Best time to tell family about pregnancy

When Is the Best Time to Announce Pregnancy?

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Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. D., MSN — By Ashley Marcin on December 6, 2018

Announcing your pregnancy

One of the most exciting times in your pregnancy is getting that first positive test. You probably want to tell the whole world you’re expecting. But when is the best time to announce your pregnancy?

Many parents-to-be wait until the end of the first trimester — around week 13 — to tell friends and family about their pregnancy. A number of factors influence why people wait until this time to share the news.

Still, the most important part of your decision should revolve around what makes you the most comfortable. Read on to find out more about what to consider before you decide to announce your pregnancy.

The risk of miscarriage

The first trimester is a tremendous time of development and change for you and your little one. With all that change comes some risk that the pregnancy might not carry to term.

Between 10 and 25 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and roughly 80 percent of these miscarriages occur in the first trimester.

Most miscarriages are caused by factors beyond a mother’s control. About half are caused by chromosomal abnormalities. This means that the baby doesn’t develop properly.

Other causes of first trimester miscarriage include:

illness in mother
luteal phase defect (problem with a woman’s monthly cycle)
hormone imbalances
adhesions (scar-like tissue) in uterus

Age is another factor that affects miscarriage. Here is the miscarriage risk by age:

Women ages 35 and under: 15 percent
Women ages 35 to 45: 20 to 35 percent
Women ages 45 and older: 50 percent

If a developing baby lives to 7 weeks with a heartbeat, the risk of miscarriage drops to 10 percent. In those beginning weeks when the risk is highest, you may not even know you’re pregnant unless you’ve taken an early test. After week 12, the risk of miscarriage falls to 5 percent for the rest of the pregnancy.

Given these statistics, it’s understandable that many parents wait until the risk of miscarriage drops before they announce. Most women don’t want to have to tell people the sad news of a miscarriage shortly after announcing their pregnancy.

The first prenatal visit

Another reason couples wait until the end of the first trimester to share has to do with prenatal checkups. Your first appointment may be around week 8 of pregnancy, or even later.

During the first visit, your provider will run tests to confirm your pregnancy, estimate your due date, screen for infections, and determine the general health of you and your baby.

For some couples, hearing that heartbeat for the first time or having an ultrasound to date the pregnancy is reassuring before announcing it to everyone.

Recurrent pregnancy loss

If you’ve experienced a previous loss, your risk of having another miscarriage may be slightly higher, depending on your health history.

This news can be disheartening, especially in the case of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Your doctor will likely examine you, order blood tests, and do some other testing to determine the cause of your losses.

The good news is that with the right treatment, your chances of carrying a baby to term may increase. But you might feel more comfortable waiting until after this treatment to announce your pregnancy to everyone.

The pros of waiting to announce your pregnancy

If you’ve had difficulty conceiving, had a previous pregnancy loss, or had a stillbirth, you may want to wait even longer than 12 weeks to share news of your pregnancy. It’s also fine to share later than the traditional first trimester cutoff. It’s entirely up to you and what you feel is best.

Though loss in the second and third trimesters is rare, couples may feel sensitive or worried that something will happen.

In these cases, you may choose to share news about the following instead:

having an ultrasound that shows the baby is healthy
finding out the sex of the baby
reaching the halfway mark of pregnancy (week 20)
reaching a personal milestone (e.g., when you start showing)

Sometimes letting a close friend or family member know can be helpful, especially if you’re feeling anxious.

If you’re still not comfortable sharing the news, your doctor may be able to refer you to a therapist or support group where you can express your feelings in a safe space.

Another option is to search online for forums with women who have gone through similar situations. Examples of online support groups include:

Pregnancy After Loss Support
Subsequent Pregnancy After Loss Support

Pros of Waiting

The risk of miscarriage usually decreases after the first trimester.
You might feel more comfortable after you’ve had an ultrasound, heard your baby’s heartbeat, or reached a pregnancy milestone.
There’s anonymity for you and your partner.

The cons of waiting to share the news

If you’d rather have a support network in place regardless of your pregnancy outcome, feel free to share the news right away.

The first trimester may be tough for some women because of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and other unpleasant symptoms. Letting a few key people know may help ease the burden. And if you do end up miscarrying, you might not want to have to go through it alone.

