in the miscarriage rate happens when you see a strong heartbeat. After that, it's just a gradual decline until delivery. The 11/12/13 week thing is a left over from before there was regular ultrasounds.

Thank you so much for settling my nerves. At what week can you hear the heartbeat through the ultrasound-7 weeks?

 

[bellarella]

You are welcome!

Try to enjoy as much of the next several weeks as you can! You can't control what happens, so there is no point in worrying about it. It will just ruin the experience, and if, for some reason the unthinkable happens, worrying won't make the blow any easier.

 

[Twende]

Thank you!! I've been taking 400mg of Folic Acid plus a Women's Multi-vitamin since Jan. 1-is that enough Folic Acid? The pill is so teeny, I wondered.

....

I would take at least 800mcg during pregnancy. I think my doctor had me take 1000mcg.

 

[Bastiansmom]

I had an ultrasound last week to establish my due date. I was 6 weeks, 4 days and we heard a really strong heartbeat. I'm due September 8.

 

[aristocatz]

I would take at least 800mcg during pregnancy. I think my doctor had me take 1000mcg.

Thank you so much for that info! I will start increasing it tomorrow!!

I had an ultrasound last week to establish my due date. I was 6 weeks, 4 days and we heard a really strong heartbeat. I'm due September 8.

Wow-that sounds amazing!

 

[T. Lynn]

I actually took a pregnancy test 2 days before I was due (so I wasn't even late yet) and it came out positive. I just had a feeling from symptoms that I was having & never experienced before. We were trying so I was beyond excited. I ended up being in disbelief and took 3 of them

I wanted to be pregnant so bad and when I saw "positive", I kept thinking it was lying to me and I'd get my hopes all up. My doctor had a good laugh ... because of course, I went right away to confirm the 3 I just took

 

[herdtoDisney]

OK, so I'm on the verge of excited, but I'm not sure......

I used First Response and got a really bright pink line next to a faded light pink line. Two lines=pregnant & I have 2 lines but the 2nd one is very faded compared to the first line.......My DH is jumping for joy thinking I am pregnant & I'm of the verge of jumping for joy, but I don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

What do you think????

I got a faded pink line once-so faint, I had to get close to the light to see it. The faded line is now a 19 year old man, so congratulations!!!

In my pregnancies, I tried to avoid caffiene completely. I did eat deli meat and cooked seafood (I avoided sushi). But I don't eat much of either on a regular basis.

I had a pediatrician group for several years for the kids, then we started going to a family medicine practice. It's much easier on us to get all our care in one place, and now that the kids are getting older, they have been able to stay with their doctor.

Like another PP mentioned-you and dh should educate yourselves so you can make the best decisions for your particular family (it sounds like you have been doing that, which is great!). People will tell you all kinds of stuff.

 

[HeatherH]

Thank you everyone! I am starting to get worried about all the food I ate last week that was on the "avoid" list and the aspirin and Dayquil I've taken over the past few days due to a cold I have, but I am a worrywart by nature.

I am also in my mid-30's and I was anticipating that it would take a long time to get pregnant, but it happened pretty quickly!

How many weeks until I can stop worrying so much about the possibility of miscarriage? I mean I'm sure it's an ongoing risk, but does the risk decrease after a specific amount of weeks?

I'm also in process of switching doctors-I am not crazy about mine & I definitely do not want her following me throughout my pregnancy. I'm going to see if I can go to the clinic that my DH just started doing to up the road from us.

Should I be looking for a family doctor at this point or just a general practitioner? Sorry if that was a dumb question!!

Congratulations!

Is an ob/gyn not an option for you, as far as a doctor goes? They are specialists in pregnancy and delivery, and that would be my choice if that is an option for you, board certified preferably.

I have both a board-certified ob/gyn and a board-certified family practitioner, and they are both wonderful, but I only wanted the ob/gyn for the prenatal visits and advice and for the delivery.

I was also mid-30s when I was pregnant and I really think you need to have someone you completely trust for this process. You are actually considered "old" to have a baby (I know, that is just so wrong, I thought the same thing 18 years ago when I had my daughter) but there are more possible complications with your age. NOT that those are going to happen, but I would just want you feeling very comfortable with the practitioner guiding you through this whole process.

And as the others have said...do NOT worry about what you've already done/ingested. Just focus on having a healthy pregnancy and baby!

 

["Got Disney"]

you can actually take the test 10-14 days after ovulation.....no need to wait till missed menses......just use a sensitive test.....

I am a L&D nurse (Labor and Delivery nurse.)

just be sure if you get a negative you try again in another 7 days....once the egg burrows in the HCG levels will rise....

I have always started around 7 days after when trying to see if I was pregnant.....and for me at the 10 days I always got my Positive test.

