You are 4 weeks and 3 days

Happy? Excited? A little nervous? Nothing changes your life more than finding out you're going to be parents.

249 days until your due date

In the few days since you found out, you may have had all sorts of feelings. Even if you planned this pregnancy, it's completely normal for the first joy to give way to some anxiety as it sinks in that you're going to be a mom. You might also doubt the test result until you start having early pregnancy symptoms.

Your partner may react differently. If he doesn't seem as excited, it doesn't mean he isn't happy; people handle big events differently, and it may take a while for becoming a dad to feel real. Going quiet may be his way of giving himself time to process it. Or you may find he's even more excited than you!

Keeping the pregnancy secret can make your feelings harder to handle. Most couples wait until after the 12-week scan, when the risk of miscarriage is much lower, to tell people, but confiding in a few close family members and friends can give you a much-needed outlet.

Explainer

Closer together

Finding out you're going to be parents is a momentous occasion, and you and your partner are likely to feel a new closeness because of it.

As a matter of fact

Pregnancy dreams

Pregnant women often try to connect with their baby through dreams.

You may find it hard to bond with the baby or believe you're really pregnant. A common pregnancy dream is swimming, thought to be a way of trying to "reach" the baby, who will soon be surrounded by fluid inside you.

Good to know

Surprised to be pregnant?

If you're one of the few women who got pregnant while using contraception, it's unlikely to have harmed your baby, but here's what to do depending on the method:

Contraceptive pill: stop taking it.
Contraceptive patch: remove it.
Contraceptive implant: see your doctor to have it removed.
IUD or IUS: see your doctor straight away, because there's a small risk the pregnancy could be ectopic. Even if a scan shows it isn't, the device should be removed, because leaving it in raises the risk of miscarriage.
Contraceptive injection (Depo-Provera): see your doctor. Research suggests it won't affect the baby, but you shouldn't have any more injections.
Morning-after pill: it has no effect once an egg has implanted, so it won't harm your baby. See your doctor if you're worried.

This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.