You may also want to tell your employer about your pregnancy right away if your job requires you to do physical labor that might be dangerous. These hazards might include:

bending repeatedly at your waist (more than 20 times per day)
standing for long periods of time
lifting heavy things, like boxes, more than once every five minutes
being exposed to chemicals

Your job may require these tasks. The data isn’t concrete on whether or not these activities directly lead to miscarriage, but it’s still worth considering in the overall picture. Speak with your doctor about the recommendations for lifting during pregnancy for more specifics.

Cons of Waiting

The first trimester might be difficult without support.
You might be exposed to workplace hazards if you don’t tell your employer.
Friends and family might find out from other sources instead of you telling them directly.

Announcing to different groups

It might make sense to announce your pregnancy to different groups at different times. You may want to first tell a few close family members and then some friends before you announce it publicly on social media or tell your co-workers.

Family

Consider telling only your family to start. Your pregnancy will be major news for your parents, especially if this is their first grandchild. You might want to think of a creative way to tell your mother, father, and siblings so you can be there to witness their reaction firsthand.

If you choose to announce to just your family early on in your pregnancy, you’ll have plenty of people to celebrate with, but you won’t have to explain things over and over again if something does go wrong.

Friends

You’ll most likely want to tell your closest friends first. Then, whenever you feel more comfortable, you can broaden the group, or make an official announcement on social media. But be aware that the news might slip out of even the most well-meaning friend or relative.

Social networking is probably the easiest way to get the news out to friends and family who live far away. Posting a picture online of your ultrasound can get the news out in an instant.

Employer

You will have to tell your employer sooner or later, especially if you’re going to be taking parental leave or time off work. As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to tell your workplace right away if your job involves physical labor that might be dangerous.

Once your employer knows of your pregnancy, you’re protected against discrimination under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. Your employer is required to provide you with reasonable accommodation if you’re unable to perform your work activities safely while pregnant.

If your job doesn’t involve physical labor, you can wait until you’re comfortable letting them know. Just make sure you give your employer a reasonable amount of time to prepare for your time away.

You will most likely want to tell your direct manager first so you two can plan together how to tell others you work with. It’s completely fine to ask your manager to keep this information confidential until you’re ready to tell others.

If you don’t want to inform your immediate superior right away, feel free to meet with your company’s human resources department to discuss your options. Be prepared to discuss their concerns about how your pregnancy will affect your job.

Being professional and prepared will help reassure your workplace of your commitment to making this a smooth transition.

What should you do?

In the end, the choice over when to share your pregnancy is entirely up to you. You can tell friends and family right away, or wait until you know more about the health of you and your baby.

To help make your decision, you may want to ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a high-risk pregnancy or other factors that increase my miscarriage risk?
Will telling everyone make me feel more comfortable, or less comfortable?
Do I have certain work or lifestyle factors that make telling sooner important?
Do I want a large network of support if something happens?

The takeaway

The beginning of pregnancy can be both exciting and frightening. Try to relax and enjoy the journey.

A lot of women choose to announce their pregnancy at the end of the first trimester because the risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced and their pregnancy “bump” may no longer be easy to hide. Of course, announcing at the 12-week mark isn’t required and the choice is entirely up to you.

Whether or not you tell the whole world right away, make sure to tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Schedule a prenatal appointment, take your vitamins, and keep up with good eating and exercise habits.

Try to take care of yourself and your baby-to-be. No matter when you share the news, it’ll surely be reason to celebrate.

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Last medically reviewed on December 6, 2018

Parenthood
Pregnancy
1st Trimester

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2013). Miscarriage.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/symptoms-causes/syc-20354298
Miscarriage. (2015).
americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/miscarriage/
Miscarriage. (2017).
marchofdimes.org/complications/miscarriage.aspx
Reproductive health and the workplace. (2015).
cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/physicaldemands.html
Second trimester pregnancy loss. (2007).
aafp.org/afp/2007/1101/p1341.html
Your first prenatal visit. (2015).
americanpregnancy.org/planning/first-prenatal-visit/

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Dec 6, 2018

Written By

Ashley Marcin

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. D., MSN

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Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — By Ashley Marcin on December 6, 2018

When To Tell People You Are Pregnant

Learning you’re pregnant is an exciting moment in your pregnancy journey. After savoring the news yourself, you might wonder when to tell people you are pregnant and how to share this moment with your community, including your partner, parents, family, friends, and coworkers. Though when to announce your pregnancy is ultimately a personal choice, some factors might influence the timing, and we’ve gathered all the helpful details.

