04/01/2021
Danielle Sollars,
Area Partner at Fort Rucker, AL
You’ve taken the test, anxiously awaited the results,
and then you see it…
TWO lines, you’re pregnant!!
Whether you find yourself jumping with joy or a bit shocked, it’s a surreal moment. Once it sinks in, many thoughts may flood in, but one of the first things you may wonder is when will your baby be due. Several apps can help you calculate that by inputting the first day of your last period. Most pregnancies last around 40 weeks from the first day of your last period or 38 weeks from conception.
With those details, the next step would be to reach out to your local physician to schedule a pregnancy test. Also, you’ll want to be sure to verify your Tricare coverage to find out if you will need to confirm your pregnancy at the clinic on the base or if a referral is required to be seen off base. Most birth providers will schedule your first prenatal appointment around 8-10 weeks gestation, so if you haven’t already, you’ll want to start researching birth facilities, obstetricians, and midwives to find one that aligns with your birth preferences.
Our Military Mommies Area Partners are great examples of individuals that can educate you on your local options in your community as many of them are also doulas, lactation professionals, and nurses.
All this research can be especially challenging for military families who may not be familiar with the local birth community. Thankfully most military installations have a variety of support, such as organizations sponsored by Military Mommies. Military Birth Resource Network and Mom2Mom Chapters are two organizations that can be of tremendous support to any military family starting their pregnancy journey. The Family Advocacy Program through your military installation can provide many resources to expectant parents as well. Another way to locate support is through personal recommendations by searching the local military support groups on social media. The most valuable insight you can get would be reaching out to a local birth professional that has a lot of experience working with local birth facilities and providers. Our Military Mommies Area Partners are great examples of individuals that can educate you on your local options in your community as many of them are also doulas, lactation professionals, and nurses.
… you can feel exhilarated hearing that heartbeat and become overwhelmed with wanting to share the news.
Now that you have chosen a birth provider and facility, making your first prenatal appointment is important as it ensures your pregnancy is off to a healthy start. At that first or second appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to see and hear your baby for the first time to confirm your due date. These appointments will also allow families to participate in various health screenings for mom and baby. After these initial appointments, you can feel exhilarated hearing that heartbeat and become overwhelmed with wanting to share the news.
Many expecting families decide to wait until after this timeframe to share the news with family and friends. Some families are too excited not to shout the news from the rooftops. Other families choose to wait until after the first trimester or after their first appointment when the risk of pregnancy loss is drastically reduced. You also may decide to share the news with only a select few people during the first several weeks, before announcing it publicly. This choice to share the news of a growing family can be difficult or sensitive to share for those who have experienced previous loss or infertility.
… it can be fun to think of other creative ways to share the big news!
Once the decision is made on when to share the joyous news, the next question is how you will let family and friends in on your little secret. For military families that are miles away from their support network, it may not be possible to share the news in person with their loved ones. However, it can be fun to think of other creative ways to share the big news. We’ve come up with a list of some fun ways to announce your pregnancy!
- Have a birth announcement photoshoot that you can text to family or post on social media
- Share a video of you surprising your spouse or documenting your pregnancy journey thus far
- Facetime or Zoom with your entire family for the big announcement
- Mail a gift to surprise them (baby item, book, customized mug or shirt, or card)
- Mail the first ultrasound picture or even frame it
There are so many creative, funny, and sentimental ways to share the news of one of the most joyous events in life. You’ll want to find the one that best suits you as a couple because there’s no one perfect way for everyone. Pinterest is a great place to start for ideas. If you want to add a gift, look for veteran-owned businesses to support, or look on Etsy as this can help add the perfect customization to your announcement.
If you’ve already announced your pregnancy news, how did you do it?
