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LivingWell, Services

First Steps After The Positive Test

Livingwell Medical Clinic - First Steps After The Positive Test

Finding Out

Holding a positive pregnancy test in your hands can bring a tidal wave of different emotions crashing down on you. Your head may spiral with thoughts like “I can’t afford to have a baby” or “it’s not the right time”. Whatever your feelings may be, there are important first steps to take after discovering you’re pregnant.

 

Take Another Test

Even though your pregnancy test read positive, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. While false positives are highly unlikely, small things can trigger them, such as taking the test incorrectly, using an expired test, or having had a recent miscarriage or abortion. It’s important to take a pregnancy test performed by professional healthcare workers at a clinic or hospital for higher accuracy.

 

Schedule an Ultrasound

Having an ultrasound is possibly the most important step to take after confirming your pregnancy. One of the main reasons to have an ultrasound is to determine if you have an ectopic pregnancy. This is when the fertilized egg has attached outside of the uterus, in places such as the cervix or fallopian tube. Marissa Selner writes in an article for Healthline that “Ectopic pregnancies aren’t safe for the mother. Also, the embryo won’t be able to develop to term. It’s necessary to remove the embryo as soon as possible for the mother’s immediate health and long-term fertility.” Ectopic pregnancies require immediate medical attention, making them a very important aspect to look out for. Ultrasounds also reveal the number of babies the mother may be expecting.

 

Confirm a Viable Pregnancy

Confirming that your pregnancy is viable can also be done through an ultrasound. It’s important to be sure that your pregnancy is safe and progressing smoothly. During the ultrasound, fetal cardiac activity can be detected, confirming that your pregnancy is viable. Checking to see how far along you are in your pregnancy is also a step in confirming viability. This gives you an accurate estimated due date for your baby.

 

Find Support

You’re not in this alone! Whether it’s a friend, family member, or even a co-worker, having someone you can trust can make all the difference when your thoughts are spiraling. Expressing and communicating how you feel can take a weight off your shoulders that you may not have known you had. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

 

How We Can Help

If you find yourself facing an unplanned pregnancy, we are here to listen, understand, and give support. We offer pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and options consultations at no cost to you. Schedule your safe and confidential appointment by clicking here, calling us at (530)-272-6800, or text us at (530)-802-0858.

 

Sources and Links

Adcock, Davina, 7 Reasons Your Pregnancy Test Gave a False-Positive, The Source, 2021
https://www.thesource.org/post/reasons-your-pregnancy-test-gave-a-false-positive
 

Monigatti-Lake, Neva, Why Do I Need an Ultrasound, LivingWell Medical Clinic, 2021
https://livingwellmedicalclinic.com/category/ultrasounds/
 

Selner, Marissa, Ectopic Pregnancy, Healthline, 2023
https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/ectopic-pregnancy#diagnosis
 

LivingWell Medical Center - First Steps After The Positive Test

Eva Fisher
Nursing Director
The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by our Nursing Director.

LivingWell, Relationships

3 Benefits of Leaving Your Comfort Zone

Livingwell Medical Clinic - 3 Benefits of Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Stepping Out

Everyone has a comfort zone. It’s an invisible line that we draw in our minds of what we will and won’t do in our day-to-day lives. There are some experiences in life that certain groups of people just won’t do. The most common hesitation that stops people from stepping into something new is fear of failure or embarrassment. However, branching out of your comfort zone can be good for you! Here are three main benefits of leaving your comfort zone.

1) Achieving New Goals

It can be hard to set a goal that you know will be difficult to achieve. Stepping out of your comfort zone is doing just that. Depending on who you are, these goals will look different for you. It can be something as simple as taking a few steps into the ocean when you’ve always been afraid of it. Whatever it may be, setting and reaching those goals can raise your self-confidence and encourage you to set a new one. The more goals you achieve, the more you’ll be motivated to set.

2) Chances to Grow

One of the main reasons that people hesitate to leave the safety of their comfort zone is fear of failure. They don’t want to branch out just to utterly flop at what they branched out for in the first place. Don’t let this be a deterrent for you! Failure can teach you new lessons and show you how to do better the next time around. The more mistakes you make, the more lessons you learn.

