Who and When To Tell?
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When you first find out that you are pregnant, there can be strong temptation to tell everyone that you meet that you will soon be welcoming a baby into your life. In most instances, the first person that you will tell about your pregnancy will be the father of the baby. Of course, that depends upon your unique circumstance. In some cases, this may not be the first person that you will need to inform about your pregnant news.
In some cases, you may wish to tell the people closest to you including best friends, siblings and parents right away. The time at which you inform the people closes to you about your pregnancy may depend upon your view of the situation. In the past, the standard guideline was to wait three months before you told anyone other than your spouse or partner about your pregnancy. The reasoning behind this was that the first trimester of the pregnancy was the riskiest in terms of a miscarriage. In the event the pregnancy became unviable and a miscarriage did occur then the parents would be able to avoid the heartbreak of having to break it to friends and family that the baby had been lost.
Today this rule is not as staunchly upheld as it once was and many expectant mothers do choose to go ahead and tell those closest to them as soon as they confirm that they are pregnant. This is entirely a personal decision and one which you will need to make based upon your feelings on the matter, your health, the stability of the pregnancy and how you believe that others will view the news.
When it comes to informing those outside your immediate circle, including co-workers and supervisors, you will also need to decide how long you wish to wait. Some women choose to wait the standard three months before informing anyone else, but in the event that you are having a difficult pregnancy then it may be necessary to inform others ahead of that deadline.
Keep in mind that your direct supervisor is the first person that you should inform of your pregnancy at work. While it can be tempting to tell co-workers of the big news first, the correct way to handle it is to inform your boss first. This is a matter of respect and will also ensure that your boss does not hear it second-hand from someone else first. Be aware that you should make sure you have a 'game plan' before going in to discuss the matter with your supervisor. Expect to let them know when you plan to go on maternity leave and how long you expect your maternity leave to last. You may also be prepared to offer discuss who may be the best person to handle your duties while you are out. Keep in mind that your boss may have concerns when you make your pregnancy announcement, but that you do have rights as a pregnant employee.
If you already have children then you may also wonder when the appropriate time would be to inform them of the big news. Different parents take different approaches when it comes to this matter. Some parents choose to wait until the matter becomes apparent on its own before they sit down and have a conversation. Other parents choose to tell children right away that they will be expecting a new brother or sister in the future. Regardless of when you tell your child or children about your exciting news, it is important to make sure that you reassure them of your continuing love and that their place in the family will not be usurped by the new baby.
