Finding Out You're Pregnant: UK Parent's Stories

Published On
15 Feb, 2023
Read Time
9 minutes

When you first discover that you're pregnant, you might feel happy, excited, shocked, confused, or upset.

The truth is, there's no right way to feel when you see a positive pregnancy test, and everybody is different! We've spoken to real parents and asked them to tell us how they really felt when they found out they were pregnant.

Louise's Story

"Like lots of ladies, I knew I was pregnant before I took the test, my body just felt different! We had been trying for such a short space of time that I wouldn���t allow myself to believe I was actually pregnant. I kept putting off the test as I was so scared it was all in my head. I was convinced it would be negative.

One day whilst working from home and battling the early stages of morning sickness (they really should call it all day sickness), I decided to take a test and was so excited when it revealed our first bubba was on the way. Safe to say the rest of the day was spent daydreaming about the little family of three I���d soon have.

The five hours wait to tell my husband when he got home was unbearable, but his big grin when I told him the news was worth the wait. We are so lucky to have had a healthy pregnancy so far and I can���t wait to meet our baby in around 10 weeks' time."

Katy's Story

"When I found out I was pregnant I woke one Sunday morning feeling pretty rubbish. I had all week but just put it down to a bug or virus. My husband was away in Portugal with his friends for a 30th birthday.

For some reason I decided to do a pregnancy test even though I had done one a few days earlier which was negative. I remember for those three minutes, the slowest three minutes ever, thinking what a waste of a test.

But this time, when I turned it over, there was not just the one line showing that I���d seen 20 times previously ��� but finally two!

I burst into tears which turned to laughter thinking I can���t believe this. I grabbed my keys, sprinted down the stairs to my car and drove to the next town. I didn���t want to bump into anyone I knew. I bought another test, but the lovely cashier realised she didn���t have any bags so said just stick it up your jumper! I think she thought you don���t really want anyone seeing you walk out with just that.

When I got home, I managed to do the second test straight away and yep, it was another positive!

An hour before all of this I had just spoken to my hubby, so I text him asking if he was alone. He responded with a photo of him with his friends. I thought I can���t tell you with them all there! Instead I thought it will be a great surprise when I pick him up tomorrow at the airport. To be honest this thought lasted about 30 seconds, I immediately video called him.

He answered with a look of worry which built as I asked him to go somewhere quiet. Finally, here we go, ready��� I turned the camera round on to the two positive tests. 'Are you joking! I don���t want to be here anymore I want to be at home!' He reacted with the biggest smile on his face."

Jessica's Story

"I was shaking, then I started crying. I was so happy but so shocked!

You decide to try to conceive, and you know how everything is supposed to happen but somehow you don���t expect it to. Seeing that line after years of taking tests because of a late period and panicking that your contraception had failed, after always actively trying not to get pregnant; seeing the positive line is such a weird, but crazy, but happy moment!

It���s what you want but there���s an element of panic, like 'oh my God am I ready?��� I was crying and telling my cats I was going to have a baby���. After texting my husband obviously!"

Kerry's Story

"I still remember the day so vividly. I was two days late for my period. No big deal, right? Except, I just had a feeling I wasn't just late. I told my boyfriend, and we went to the store and got two pregnancy tests.

I kept telling myself, no, I can't be, it will all be fine, and we'll laugh about it when it comes back as negative.

Test number one was positive. I got so worried and convinced myself that it was just a cheap test and it was likely wrong, so an hour later I took the second. Again, positive. My boyfriend was getting excited. But me? I was terrified but had a tiny bit of excitement refusing to show.

I was only 20, my boyfriend was 22. We both still lived with our parents and had only been together for around 15 months. We were both the 'babies' of our families, and I was just so worried, a million thoughts going through my mind. What will people think? Where will we live? We're still so young!

Still, I refused to believe these tests, the next day we went and bought two more tests. The ones that also show how far along you are. All five tests taken, all positive and indicating that I was three weeks pregnant.

