Pregnancy Journal
I Just Found Out I’m Pregnant. Now What?
I’m 29. I don’t use contraception. I have regular sex with my husband.
And yet when I found out I was pregnant, I felt completely unprepared.
For context, I’ve had hypothalamic amenorrhea for four years. I was told ovulation would likely be inconsistent. I had only just had my first period return in February, followed by a handful of irregular cycles.
We assumed getting pregnant would be complicated. Long. Clinical.
Instead, I found myself staring at blood test results thinking: “Holy sh*t… what if I’m pregnant?”
The Gym Incident That Started It All
On Tuesday 18 September, I was at the gym when I discovered that what looks like a medicine ball can, in fact, be a weighted rubber missile.
I performed one confident slam. It rebounded with force and hit me square in the head.
I was certain I’d fractured something. Instead, I walked away embarrassed and oddly… exhausted.
Not normal tired. Depleted. Weak. Emotional.
The next day was worse. I could barely get off the couch. I cried on a 45-minute flight home. My sister insisted I see a doctor.
I was diagnosed with concussion and sent for blood tests.
And that’s when things shifted.
What If I’m Actually Pregnant?
It had been six weeks since my last bleed. With irregular cycles, that meant very little.
When the blood results arrived late that night, I didn’t open them. I was scared to confirm what I was beginning to suspect.
At 7:30am the next morning, I caved.
After frantic Googling of hormone markers, I drove to the medical centre. The nurse handed me a test.
It was positive. Immediately positive.
No ambiguity. No squinting.
“Probably five weeks or more,” she said.
I walked out stunned.
How Do You Tell Your Husband?
My husband works internationally and was due home in two days.
Do you tell him over the phone? Or wait?
I waited.
I wanted to see his face. To hold the moment properly.
I’ll share that story another time — his reaction was unforgettable.
I’m Pregnant. Now What?
Once the shock subsided, the anxiety arrived.
We’d just returned from a month in the US. There were cocktails. Birthday drinks. Espresso martinis.
I mentally replayed everything I’d eaten and consumed in the last five weeks.
If you’re doing that too — pause. Most pregnancies are discovered after conception has already occurred. Guilt helps no one.
First Steps After Finding Out You’re Pregnant
1. Confirm the Pregnancy
A urine test confirms pregnancy. A blood test measuring HCG levels can estimate how far along you are.
2. Book a GP Appointment
Your doctor can refer you for blood work and a dating scan, particularly helpful if your cycles are irregular.
3. Find a Midwife or Lead Maternity Carer
In New Zealand, midwives book quickly. It’s wise to begin contacting one early, even before your first scan.
4. Start Prenatal Vitamins
Folic acid is the most critical supplement in early pregnancy. Begin immediately if you haven’t already.
5. Download a Pregnancy App
Tracking your gestation week by week can help the unknown feel slightly more structured.
6. Breathe
You do not need to solve the next nine months today.
When You Have Irregular Periods
If you have hypothalamic amenorrhea, PCOS, or irregular cycles, it can be difficult to calculate how many weeks pregnant you are.
A dating scan between 6 and 8 weeks provides the most accurate estimate.
Try not to obsess over dates until then.
The Emotional Whiplash of Early Pregnancy
One moment you’re googling hormone panels. The next, you’re calculating due dates and wondering whether you should stop drinking coffee.
Shock and joy can coexist.
So can fear.
It’s normal to feel unprepared — even if you’ve wanted this for years.
What I Did Next
- Started journalling immediately
- Booked a dating scan
- Stopped alcohol
- Bought prenatal vitamins
- Sat with the reality of it
Pregnancy doesn’t feel real straight away. Sometimes it feels fragile. Sometimes surreal.
If you’ve just found out you’re pregnant and feel completely unprepared, you are not alone.
There is no perfect reaction.
Just the next small step.