When to tell work?

[PixieCake]

Hi all,
Please can anyone advise on the best time to tell work you are pregnant, or the pros and cons of telling them earlier or later.
I suppose it's best to wait until the first scan? Will they be disgruntled or think I have been dishonest if I leave it until a bit later?
When will they need to know the date you intend to start mat leave, and when do you have to decide how much leave to take?
Anything else I should consider before telling them?
Thanks
PixieCake (first timer!)

I told them (all three times) at 25 weeks, you are under no obligation to tell them before then. I just said I was waiting for the 2nd scan to check everything was ok before I said. No one ever suggested I was dishonest or otherwise to wait until then.

if you are working with dangerous substances or in a job that involves heavy lifting, I would tell as soon as possible. maybe have a private scan at 8 weeks to see the heart beating.
if not, what mumnw says

Really? That's interesting. I kind of thought I had to (or should) tell them after my 12 week scan - which is this week.

If I waited until 25 weeks I would be worried that they might ask (or secretly wonder, thus affecting my prospects) why I waited 6 months to tell them. But maybe these fears are unfounded.

I don't work with anything dangerous.

When did everyone else tell them?

Thanks

Told with both of mine at about 22-24 weeks. Nobody ever commonted on why I'd left it til then.

I told my work early due to where I was working at the time. I only told my immediate colleagues and managers. I told everyone else at 12 weeks as my scan was two days before xmas party and I knew they would become suspicios with me not drinking so I came clean the day of the party.

With this pregnancy I don't work in the same enviroment and I am only a casual worker, am currently almost 16 weeks and haven't told them.

Told my boss at 17 weeks. Told a couple of girls I worked with before that as was v nervous about 12 week scan and they were all TTC, pregnant etc. Was starting to burst out of my clothes by the time I told my boss.
Regarding ML, you don't have to say when you are coming back. They have to assume (I think) that you will take a year but I can't remember when you have to tell them when you want to come back. Your HR dept should tell you everything.

Ok, now I'm thinking of waiting until a bit later. To be honest, my main fear is that they might dump lots of extra work on me to make up for my mat leave. (I know they can't legally treat you any differently but reality is a different matter).

If anyone else could reply that would be great, I'm trying to work out the rough average.

Also, if anyone on here is an employer, I'd love to hear your views.

Thanks

I told work at 15 weeks, I think if I had waited till 25 weeks, it would already have been known... (due to a large baby bump!). I did however wait till about 20 weeks to put it in writing to HR. Plus it is also helpful not to wait too long so that it doesn't seem strange taking a lot of time of for drs appointments, and I suppose it also depends on how early you want to start your mat leave.

I told the boss at 22 weeks, but it's still not common knowledge (I'm now 26 weeks) - only the two people who work directly with me know. It's no-one else's business and I don't want to discuss it with my colleagues, so I'm basically leaving it till people start to notice and ask. But I have a desk job and I've been physically fine - I'd have told sooner if I'd been ill or if I had to do a lot of lifting.