Just found out you’re expecting? Congratulations!
You’re about to embark on one of the most extraordinary and challenging times of your lives, and we are beyond excited for you. If you’ve just done an at-home pregnancy test, we have no doubt that probably a million things are running through your mind right now, so our best advice at this stage is to head to your GP and get that test confirmed. False positives happen all the time - so the early you can get it confirmed the better.
Now let’s fast-forward a bit…
You’ve been to the GP, you’re officially pregnant (yay!) and you have your first visit scheduled with an obstetrician or midwife. Now what?
Before your first visit (and throughout your pregnancy in general), it’s best to jot down any questions you may have or want to ask your obstetrician or midwife. No question is a stupid question, and you should always feel confident to speak up.
You’re probably thinking “okay, well, what on earth should I be asking at my first appointment?” Were we right? We thought so - which is why we’ve listed 25 of the questions you should ask your obstetrician or midwife at your first appointment:
- When is my baby due?
- What does my health insurance cover?
- If you have private health - what additional costs will I need to cover?
- How much weight gain is expected?
- Am I at an increased risk of any pregnancy-related complications or conditions (e.g. gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia)?
- How often can I expect to see you during my pregnancy and birth?
- What screenings and tests will I need and how many? (e.g. ultrasounds)
- What can I eat and drink during pregnancy? What should I change about my current diet?
- What kind of exercise should I be doing during pregnancy? What should I change about my current regime?
- What’s the deal with sex during pregnancy?
- What sort of travel restrictions do I need to be aware of during pregnancy?
- What changes do I need to make to my day-to-day in general (e.g. can I dye my hair, get a massage, get a manicure or use fake tan)?
- What over-the-counter medications are safe, and in what amount? Are there any I should avoid?
- Are the prescription medications I’m currently taking safe? If not, what can I take or do instead?
- Do you recommend any prenatal vitamins?
- Do I need any vaccinations during pregnancy?
- What prenatal classes do you recommend? (psst… we heard from a close, personal source that the Bump, Birth and Beyond class is fantastic!)
- Which sleeping positions are safe?
- What symptoms are expected with pregnancy and in what trimester?
- How can I manage pregnancy-related symptoms?
- What sort of symptoms should I call you or go to the hospital for?
- What should do if I don’t feel well, have any sorts of cramping or spotting or have a fever?
- What’s your viewpoint on birthing variations and interventions (e.g. inductions, caesareans, epidurals, episiotomies, vacuums, forceps, home births, water births and delayed cord clamping)?
- What are my options for my birth?
- If I have any questions outside of my scheduled appointment, when should I call or who should I call?
Remember, this is only the first appointment, and you will have many more appointments to come with your obstetrician, midwife or GP - so there will be plenty of time to ask more questions if and when you think of them.