13 Weeks Pregnant: Complete Checklist
Thirteen weeks marks the end of the first trimester, and it's a natural moment to pause, take stock, and start preparing for the months ahead. Use this checklist to make sure you've covered the key medical, practical, and personal tasks for this stage.
Medical and appointment tasks
- Confirm your booking appointment is complete. If you haven't yet had your first midwife appointment, arrange it as soon as possible — it covers your health history, initial blood tests, and screening options.
- Book or attend your dating scan. Usually offered between 10 and 14 weeks, this confirms your due date and checks early development. If you want combined screening for chromosomal conditions, this needs to happen within a specific window, so check timing with your midwife.
- Discuss screening choices. Decide, with your midwife's guidance, whether you'd like combined screening, and understand what any results would mean before you're asked to consent.
- Start your maternity notes. Keep your handheld or digital notes with you at all appointments from now on.
Practical and financial tasks
- Check your maternity pay and leave entitlement. Speak to your employer or check gov.uk for statutory maternity pay and leave rules — some deadlines for notifying your employer fall earlier than people expect.
- Apply for your maternity exemption certificate. This gives you free NHS prescriptions and dental care throughout pregnancy and for 12 months after birth — your midwife or GP can provide the form.
- Start a rough budget. Even a loose list of upcoming costs — antenatal classes, baby equipment, any changes to income — helps avoid surprises later.
Wellbeing and planning tasks
- Book antenatal classes if you're interested. Popular NHS and private classes can fill up, so it's worth looking into options now even if you don't plan to attend until later in pregnancy.
- Think about who to tell. Many people choose to share their pregnancy more widely once the first trimester — and its higher miscarriage risk — has passed, though this is entirely a personal choice.
- Consider gentle movement. As energy returns, activities like walking, swimming, or pregnancy yoga can help with both physical and mental wellbeing, provided your midwife hasn't advised otherwise.
- Look after your mental health. The end of the first trimester is a good moment to check in with yourself about how you're coping emotionally, not just physically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the single most important task to complete by 13 weeks?
Making sure your booking appointment has happened is the priority, since it sets up your blood tests, screening options, and ongoing antenatal care. If this hasn't happened yet, contact your GP surgery or self-refer to your local maternity service without delay.
Do I need to book antenatal classes this early?
Not urgently, but it's worth researching options now. Popular NHS and private antenatal classes can have waiting lists, so looking into what's available locally at 13 weeks gives you plenty of time to book a place that suits you later on.
Is it too early to think about maternity pay at 13 weeks?
No — some notification deadlines for statutory maternity pay and leave are earlier than people expect, often requiring you to tell your employer by around the 15th week before your due date. Checking now avoids missing anything important.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
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