A late period? Sore breasts? Morning sickness? To sweep away doubts and/or confirm your hope, you peed on a pregnancy test. Faced with the two little lines, you are upset, you are pregnant (congratulations!). Breathe and grab your best notebook: we’re preparing the to-do lists.
I just found out about my pregnancy: what are the medical stages?
Joy, stress, pride, panic... everything mixes together when you find out that you are expecting a baby, and that's normal. A discovery of pregnancy is a promise of many upheavals for future parents and… so many appointments to make!
> Confirm your pregnancy
Do you have any doubts about the reliability of your test? Be aware that false positives are extremely rare: pregnancy tests detect in urine the hormone hCG, produced by your body when you are in conception (and which will increase during your first weeks of pregnancy). An appointment with a doctor or midwife/gynecologist is required to order a blood test, which will confirm the pregnancy. This also measures the beta-hCG level but will be more precise than the test, and can already make it possible to check the stage and the good progress of your pregnancy (if it is multiple, if it presents risks, etc.). This will be your first medical check-up, to be carried out during the first 14 weeks of your pregnancy.
Your doctor will also prescribe a dating ultrasound to determine the stage of your pregnancy and thus know the expected day of conception and therefore of delivery.
And what’s next? You will have seven mandatory medical visits until your delivery. They are done every month, from the 4th and until the end of pregnancy, and are used to ensure precise monitoring, for you and for your baby. And no worries about your wallet: everything is covered by Health Insurance.
> Choose your medical entourage
Nine months is a long time! So you might as well surround yourself well. Take the time to think about how you want to experience your pregnancy. Midwife, gynecologist, obstetrician... The choice of your health professional also depends on your type of pregnancy (if it is late, complicated, if it requires special attention...). For example, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, you will need to be followed by an obstetrician. They deliver their patients in the hospital or clinic where they work, so you will have to follow him/her. In the public sector, deliveries are often carried out by midwives, who also provide preparation for childbirth.
You can also call on a doula: she is a woman who accompanies and supports the future mother and her loved ones during pregnancy and even postpartum. Through her listening and advice, she is a caring support, who can help on a daily basis and/or when we feel a little lost or overwhelmed. It is an intimate and trusting female relationship, but which does not replace medical monitoring and health personnel.
Those around you will surely give you 1000 pieces of advice, but listen to your intuition and above all, feel confident with the person(s) who will follow you!
> First trimester ultrasound
It is one of the three recommended ultrasounds - however not obligatory - during pregnancy. The first ultrasound is often awaited because it provides valuable information; In particular, we can detect the risks of chromosomal anomalies, such as trisomy 21. We can see the four limbs, the eyes, the ears, the feet, the fingers, and a small profile emerges. Your heart as a future mother may well go BOOM!
> Prepare your body
Of course you'll have to stop drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, giving up the sushi platter, eating raw meats, sleeping well...(but I promise, it's for a good cause <3). In short, have the healthiest lifestyle possible, and compatible with your daily life. The objective is not just frustration: it is above all to put your body (and your head, because the two respond to each other!) in the best possible state, so that it(s) live(s) as best as possible the next ones. months full of emotions and changes.
Even when our lifestyle is at its best, we sometimes have certain deficiencies, which is why supplementation is recommended, starting from the desire to become pregnant. But there is still time to get started now that you know you are pregnant! We created our “Pregnancy” food supplement , originally 100% natural, for this: to allow future mothers to build up a reserve of good vitamins and minerals (in particular vitamin B9, also called folic acid), since its needs will be increased over the next nine months… and beyond!
Administrative steps
There is already a lot to do on the medical side and we could do without the rest. And yet, we will also have to (we don't like it either!) anticipate and delve into the few administrative obligations.
> Choose and register for maternity
You can decide to give birth in the public or private sector. On the public side, you must ensure your registration yourself and it is recommended to “book” your place as early as possible (yes, like for the best brunches!). On the other hand, if you choose an obstetrician from a private clinic, he will take care of your registration and the reservation of your room. As for the choice of maternity, it is important to try to:
- take its level into account: 1, 2 or 3. A level 3 maternity ward is more equipped (intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit) and ready to respond to major complications (premature babies, babies requiring intensive care, etc.).
- ensure the correct distance from your home
- find out about the rate of cesarean sections, episiotomies performed, etc.
And even if it is still little developed in France, home birth is also possible, for a completely different experience. However, this requires meeting several criteria: not being too far from a maternity ward (if necessary), that the pregnancy is going well with a healthy mother, that you are not expecting twins, or that the baby does not appear in the seat.
> Declare your pregnancy
There will be an announcement to your loved ones and it will be a moment of joy. But you will also have to notify the administrations. Less funny, we grant you that. This declaration of pregnancy to the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie must be made after the first medical examination, within the first 14 weeks of your pregnancy. All you need to do is send a pregnancy certificate, which the doctor or midwife will give you.
> Inform your employer
Less fun than a gender reveal party, but nevertheless essential: inform your workplace of your pregnancy. The Labor Code does not stipulate any deadline for doing so, not even when hiring. You are just officially required to inform them before your maternity leave, in writing or orally, with a medical certificate. But the sooner you do it, the more comfortable you will be! You will then be able to benefit from your rights, including: authorized absences (and without any impact on your salary obviously) for your medical examinations, a reduction in working time (according to agreements).
And, we see you, the stressed ones! No needless panic: a pregnant woman is protected by law against any risk of dismissal (in permanent contracts, this protection extends to 14 weeks post-partum).
A pregnancy doesn't last nine months, and we're not the only ones to say that ! And that's why it's important to take care of yourself at each stage. From preconception to postpartum , we will be there!
