If you’re anything like us when you saw your positive pregnancy test you were immediately flooded with emotions: pure joy, shock and excitement. With waves of fear, anxiety and nerves mixed in for good measure. Finding out you’re pregnant is emotional and amazing — and you may be left wondering, now what?! Most practitioners won’t see you until you’re around 8 weeks pregnant which usually  leaves you a little time to ‘fend for yourself.’ It’s a natural instinct to want to DO SOMETHING once you find out you’re growing a baby, so we’ve come up with a list of 5 things you can do right away!

Make your OB appointment Call to schedule your first OB appointment - this is also a good time to decide if you want to stay with your current practice throughout your pregnancy or find someone new. Look into things like what their procedure is for doctors on call, will you see the same provider every visit or you may even consider seeing a midwife at a birthing center. Now is the time to start your research!

Read! Read as many or as few pregnancy books as your little heart desires. Some people want to read EVERYTHING about pregnancy and others prefer a minimalist approach, whatever floats your boat mama. We love Nurture and >The Mama Natural’s Week by Week Guide To Pregnancy.

Educate yourself on what’s pregnancy safe. Figure out if you’re taking any medication (over the counter or prescription) that you should stop taking while pregnant. You’ll also want to look at your diet - here’s a list from the American Pregnancy Association of food to avoid while pregnant. And it doesn’t stop there - be sure to check all of your skincare products for ingredients that you should avoid when with child (here’s a good list). Now is a time when many mamas opt to switch over to more natural beauty and skincare products.

Download a pregnancy app. As cheesy as they may be, it’s fun to watch your little blueberry grow to the size of an avocado and learn about their development week by week! Not only will these apps educate you about what’s going on in the womb, they’ll also offer you some insight on changes that you may get to look forward to with your body each week. We love Sprout, The Bump and Hello Baby.

Get comfy. It’s time to get comfortable mama! Your bump may not be showing yet - but before you know it your favorite jeans will begin to feel a little tight. Prepare yourself now - get some comfy maternity PJs you can grow into, cozy lounge pants, a pregnancy pillow to help with sleep and a pregnancy band that will help bridge the gap between your regular clothes & maternity.