Finding out you’re pregnant can bring a lot all at once: excitement, nerves and a long list of questions. This short guide walks through what usually happens in the first 12 weeks, so you know what to expect and what to ask.
It’s general education, not medical advice. Your midwife and GP know you and your pregnancy, so always go to them with anything that’s specific to you.
Your first steps
You don’t need to wait for a GP appointment to get started. In many areas you can refer yourself to your local maternity service through your hospital’s website, and your GP surgery can point you in the right direction if you’re not sure. Your first main appointment, often called the booking appointment, is usually around 8 to 10 weeks.
The appointments to expect
- Booking appointment (around 8 to 10 weeks): a longer chat about your health and history, some blood tests, and a conversation about the care and screening you’ll be offered.
- Dating scan (around 10 to 14 weeks): checks how many babies there are, confirms your due date and looks at how your baby is growing.
- Anomaly scan (around 18 to 21 weeks): a more detailed look at your baby’s development. It’s a little further ahead, but it’s good to know it’s coming.
Looking after yourself
The NHS recommends a daily folic acid supplement (400 micrograms) until you’re 12 weeks pregnant, and a daily vitamin D supplement (10 micrograms). Your midwife, GP or pharmacist can advise if you need something different.
For food, drink and medicines, guidance changes over time and depends on your situation, so we’d rather send you to the source than risk repeating something out of date. The NHS pregnancy pages have clear, current lists. As a general rule, check with a pharmacist, GP or midwife before taking any medicine, including things you can buy off the shelf.
What’s common in the early weeks
Tiredness, feeling sick (which isn’t always limited to mornings), tender breasts, needing to wee more often and mood swings are all very common. They can feel overwhelming, but for most people they ease as the weeks go on. If you can’t keep food or drink down, or you’re struggling to cope, tell your GP or midwife rather than waiting it out.
When to get help straight away
Contact your GP, midwife or maternity unit the same day, or call NHS 111, if you have vaginal bleeding, severe tummy pain, or you can’t keep any food or fluids down. In an emergency, call 999.
Work and money
You can tell your employer when you feel ready, and you have the right to paid time off for antenatal appointments. Maternity leave and pay rules are on GOV.UK, and your employer’s HR team can explain how they apply to you. In England, your midwife or GP can also give you a certificate for free NHS prescriptions and dental care during pregnancy and for the first year after birth.
Your feelings matter too
Ups and downs are normal, and so is feeling anxious about what’s ahead. If worries are taking over, or you’re feeling low, please mention it to your midwife or GP. They would much rather hear about it early.
Questions to ask at your booking appointment
- Who will be my main midwife, and how do I contact them between appointments?
- Where can I choose to give birth, and what are the options near me?
- Which screening tests will I be offered, and what do the results mean?
- What should I do about any health condition or regular medicine I already have?
- When will I be offered vaccines, and which ones?
What to think about next
There’s no rush, but many parents start looking at antenatal classes in the second trimester, so a place is ready when they want it. When you’re further along, our hospital bag checklist is a handy thing to keep.
Our small-group classes in Ringwood are led by an NHS GP who is also a mum, and cover what to expect from labour and birth to the early days with your baby. They’re £150 for you and your birth partner.
Baby Steps GP provides antenatal education. This guide is general information, not medical advice, and doesn’t replace advice from your midwife, GP or maternity unit. Last updated October 2026.