Sharing the Good News
Finding out you are pregnant is a very exciting and nervous time in your life. Once you've had that positive pregnancy test you are faced with many decisions, including when you should tell and whom you should tell.
Some people prefer to tell only their immediate family, choosing to wait until later in the pregnancy when the chance of miscarriage has dropped considerably before revealing the news to others. Others choose to tell anyone and everyone right away, reasoning that if they did have an early pregnancy loss, they would need the support of others.
Most people fall into a middle ground on whom they wish to share the news with. If you plan to keep your pregnancy a secret from some people in your life, make sure you know the integrity of the persons you are asking to share your secret. Nothing is more disappointing than calling someone to share your good news, only to find out that he or she already knows.
Reasons for not telling are varied, as mentioned before; early pregnancy loss is included in that list, as is the fear of reprisal from work, being judged differently by your peers, and personal acceptance. A lot of people decide to wait on revealing their joyous news until after the first trimester, when the miscarriage rates drop drastically. Others open up with the secret only as their abdomens begin to grow. If you have other children, you do want to tell them the news before strangers can recognize your pregnancy by the size of your abdomen.
Fear of pregnancy loss can prevent you from sharing your good news. If you've had a previous loss you can still go on to have a healthy pregnancy. Temper your fear with some excitement and consider telling very close friends for a support network.
It can be difficult not to tell, for a variety of reasons. Severe nausea and vomiting may make it fairly obvious that something is going on, as will multiple visits to the care providers. If you are intent on not telling everyone, then you need to watch your actions. It's also hard not to scream with delight when you are in an emotional high.
There are a lot of creative ways to share the news of your new baby. Some people choose balloons with notes or frame ultrasound photos. Take a look at some of the more creative ideas About.com Pregnancy.
The bottom line is to remember that you should tell people when you and your partner feel comfortable sharing your news. Have fun with it. Any way you tell people it is sure to be a moment that they will remember forever.
