Announcement
We decided we wanted to tell our family, friends, and coworkers about the pregnancy relatively soon. Though we were advised by some people to keep it a secret for as long as you can (ex: until second trimester when I really start showing), I felt strongly that the sooner the better.
First, one of the reasons people advise not to tell to soon is because you might be treated differently or negatively in the workplace. I’m incredibly lucky that I have a very supportive work environment and very caring manager, so I felt comfortable sharing the news as soon as I found out. I also realize I’m very fortunate to work at a company where maternity leave does not impact my promotional path and career growth, though I understand for other mothers-to-be, this may not be the case.
Second, I heard the “in case of miscarriage” rationale at least a few times. This is a very sensitive and personal topic, and there’s no right or wrong answer to whether or not you should share about a miscarriage. I can only speak for myself — for me, I didn’t want to let fear dictate my decisions, and I felt that if something were to happen, I would want to be open about it. The indescribable emotional weight would be too much for me, and I knew that I would actually want people to know because I would need as much support as possible.
Finally and most importantly, we were excited and wanted to share! It’s also too big a secret to keep while maintaining sanity. It was especially tough for Jeff in the few weeks he couldn’t tell anyone, and I know it lifted a huge weight off his chest as soon as he was able to share the news.
Our big announcement: Every year, we have a big birthday celebration for Jeff. I told everyone to be there for “a big surprise”, hinting that it would be a birthday surprise for Jeff. Some educated guesses included: a new puppy, a stripper in a cake, a vacation, etc. BUT the surprise wasn’t for Jeff’s birthday at all; it was a surprise announcement of our expectancy to all our friends. After everyone finished singing “Happy birthday” to Jeff, I brought out cupcakes that spelled “SURPRISE WE’RE PREGNANT”!