If you are trying to get pregnant...good luck

 

[debrapagliasotti]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

How exciting for you and DH to be expecting your 1st!!

Dont worry too much about the "light" positive line. In my last 2 pregnancies I had faint positive lines w/in a day or so of missing my period, but then taking another test a few days later it was a much darker line. Since you tested later in the day, your HCG level would be lower. I'll bet if you re-tested
first thing in the morning it would be a darker line. All that matters is that those HCG numbers keep going up. You could go in for a blood test if you wanted to and they could see the numbers.

I definately agree with increasing the Folic Acid. The Folic Acid is super important during these first few months especially. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated (and help combat any headaches!!) Try and get plenty of rest during this 1st Trimester. It always wore me out, but then I felt great in the
2nd Trimester.

I ate deli meat during my pregnancies (I have 4 kids), but did limit it. I also ate Tuna fish off and on during my pregnancies (no more than once a week though).

Before you take any OTC meds for colds, allergies, etc, be sure you look online to see if they are safe during pregnancy until you can see a Dr. Quite a few meds out there are not recommended during pregnancy, but almost any Tylenol product is ok.

I always saw an OB for my pregnancies. That was my personal preference. I know many women who have seen a family practicioner and have been very happy, and others like myself who only wanted to see an OB. Just go with whomever you feel comfortable with.

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy pregnancy!

 

[herdtoDisney]

A midwife is also a wonderful option. I saw a CNM (certified nurse midwife) for some of my pregnancies and she was very knowledgeable and caring. Some deliver babies in a hospital setting, some a birth center, and some at home.

 

[Twende]

My favorite to attend me when I am pregnant is a midwife.

They seem to take more time to answer your questions and are most versed in normal things of pregnancy. They also have much more time to spend with you in labor and normally give you many more choices of birthing positions.

I only prefer an OBGYN for more complicated pregnancies like multiples or low lying placentas.

 

["Got Disney"]

Thank you everyone!!! I'm so excited!! & starting to get a little bit nervous.....I've never been pregnant before! I'm just starting to research foods to stay away from:

-Deli meat (I gave it up 3 days ago thinking I might be pregnant soon)
-I'm going to give up ALL seafood, just to be safe
-Caffeine (fairly easy except for my beloved Diet Coke Can I have Caffeine Free Diet Coke or should I avoid it completely?)
-Alcohol (easy, I don't drink very often)

Anything else??

My New Years resolution was to start getting more consistent with my vitamins. Since then I've been consistently taking a Womens multi, calcium, folic acid, & vitamin E. Anything else? When should I start buying prenatal vitamins?

I'm so excited!

PN vitamins right away....folic acid right away.....You can still eat Deli meat just not lots all the time.....you can still have your soda once in awhile.....no Alcohol is best....no shell fish. or sushi ...NO RAW FISH!

you can go about your normal life......if you have cats have someone else clean the litter box.....

Go to an OB for your care for your first pregnancy unless you find a really good midwife........not a Family Practitioner....find one that you have done research on....you can call your local hospital that you want to deliver at and ask for the OBs that deliver there.....

be careful on what you read and what some say......there is a lot of bad advice out there.....and it can scare you when no need to be scared.

by they way have assisted many many GREAT OBs......I personally would for your first pregnancy go to an OB that next time seek out a MidWife if you choose.......or find a Doc that has a MidWife that works under them.


Don't worry enjoy and congratulations!!!!

 

[puffkin]

CONGRATULATIONS

We told close family (parents, siblings) right away with our first. With this pregnancy I waited until I had the first ultrasound where they could "see" the heartbeat so around 7 weeks. I had a second ultrasound and we heard the heartbeat right after the first of the year so I made the big "Facebook" announcement then since I was about 11.5 weeks.

I am one of those people who gets really sick so it is very difficult to take the prenatals. I actually take 2 Flintstone chewables a day. The doctor also prescribed me 1mg of Folic Acid a day. It is available in Rx but it is only one tiny pill so I usually can get it to stay down.

Don't worry too much about what you eat/drink. Just keep everything in moderation. There are really only a small handful of things you absolutely need to avoid (raw fish, sushi and smoking) that come to mind. I still drink caffeine (1 coffee or soda) everyday and have an occassional glass of wine with my OB's blessing. For the first trimester she told me to eat anything that would stay down and not worry about nutrition too much since I had such awful sickness.

I would also recommend finding an OB. You can ask your local hospital (ask one of the L&D nurses who the good docs are) if you don't know who. I had to go into the ER for dehyrdration at about 7 weeks and was still trying to find an OB as the practice I used for my son no longer delivers babies and they were very helpful.

 

[tyniknate]

CONGRATS Can I suggest the book "What to expect when you are expecting?" It was my pregnancy bible for when I had all those questions and concerns that just couldn't wait for the next doctor visit. It was some of the best money I ever spent!