I think whether or not you tell people really depends a lot on what kind of relationship you have with your family. Our family's not perfect, we have our issues and not all of us are very close, emotionally, but.. not telling our family felt, to us, like we were being dishonest and even ashamed and unsure of our decision. I am *not* saying that everyone who decides not to tell their families are big, shameful liars.. I'm just saying that for us, with our family, it would have felt that way.
My mom and sister had a lot of questions and we had a pretty open and positive discussion. I'm sure most of our extended family had lots of questions, too, but they never bothered to ask or comment, so I don't know. For the most part, people just accepted that this was another one of our wacky decisions, but that it was *our* decision and not theirs. Plus, pretty much everyone knows that my husband and I research everything, don't take decisions re: our children lightly, and that we're also very stubborn and unlikely to be swayed without very good evidence.
If people start giving you crap about it, I'd just be blunt and say, "Look, this is our decision, and if you can't accept it and stop the negativity, then we won't be spending much time together while I'm pregnant."
My mom and sister had a lot of questions and we had a pretty open and positive discussion. I'm sure most of our extended family had lots of questions, too, but they never bothered to ask or comment, so I don't know. For the most part, people just accepted that this was another one of our wacky decisions, but that it was *our* decision and not theirs. Plus, pretty much everyone knows that my husband and I research everything, don't take decisions re: our children lightly, and that we're also very stubborn and unlikely to be swayed without very good evidence.
If people start giving you crap about it, I'd just be blunt and say, "Look, this is our decision, and if you can't accept it and stop the negativity, then we won't be spending much time together while I'm pregnant."
I think it's mostly your state of mind that matters; DH and I decided we would only tell those we knew would be supportive. We told my parents, sister, and two friends. I was having some prepartum depression and didn't want our well thought out and precious to us decision dragged through the mud. And I didn't want anyone else's anxiety added to my own--at that time, it really weighed on me. I especially didn't want to tell my MIL or SIL as I felt MIL would be very anxious over it all the time and SIL would be judgemental.