When “Should” You Tell People You Are Pregnant?

This is a very common question with a not-so-clear-cut answer. There really is no “best” time to announce your pregnancy or a rule for when you should tell people you’re pregnant. When you share the news is totally up to you!

But in addition to the question “When should I announce my pregnancy?” you might be wondering how long to wait to share the news. It might help to consider the following when deciding when to announce your pregnancy:

First trimester. When is it safe to announce a pregnancy? This is a concern for many parents, as early pregnancy loss (a miscarriage earlier than 13 weeks) occurs in about 10 percent of known pregnancies. But the risk of miscarriage is much lower after the first trimester, which is why many feel it’s safer to wait until the following trimester to share the news.
First prenatal appointment. If you think you might be pregnant and take an at-home pregnancy test, you might want to confirm the pregnancy with your healthcare provider before sharing the news. At this appointment, which often takes place at around 8 to 10 weeks, your provider might do a health screening and determine any risk factors. You may feel better knowing these details before sharing your announcement.
Sonogram. If you wait until after an ultrasound exam to share your big news, you'll likely have a sonogram (an ultrasound image) that you could include in your pregnancy announcement, which could be a fun idea! You’ll likely have at least one ultrasound during your pregnancy, typically a standard ultrasound at around 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy. However, your healthcare provider may recommend more.

Pros and Cons of Waiting to Announce Your Pregnancy

If you’re on the fence about when to tell people you are pregnant, it might help to consider the pros and cons of waiting a little longer to reveal the news:

Pros. When you share the news, you have people there to support you. Those early signs of pregnancy aren’t always the most fun (morning sickness and fatigue, for example), and you may want someone in the know to help you along the way. Plus, it’s fun to have your partner, friend, or family member there to discuss exciting things, like choosing a unique baby name or decorating the nursery.
Cons. Once you share the news, get ready for all the questions! Everyone will want to know how you’re feeling and might even want to touch your belly. And one con to really think about is what happens if you do have a miscarriage after announcing your pregnancy. It’s a personal choice, so ask yourself if it’s better for just one or two people in your inner support circle to know or if you’re OK with others knowing.

So, when do people announce their pregnancy?

Everyone is different, of course, with various factors at play that could influence when to tell people you are pregnant. You can share the news right away or wait until that baby bump of yours is starting to show. It’s really up to you! But keep reading for a little more advice on when to tell people you are pregnant, starting with your partner and even your acquaintances.

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When to Tell Your Partner You're Pregnant

When it comes to a pregnancy announcement to your husband or partner, there are two popular times to reveal the news:

As soon as possible. Some like to share the news with their partner right away! It’s exciting for both of you, and it might be helpful to have your partner’s support from the get-go.
After the first prenatal visit. If you’d like to get your pregnancy confirmed by your healthcare provider, you could wait until after that initial prenatal appointment.

For cute pregnancy announcement ideas, check out the video below:

When to Tell Your Parents You're Pregnant

When to tell your parents you’re pregnant depends on personal circumstances, but some popular times include:

As soon as possible. Some people like to tell their entire inner support circle right away, and that might include your parents.
After telling your partner. If you want your partner to be the first to know, your parents are usually the next in line, and it might be fun to surprise them together!
After the standard ultrasound. Using the sonogram photo is a great way to announce your pregnancy to your parents, so you might want to wait until after your ultrasound.

When to Tell Immediate Family About Your Pregnancy

As for your siblings, aunts, uncles, and other members of your immediate family, there are quite a few popular times:

After telling your partner and parents. Once your partner and parents know the news, siblings and immediate family are typically the next to find out.
After the standard ultrasound. Again, if you’d like to use your sonogram photo to reveal the news, you can wait until after your ultrasound.
As you start to show. Your baby bump could be a clue to others, so sharing the news when you start showing might be the best time.

When to Announce Your Pregnancy to Friends, Coworkers, and Acquaintances

When do people announce their pregnancy to other friends, bosses, coworkers, and casual acquaintances? These groups are typically the last to know, and you can share your news with them whenever you want! A baby announcement at work might look different than a casual social media post. Still, here are a few popular timings:

After the standard ultrasound. A cute little photo or social media post of your sonogram is a great way to announce your pregnancy. Plus, you might feel it’s safe to share your news with your wider circle by that time.
As you start to show. Once you start showing, it’ll be tricky to hide the news from friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. When your belly bump arrives might be the time to announce your pregnancy.
With a birth announcement. For casual friends or acquaintances that you see only once in a while or interact with on social media, you might want to wait until your baby is born and send or post a birth announcement.