3) Learning New Skills

Speaking of learning, leaving your comfort zone can push you into learning a new skill or two. Maybe you will try something new and find out that you really enjoy it. Your comfort zone can limit you from entering a vast creativity of hobbies. You never know until you try! Not only that, but it can also help you meet new people and find a supportive community for yourself.

Don’t Settle

Some people prefer to live a more regular 9-5 life, and that’s okay! There’s nothing wrong with having a preference. However, if you don’t prefer that kind of lifestyle and want to try something new, don’t ever feel like you have to settle. Branching out and leaving your comfort zone can bring new experiences, lessons, and people into your life that you wouldn’t have had otherwise. You won’t regret moving past your fears and stepping into something new.

How We Can Help

If you have found yourself unexpectedly pushed out of your comfort zone when facing an STD or an unplanned pregnancy, we are here to help. To schedule your free and confidential appointment click here, call us at (530)-272-6800, or text us at (530)-802-0858.

Sources and Links

Kent, Jessica. Is It Time to Leave Your Comfort Zone? How Leaving Can Spark Positive Change. Harvard Division of Continuing Education. May 2023.

Brenner, Abigall. 5 Benefits of Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone. Psychology Today. December 2015.

Cathy Seapy
CEO

The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by our CEO.

LivingWell, Relationships

Life After An Unhealthy Relationship


After It’s Over

Walking out of a relationship you know isn’t good for you is difficult enough. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the hard times are over. It’s normal to have a whirlwind of emotions after you make the decision to leave. Learning to tame these feelings and take care of yourself is a key factor in recovering and moving forward. Here are a few things to remember as you begin your healing process.

Surround Yourself with Supportive People

The group that you surround yourself with is incredibly important, whether it’s family, friends, or even co-workers. Not only is it beneficial to have others that you can trust and talk openly to but having people in your life that encourage you and want the best for you will help you heal.

Take Time to Process

Don’t push aside the things you’re feeling as if they don’t matter. Believe me, they do! Everybody processes differently. Some may feel happy to be out of the relationship, while others may be struggling to grieve what could have been. Some process alone or by talking with people they trust. No way of thinking is wrong. Whatever your process may be, don’t neglect the time to understand how you feel.

Forgive Yourself

Once you step out of an unhealthy relationship, it can be easy to blame yourself for ever getting into it in the first place. You may feel frustrated and like you wasted so much of your time and energy on something temporary. Blaming yourself will only make you feel worse. Instead, find acceptance in what happened. Think about all the valuable lessons you learned from this experience!

Focus on the Future

Looking back prevents you from looking forward. Be careful of getting so caught up in the past that you forget to look towards your future. Continuing to dwell on what could have been doesn’t get you anywhere. Remember that your future isn’t hopeless, just different.

Take Care of Yourself

Taking care of your needs is important. After leaving a relationship, it can be difficult to build back motivation. Maybe for a few days all you feel like doing is lying in bed with your thoughts. Whatever your process, self-care isn’t something you should put off. Taking time to engage in your hobbies can help ease your stress and lift your mood. Slowly the feelings of productivity will start to trickle back in.

You’ve Got This!

Moving on from an unhealthy relationship is hard, but not impossible. The hard times won’t last forever. You took the first big step by deciding to leave the relationship in the first place. If you’re strong enough to do that, you’re strong enough to do anything!

How We Can Help

We are here for you whether you are facing an STD or an unexpected pregnancy. To schedule your free and confidential appointment click here, call us at (530)-272-6800, or text us at (530)-802-0858.

Sources and Links

Ripes, Jesse. “13 Tips for How to Heal From a Toxic Relationship”. Modern Intimacy. 21 April 2021.
https://www.modernintimacy.com/13-tips-for-how-to-heal-from-a-toxic-relationship/

Taylor Counseling Group. “Moving on After a Toxic Relationship”. Taylor Counseling Group. 28 July 2021.
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/blog/moving-on-after-a-toxic-relationship/#:~:text=After%20leaving%20someone%20who%20treats,you%20for%20your%20toxic%20relationship.

Cathy Seapy
CEO

The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by our CEO.