I spent a long while crying, just thinking of living arrangements and what people will say. My boyfriend on the other hand was over the moon! Deep-down, so was I... I had always dreamed of being a mum and had it not been the fact that we were young and still living with parents, my reaction would have been so much more positive.

After we told our families, they were so excited and supportive. We ended up moving into our own home when I was six months pregnant. All that worrying for absolutely nothing! Things all work out in the end.

Our baby boy is now 10 months old, we have our own little home, and everything couldn't have worked out much better."

Emily's Story

"When I found out I was pregnant, let���s say it was a bit of shock! We were not trying at all for a baby, I don���t like the word accident as it makes her feel unloved, but I guess that���s what it was.

My partner and I had been together for four years at this point, we were buying a house, a new car and had the trip of a lifetime planned to Thailand as well as my best friend���s hen do and wedding. I���m not ashamed to say I burst into tears and felt terrified as I was very excited for our year ahead.

Turns out this pregnancy was a blessing in disguise. My mum, who had recently passed away, was a midwife and had left me a letter detailing pregnancy, babies and birth and it helped me feel close to her.

We still had a fantastic year and changed our trip to Thailand for an all-inclusive five-star resort in Rhodes instead!

After a very easy pregnancy, our little girl ended up arriving nine weeks early. Overall we spent 84 days in hospital. There was a stay in ICU for me and one major surgery for her, then finally we were all home safe and well. It was a bit crazy to say the least!"

Deanna's Story

"How I really felt when I found out I was pregnant for the first time was shocked and afraid. I���ve babysat and cared for many babies and kids but to have my own ��� that was different territory. 

One thing I knew from when I was young was that I love children. I always wanted to be a mother. I am nurturing and I love children and animals, but I was unsure if I was truly ready to become a mother. I decided I better get ready because it was happening!

Almost five years and two more kids later, it���s everything I���ve ever wanted!"

Courtney's Story

"I was 25, in my NQT year of teaching so had my first real class and living at home with my parents.

My partner and I were slowly saving for a house, and we were planning our wedding. Added to this he lived in South Wales and I lived in Milton Keynes. We had been together four years and lived apart for the last two!

I had suspected I could be pregnant but decided to push it to the back of my mind. After confiding in a friend, I decided to get a pregnancy test. I used to get to school early, there weren���t many people there, so I could do the things I needed to! I decided I would try and take the test during this time at school, not 100% sure of the ramifications of this! Whilst I waited for the results, I had my partner on the windowsill on the phone.

I grew up in a family who had very strong traditional views and knew that they wouldn���t respond well.

When I saw the two pink lines, I was in two minds. Firstly, I was overwhelmed. This is something I had always wanted and yet worried I was unable to conceive. But there was a small part of me that was filled with dread. I sat on the toilet and cried. My partner and I spent a long time over the next few weeks trying to get our heads around the news and decided what we were going to do.

Over dinner we decided that we were going to do this, but there were lots of things we needed to work out. Where we were going to live and how to provide stability for our baby.

Breaking the news to my parents wasn���t easy. They didn���t take it well and spent almost all my pregnancy not talking to me. It was only near the end when they realised that this was happening that they started to get over their thoughts and accept the situation. My sister on the other hand did not talk to me until my son was born.

We worked hard during my pregnancy and in the space of six months we saved a deposit and bought our first house. We renovated it and made it our own. The only hard part is that it was in South Wales and away from all my friends and family.

It was the best decision we ever made and becoming a mum has really made me feel complete ��� as corny as that sounds! I wouldn���t change it for the world!"

Victoria's Story

"When I first found out was pregnant, I was very happy about it, but I was also a little anxious.

My husband and I already have a two-year-old son, so it made me worry about our finances and what it would be like to have a newborn as well as a toddler!? To be honest, I still worry about having to divide my attention between two children.

At the same time, I can't wait to meet our second and for my son to have a new sibling to love and take care of!

We only have four weeks until the due date now!".