Sharing the news with family and friends

[mamakaikai]

I know we're all waiting to see brighter lines on our pee sticks, but I thought it may be fun to think about how we all want to share the news with family and friends. And when? How long will you wait to share the news? I would love to hear from you!

Oh and Congrats!! you've got news to share!!

It's just over 60 days until the Christmas holidays, I wonder if I will be showing well before then? I think it would be a fun time to share my news since all of my family will be together at that time.

My first pregnancy, I shared the news at 8 weeks because I was leaving town and wanted to tell everyone in my family before I left and came back really showing. This time I wonder if I will be able to hide it from them, since I will see them frequently.

Last pregnancy, we gave my MIL a journal for Grandmother's to keep. It took a moment for it to register, but that moment was great! For my parents, we wrote it on a cake and brought it over for desert. For my brother, we brought a gift for my niece from her cousin. That also took a few minutes to sink in! They thought we'd gone to visit a cousin who sent them a gift. It was really funny when they 'got' it

This time, I am thinking of getting a bow for my dd to wear in her hair saying "big sister". She could wear it at Christmas and it will be fun to see how long it takes, and who notices first.

Any other fun ways of sharing the big news?!!

[PugMom4Now]

Our pregnancy was a shock, and we had just found out the DH's sister was pregnant the day before we received the positive. DH picked up the phone right away to start calling his siblings... Right now all of the siblings know (3 of his, 1 of mine) and a few friends. We're going to tell the parents tomorrow. I'm just going to hold out to tell my work until when I'm in the 2nd trimester.

I know it's really early to be telling everyone, but once it was out to a few, it feels like it'll leak to others and I can't have my mom find out through the grapevine that she's having her first grandchild. I'm hoping all of the positive vibes from eveyone who knows will bode well!

[jeannineb]

I am most excited to tell my DD who is 5. She is going to be SO EXCITED. I thought about getting her "A Child is Born" or a similar book and giving it to her when we tell her. I also thought about showing her, her first U/S picture then showing her the first one of the new baby, which I will hopefully get 2 weeks from today.

I have told my oldest sister already because she made me promise I would! As far as the rest of the family, I think we will tell them after the first appointment, when we are a little more sure of things. I would like to wait a little longer, but I don't know how long we can hold out!

[lawschoolmama]

DH and I appear to be terrible at keeping pregnancy a secret. Right after I got the BFP with DD, we started telling everyone--we just couldn't keep our excitement a secret, even though we knew it would probably be a good idea to do so!

With this BFP, I immediately told DH, then we called all our family to tell them. We've told a few close friends, though we're not going out of our way to tell all our friends yet. And I'm DEFINITELY not telling at work until 12 weeks.

[expat-mama]

I've only told my best friend so far- he lives in another country and doesn't know anyone else I know, so no fears of early "leakage" from him!
DH and I are going to tell our parents next week after Betas and the progesterone test.
We were debating whether to tell anyone this early because last time we told EVERYONE the the day before Christmas at about 7 weeks, then I started to miscarry on Christmas day. Not fun.
But, after that I wished I had told my mom and sister sooner so they could have enjoyed the month that we were pregnant and excited with us, even if it ended sadly. So we've decided to tell them next week sometime.
Everyone is going to flip out, because we said we weren't going to try again until January! This will be the first grandchild for our parents.

[MacKinnon]

We already told my sister and my best friend. They are sworn to secrecy for the next week or so. Once I get beta levels back, or I'm a week or so in and feel more confident that this isn't a chemical or some sort of fluke streak of false positives, we will then tell our parents. We waited to tell a few years ago when I miscarried, and then ended up telling them that I was pregnant, and had lost the baby. That was awful, and that experience showed us that we would prefer to tell those that we love and care about, those that will celebrate, and if necessary, mourn, with us. So, we will tell all of our close family within the next two weeks. My work and casual acquaintances I would prefer to wait as close to 12 weeks as my belly will allow. I was REALLY pushing that 12 week mark with DS. It was really pretty obvious. When I finally told everyone they were like... yeah, we knew but it's rude to ask, so we didn't! Haha!

[*KaiMom*]

We told my mom and my best friend (we were trying to get pregnant together and she just got her BFP two weeks ago). We want to wait and tell the rest of the family at Thanksgiving but my mom doesn't want to keep it a secret that long. I should have known she wouldn't be able to control herself LOL. We'll see how long I hold out under pressure.

[mamakaikai]

Wow I am amazed that everyone has already shared the news!! I am still trying to wrap my mind around it. We were ttc, but it happened very quickly and we're a bit shocked! I feel ready to share the news with some of our friends, but not at all ready to share with family yet.

With our first pregnancy, I did align with the thought that if a loss was to happen, I would prefer if it was known and I had support. This time, I feel more private about it with family. I think they were all too opinionated with my pregnancy last time that I don't want them knowing my business right away.

I also just don't think I will actually be able to hide it from now until christmas. But there will be no family get togethers between now and then. So I will try!

[othersomethings]

I called my SIL today while driving to the dollartree for a handful Of tests. I hadn't taken any yet and didn't want to waste my GOOD one when it was technically a tad early to tell. But I had to tell SOMEONE my inner agony, and she shared the same plight not 2 months ago with negative tests for a week. So I knew she'd understand and be discreet.

Got home, took the test and bam...plain as day. So I used my good test just "to be sure!" so I texted her the results.

