The ultimate pregnancy to-do list: First trimester (prt 1)

Use this list to keep on track with all your first-trimester tasks, from making sure you're really pregnant to lining up a caregiver and creating a baby budget. And don't worry about checking off every item – just use this as a helpful guide.

Activities for your first trimester

Make sure you're really pregnant

Most home pregnancy tests can accurately detect pregnancy in the week after your period is normally due – two weeks after you ovulate. If the test shows a negative or a faintly positive result, wait another few days or a week and try again if you still haven't gotten your period

Take your prenatal vitamin
If you haven't started taking a prenatal vitamin yet, now's the time to start. It's particularly critical to get enough folic acid while trying to conceive and during your first trimester. Folic acid greatly reduces your baby's risk of developing neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.

Investigate health insurance
Make sure you know what your health insurance plan covers as far as your prenatal care and delivery costs, as well as care for your new baby. Get answers to these questions by calling your health insurance provider or talking to your company's benefits department. If you don't have health insurance, find out where you can get help.

Choose a caregiver
If you already have a caregiver you love (who cares for pregnant women and delivers babies), you're set. If not, you've got some homework to do. Talk to friends and relatives, ask one of your other healthcare providers to recommend someone, check out the preferred providers under your health insurance plan, or search online

Make a prenatal appointment

Many caregivers won't see you until you're at least 8 weeks pregnant, but you'll want to get on their calendar well before this since appointments can fill up fast.

To prepare, jot down the first day of your last period so your caregiver can determine your due date and start making a list of any questions that arise. Talk to relatives on both sides about your families' medical histories. Your caregiver will want to know whether any chronic conditions or genetic abnormalities run in either of your families

Reference: BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board