How to Tell People You’re Pregnant

Once you decide when to tell people you are pregnant, you can start thinking about how to share your news. You can really get creative with this, whether you’re telling your partner you’re pregnant or surprising your parents, but a few typical ways to reveal your pregnancy include:

In person. Revealing the news face-to-face can make the moment even more special. Share your announcement over dinner or with a fun night in!
At a party. When you want to tell a group of people the news, you might want to consider a party for your friends, family, and/or coworkers. This way, everyone can celebrate together!
On a virtual call. If family or friends live far away—or you want to embrace the digital age—there’s always a virtual call. You can stand up to reveal your baby bump as a surprise!
On social media. Announcing your pregnancy on social media has become the go-to method after letting your close family and friends know. It’s a great way to share the news with a wide audience all at once.
With a card. A classic card via snail mail or e-mail is always an option. You can design a pregnancy announcement card to send in the mail or opt for an e-card.
Via phone. Sometimes, all you need is a phone call or even a text! You can send something first like “I have news…” to set up your announcement.

How you tell people you’re pregnant may depend on who they are and your unique situation. It’s common to share the news in person with your partner and parents, and some enjoy telling their immediate family in person, too, or with a party.

If your family lives far away, virtual calls, classic phone calls, or pregnancy announcement cards are all great options. Deciding on how to tell friends you are pregnant may depend on how close you are and could include an in-person visit, party, or card. A cute social media post might be all you need for other acquaintances.

The Bottom Line

Deciding when to announce your pregnancy comes down to personal choice and may be dependent on a few factors. Some like to tell their inner support circle (partner, best friend, or parents) early to have some help from the start. But others like to wait until after the first trimester when the risk of miscarriage is low. Everyone’s situation is different, so consider the information above to make the right decision for you and your family.

As you start to prepare for your little one’s arrival, don’t forget to download the Pampers Club app so you’re rewarded for all those diapers and wipes purchases. If this is your first child, you might be surprised with how many diapers a baby will need!

How to report pregnancy in an original way

Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna

66716 views

September 21, 2021

Have you just found out you're expecting a baby? Congratulations! In this article - a portion of inspiration and ideas on how to share the news with your loved one, parents and friends, if you have a desire to make it bright and unforgettable. And you are sure that your loved ones are ready for any surprises and will be able to support the game.

Idea #1

Kinder with a surprise

It takes a little dexterity. Buy two kinder surprises for yourself and your loved one. Carefully open one package, and in order not to leave marks on the chocolate, use medical gloves. Carefully divide the chocolate egg into two halves, and instead of a toy, put a note with the cherished message: “You will become a dad!”. The halves can be connected with a hot knife: touch the chocolate edges with it and quickly connect. Eat kinders together so as not to arouse suspicion.

Idea #2

Quest for the apartment

Prepare a map of your home and mark checkpoints where you can hide candy or some cute gifts for your loved one. The final point should be a corner, in which there will be an envelope or a box with an ultrasound image.

Idea #3

Scratch cards for relatives

A postcard with a special layer that can be erased with a coin can bring good news to a future dad, grandma or grandpa. Have you seen these on lottery tickets? Here the same principle. A very delicate and neat way to start a friendly meeting or family gatherings.

Idea #4

Plate with message

Find on the Internet or make yourself a plate, at the bottom of which it will be written: "We are expecting a baby!". Disguise the inscription with a piece of cake. Indelible permanent marker or acrylic paint may work well for writing on ceramics - experiment beforehand.

Idea #5

Personalized mugs

Give your parents mugs with the inscriptions: “Grandma (name)”, “Grandfather (name)”. We are sure that tea from them will be much tastier to drink.

Idea #6

Head of cabbage

Here is another original way to inform parents about pregnancy. Surely you go to the store before the visit - add a head of cabbage in sliders to the usual set of products and put it in the bag as if nothing had happened.

Idea #7

During a group photo

If you often take pictures with the whole family, this method is for you. Take control of the process, and instead of the "photo" mode, quietly turn on the "video" mode and shoot without giving a look. Start the report: “One, two, and the NAME OF THE FUTURE MOTHER is pregnant!”. The video will keep the sincere emotions of your loved ones.