Aside from DH and her, no one else knows. I'm assuming when it feels right to tell, then we'll tell? I miscarried my first at 7 weeks, and we waited with DD til about then for the same reason. But now I'm thinking I agree with havin the support there if needed, and telling is the better option.

We live far from all our family so it'll be over the phone. No cute gifts or anything.

[bjorker]

I told my mom tonight and it was a little weird, actually. I think it just really took her by surprise. Last she knew I didn't want any more children, so she was really not expecting that, especially the part where we had done it on purpose.

Otherwise, I've already told a good number of friends. I was way too excited to keep the news to myself. Nor do I really want to, I just HATE big announcements.

Going to wait until thanksgiving to tell my dad & step mom, since they no longer live here and will be visiting then. Which means I'm not going to tell that side of the family until after they know. Which is fine with me. That side of the family is... well, long story.

That's if we don't see any of them until then... dd has been telling lots of people and was the one to tell my mom tonight.

[CorasMama]

We're essentially telling everyone. Since Cora knows (she's way too observant, so we decided early on in the TTC that we wouldn't try to hide it from her), it's not really fair to ask her to keep such a secret. And we're too excited, too.

The only people we're waiting to tell is DH's parents. We're estranged from them right now, but we know we'll have to tell them at some point. But it will NOT be until after the first trimester, because I'm absolutely only going through the hassle/pain/agony/frustration of dealing with them ONCE per baby, and I'd rather not hear what they have to say about it if we miscarry. Heck, I'd rather not hear what they have to say about it if we don't! (I'm LDS, dh isn't, and they think I only married him to forcibly convert him and force him to spawn my 12 Mormon babies!)

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

if (when) i do get my bfp i am going to try and wait till after my 12 week scan as i've not told anyone of plans to ttc with a doner as i'm not wanting their negativivety (sp) to impact my chances of concieving.
although i think people may guess before then as i tend to show pretty early.

my growing bump with caden

[canadianmummy]

We haven't told anyone yet. Only DH, our midwife and 1 friend know. DH wants us to keep it quiet till Christmas - but I'm not sure if I can keep a secret that long

We didn't keep any of our other pregnancies quiet this mong but I think DH is worried of everyone's reactions with this being our 4th baby. I'm thinking we might tell people in early December...

[livelovelaugh]

I always tell my closest friends early, as I can trust them to keep it quiet and I just can't keep it in! With everyone else, including family, we will wait until the 12 week mark this time around. Christmas will be a nice time to share the news. It will be a pretty nig surprise since it is #3 and my SIL is "done," and I am pretty sure my parents think that we are done (no way! I certainly have never said that! : ) , so it could be entertaining. Tee-hee.

[Love Wins]

Only DH and I know. And my doctor's office. We're hoping to keep it on the downlow until Christmas, but 1. I don't know if we can keep this good news to ourselves that long and 2. I think I'm going to be obviously showing by that time being that I *had* a flat stomach, with 6 pack abs 2 weeks ago but now I have a nice little pouch!

I can't wait to tell though! We thought of the traditional photo frame with a poem I would write about "baby coming in July 1010". We also thought of making a video and playing that. I'm sure we'll come up with something to share by that time....or maybe Thanksgiving!

-G

[TopHat]

I want to make sure I sign up on the "expectant mothers" list at church earlier this time. Last time I didn't get a chance until a day after my due date.

We're seeing DH's family for Thanksgiving and my family for Christmas. I don't want to tell my family as their reactions to me with DD was "Was this planned?" and I never got a "congratulations" even after she was born. My sister had a boy this past Jan and all I heard was complain complain complain from my family. Yes, she's unmarried, but she deserved SUPPORT not comments on how she's going to live in a trailer the rest of her life. ARG. Anyway, They don't seem to be very pregnancy-friendly, so I don't think they deserve to know this time.

My in-laws LOVE babies and would be so happy! We'll probably call them soon.

[Yaliina]

We have only told a couple of friends & my colleagues at work so far. We have big plans to tell our families this weekend at a family Halloween gathering. Fortunately, our folks are both great & they both like each other- we will all be together all day Saturday. I think it will be a big surprise (I hope) to all of them. We had photo albums made for each of the sets of 'rents, mostly with pics of our son- and at the end I put a picture of a pregnant chic with my face pasted on & a pic of a family of four (new baby in arms) with all our faces pasted on. We put text on the pics that says "Coming June 27, 2010". I can't wait!!

[Juise]

I feel like I missed out! I just *told* people last time, I never even thought of doing anything cute or fun. I like the flowers idea, I think we may do that for our parents, with a card that says, "To Gradma bla bla bla and Grandpa bla bla bla, Love, DD and Baby ?"

[veesmimi]

Dh has this sweet plan on passing out presents at Christmas to announce to our families and our 4 kids... This is our first together and he doesn't understand how quick I show! My mom came over tonight to deliver a handmade costume to my dd and asked, when she saw me inadvertantly place my hand on my belly, "Is there something you want to tell us??" I was caught so far off guard, I mumbled something about my fat belly and my mind got to racin'.

Maybe I'll tell mom and dad, with an oath of secrecy, on Sunday... in some adorable way, that the kids won't notice! They can wait a while longer... we've got a complicated "ex-" situation that makes me want to postpone, postpone, postpone!!

[EMandM]

Due to my history, we are going to wait to tell everyone, probably around Christmas. I'm looking for cute ideas...