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"the big announcement" poll

924 views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  mearph 
#1 ·
When are you telling family? What about the general public? Are you doing it some cutesy way, or "just the facts, Ma'am"?


me: probably will tell family around 12 weeks (so, soon). might make a fb announcement a couple of weeks after that, not sure how exactly yet. might just be lazy and post a pic and let them figure it out...
 
#2 ·
I told some co-workers (which is basically the same as telling all of them) and close family and a few friends already, mostly due to some health complications that came up early on that caused me to miss work for a week. Haven't made the big announcement on facebook yet. I kind of want to wait until after my next midwife appointment, but I am already showing a lot at 11 weeks, so people will start to figure it out if they haven't already.
 
#3 ·
My family knows. And others have slowly been finding out. I'm about to be 13 weeks Tuesday and am showing. It was either lie and say my diet failed, or be honest. I'd rather be honest.
 
#5 ·
I ended up telling work at around 11 weeks because of some planning we had to do for the winter months. It was a bit earlier than I would have liked but it made things way easier. Suddenly I could eat as much as I wanted during staff meetings and I was able to stop wearing long shirts to hide the bump. We've been having a heat wave so that was a relief. My mom has known from the beginning and I gave her the go ahead to tell family then too. I HATE announcing things so I make her do it for me. I don't really enjoy the attention being pregnant forces on you.
 
#6 ·
I told family and friends early. I decided if I should miscarry, I'd want their support. Heck, I wanted their support while pregnant to help with my 3 year old. Plus this notion that a woman (or couple) suffer alone and it would be too hard to tell other people in the event of loss didn't jive with me. So we told close friends and family about 7 weeks. Gradually expanding that now at 12 weeks to neighbors, extended family etc. I'll probably wait until 20 weeks to say anything on FB. I'm not sure how people do keep it a secret for 3 months if they live anywhere close to family. We're in the same town as our parents, some siblings etc plus lots of friends. They would all be on to me immediately, with no wine at dinner and the uber fatigue.
 
#7 ·
@MNBabyDust I did the same this time around. Last time I made a conscious effort to not tell most people (aside from a couple close friends and immediate family) until the 12-week mark. But this time I'm way more relaxed about it. I've told many friends, almost the whole family and one co-worker (waiting to tell the rest of work until 12 weeks).


Two reasons: 1- I was in a wedding at 7 weeks and all our friends were there and the jig was up immediately once everyone noticed I wasn't drinking so I didn't even try to hide it--I just came right out with it. 2- If I have a miscarriage, as others have said, I want support from these people. I don't want to deal with it silently. I'd want all of them to know. Having had a miscarriage previously, I wish women were more open about it in general. It is so much more common than most women think because so many people, for whatever reason, don't talk about it. I think going through it would be less isolating and less scary if more people were open about their experiences. We tell friends, family and the broader world about injuries and illnesses all the time, so for me this is no different. So while I draw the line at facebook and stuff like that (because who would want to announce a miscarriage on facebook!) I'm not gun-shy about sharing the news early with friends and family. This is my second, though, so I can understand why people are more apprehensive with their first.
 
#8 ·
I second oasis84. I've told some friends and family, but I'm waiting on Facebook until I'm further along. I'm tempted to put up a picture of my dog with a big brother sign. I've told a couple of people that were adding an addition to our house, two feet, a right and a left. Some people took a minute, some got it right off the bat. It was more fun for me that way.
 
#10 ·
We told immediate family around 6 weeks, extended around 9 & just made the fb announcement the other day at 13 weeks. This is gonna be #3 in less than 4 years so we are not so cautious about holding back, just gotta share the good news!
 
#11 ·
I announced on FB by quoting my daughter, which I do often, since she is so funny. "Quinn, to everyone she sees, including random people that knock on our door and the entire story time class today: My mommy is growing me a baby in her belly. My baby is tiny and I am big, and my baby is growing big like me. (due January 2016)"
 
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#13 · (Edited)
I am 14 weeks and 5 days and still haven't told the family yet. We did tell our 8 year old, he's known for about 3 weeks and we asked him to keep it to himself, saying we will all make the big announcement when the time is right. He hasn't let anything slip to anyone! It's actually been really special to just share it as a nuclear family, some sweet memories that only we shared together these past 3 weeks.

A few close friends know, but I am not telling the family until after my next OB appointment (end of next week). I am a private person and don't like to share much information about body things with family members, and also because I've had a few miscarriages and want to be sure about the viability of this pregnancy before sharing the news.

There are some other reasons too, mainly having to do with family-in-law issues (!)

When to tell work....probably shortly after telling the family......anyhow I won't be able to conceal the baby bump much longer.
 
#14 ·
I'm 15 weeks now and we have started telling the extended family (aunts and uncles etc). It's been fine but the attention is still a little difficult for me to handle. My husband says I'm acting too mean and ruining their fun. So, I have been trying to 'play nice' but its still hard cause to me its still pretty early. I'm sure ill be much more into it when things get farther along but the family is always trying to rush things! ugh!
 
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