Idea #8

Pizza with a message

Also donuts or cakes. For this method, any food that is delivered in a box with a lid is suitable. On the inside of the lid, beautifully write the main news and wait for the box to open.

Idea #9

Gift box

A touching way to please future grandparents. Put some attribute related to your parents' hobby in a beautiful box. For example, if your mother is fond of knitting, then in the box you can put a skein of yarn and a postcard with the message: “Will you knit socks for your granddaughter?”. And if your dad is a fisherman, then the box may contain a set of tackle with a note: “Will you take your grandson fishing?”

Idea #10

Posted by Aista

Discreetly rename your name in the contacts of a loved one to "Stork". For example, before he leaves for work or shopping. And then - send a message with the text: “Already on the way! The weather is normal, I will be back in 8 months.”

Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna

Scientific adviser to PROGRESS JSC, Candidate of Medical Sciences

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How to tell your husband about pregnancy: 12 original ways Family and children

So, you have learned the wonderful news that will change your body for as much as 9 months, and your life forever. Everything turns upside down on the threshold of a new life, but the biggest dilemma is how to properly communicate this news to him. Men react differently to the fact that they will soon become dads, but our 12 ways to present this news to him in such a way that he will remember this moment for the rest of his life.

1. Birthday cake

The first mega-popular way that is gaining momentum among the community of young mothers on Instagram and not only is a birthday cake. There may be a drawing in the form of dough, and two strips inside, and a stork with a bundle in the hands of mastic, in general, everything that your imagination and skillful hands of the master can offer. This method is especially suitable for wives of incredible sweet teeth.

2. Funny t-shirt

You can order a funny t-shirt for your husband with slogans such as “I will be a dad soon, but I don’t know it yet”, “One sperm was faster” or even “9months - and the joy of a lifetime. You can order the same T-shirt for yourself, preferably in large sizes for the next months of happiness.

3. The best gift in his life addition to the family. You can arrange such a gift in any way: a postcard with a baby, a large box with a small test in it, or an envelope with an ultrasound image of your still very small crumbs.

Your man will definitely be overjoyed if he finds such a gift under the tree.

4. Joyful feast

Such important news can be turned into a noisy feast and a joyful feast. Call your parents, close friends, godfathers, anyone you want to tell about your piquant situation. Invite the guests to leaf through the family album together with their husband, in which hide the ultrasound photo in advance. Dad is happy, the guests congratulate, there is no need to tell everyone separately about your happiness. Or, when taking a group family photo, instead of the standard “che-e-e-es-e”, loudly announce that you are pregnant. This photo will remain your favorite for a long time.

5. Surprise at the bottom

Many expectant mothers resort to this method: a double-sided pregnancy messenger is glued to the bottom of a transparent dish with her husband's favorite goodies with adhesive tape. Imagine your partner's astonishment when such good news is under your favorite pilaf.

6. SMS from a stork

At night, when your betrothed is sleeping, change your contact on his phone to "Aist", and in the morning send a text message: "I'm on the road, wait in 9 months." Such a turn of events will not only finally wake up even the most inveterate sleepyhead, but will also make you remember this moment for the rest of your life.

7. Back to school

Boys used to write illegible scribbles under the windows to us, confessions of eternal love. And now you stock up on paint, a brush and immunity to neighbors, and at night display “Darling, you will soon become a dad” on the asphalt. In the morning, casually ask him to look out the window and wait for him to kiss you. Well, what can I say, romance ..!

8. Inscription on the belly

Another unusual method seems quite ordinary. Arm yourself with a marker and draw the inscription “I am pregnant” on your stomach, and then in the evening ask you to consider what itches there all day near the navel.

There will be no limit to the delight of the husband, especially if he has been waiting for news about the increase in your family for a long time.

9. A note in your pocket

Before your loved one leaves for work, quietly slip a note with unexpected news into his jacket pocket or purse. You will only have to wait for a call from a stunned man.

10. Picture on the desktop

In the age of information technology and computers, there is nothing easier than putting a thematic picture on the desktop of your shared PC, or even better, draw it in Photoshop. For example, a sperm cell and an egg cell have joined, or a stork is knocking at your door at number 125.

11. A pair of small booties

A very cute option for romantic husbands: put a pair of small booties in the hallway next to your and his shoes. They will be the first and last thing your man sees when he enters the house from work.

12. Heads of cabbage

Well, our last method will please any real man.

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