How to announce your pregnancy

A pregnancy announcement is a huge deal and who you choose to break the news to totally depends on you. However, when it comes to people like your boss, your partner and your other kids, if you have any, they need to be among the first ones you should tell.

Even with a list of the people you want to tell, the question of how to make the announcement crosses your mind. Here are some of the things to consider when making a pregnancy announcement.

The perfect timing

Announcing your pregnancy heavily relies on timing. The best time to make the announcement to anyone is when they’re calm, relaxed and not too focused on other things. You need to have their full attention so that they internalize the announcement. This is especially important when telling your boss at work and your partner.

You also need to avoid announcing the pregnancy too early. Some women prefer to make the announcement after the first trimester and others announce weeks before delivery. The purpose behind this is to announce when the risk of getting a miscarriage has reduced significantly. This is something you should consider before telling everyone the news, even on social media.

Decide on the approach

The approach of your announcement depends on who you’re breaking the news to. For example, if you’re telling your employer, you need to be professional about it and schedule a face to face meeting with them rather than telling them over the phone. 

For friends and family, you can decide to make it a fun surprise and play around with different ways to tell them. Tell them over the phone, prepare a family dinner or go all out and have an announcement party.

Use a different approach when telling a friend who you know is experiencing fertility problems. It’s all about weighing your approach depending on who you’re announcing the news to.

Prepare for any reaction

Whenever you’re planning to make the announcement, you can never be too sure of how someone will react to the news. It might be shocking to some and they’ll need time to process it, while others will take the news positively and support you through the whole process. Your kids might even get upset and cry because they didn’t want another brother or sister. Basically, prepare yourself mentally for different reactions.

Get someone to help with the announcement

Making a pregnancy announcement isn’t always easy. You might even feel too overwhelmed with the thought of dealing with people’s reactions so you can always get someone to help with the announcement.

Let your partner be the one to make the announcement first or get a friend or family member to help you. You totally don’t have to do it alone.

Also, it’s okay if you don’t feel the need to announce your pregnancy to anyone besides your partner, your employer or a few friends you trust. Don’t feel pressured to make a grand announcement when you see all those pregnancy posts on social media. You have the right to privacy.

What’s the silliest rumour you’ve ever heard about yourself?