When did you announce your pregnancy to older child?

[WhenShallIShare]

Our DD is 3.5 and we’ve just found out I’m pregnant with number 2 🥰

Based on date of last period I’m only 4 weeks (!) but if this pregnancy is anything like my pregnancy with DD I’m gonna be vomming my guts up from about 6 weeks (I ended up all kind of anti emetics and in hosp with it) so I just know our DD will want to know what’s going on and why I’m sick.

When did you announce your pregnancy to your older child? And are there any good books out there explaining being a sibling etc?

Well, DD (same age) grabbed me when I was seven weeks along and said “Mum, you’ve got a baby in your belly” . But we told her properly past 12 weeks.

I don’t consciously remember doing it (my eldest was 4) but it would have been after 12 week scan. I had a mc before that pregnancy and I know we didn’t tell her about that one ( mc detected at 8 weeks).

Due to many 1st trimester losses we've always waited until after the dating scan. I wanted to wait longer with current one but hubby couldn't contain himself and told them as soon as I got home from my dating scan, he even face timed my mum while I was putting my stuff away.

After I was past the stage I didn’t mind other people knowing.
They don’t keep secrets very well at that age.

@EssentialHummus

Well, DD (same age) grabbed me when I was seven weeks along and said “Mum, you’ve got a baby in your belly” . But we told her properly past 12 weeks.

Hahaha that’s amazing, clever daughter you’ve got!

@mindutopia

I don’t consciously remember doing it (my eldest was 4) but it would have been after 12 week scan. I had a mc before that pregnancy and I know we didn’t tell her about that one ( mc detected at 8 weeks).

I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing though x

@Chelyanne

Due to many 1st trimester losses we've always waited until after the dating scan. I wanted to wait longer with current one but hubby couldn't contain himself and told them as soon as I got home from my dating scan, he even face timed my mum while I was putting my stuff away.

I’m so sorry for your previous losses. