Finding out you are pregnant

Your feelings

Am I pregnant?
Pre-conceptual care
Early symptoms
Home tests
Visiting your doctor's practice
Your feelings
Telling other people
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You may be surprised by the mixed emotions you feel when you discover you are pregnant. Usually there is delight and amazement, but so often this joy is clouded by anxiety, panic and even depression. You may wonder if you've done the right thing by getting pregnant at all. Here are some comments from women expressing how they first felt:

"When I first found out I was over the moon. But five weeks on, I've had a lot of days when I was frightened and panicky. I'm suddenly aware of how much everything is going to change."

"It's all been a bit of a shock. We didn't expect it to happen so quickly. We live in a teeny-weeny house and we'll have to move. And I'm exhausted. I just want to sleep all the time.'

In the short term, these feelings are very normal. After all, having a baby is probably the single most life-changing event of our lives. Furthermore, the start of pregnancy is a time of enormous hormonal upheaval and it takes time for your body to adjust.

You are not abnormal - and you are not alone. Find somebody to talk to - a friend who has experienced pregnancy herself, an older woman, or your partner. And remember, midwives are there for women, whatever their stage of pregnancy.

"I had been longing for this baby for months and months. When I finally realised I was pregnant I just felt a deep feeling of gratitude. Even when I started throwing up, I was grateful!"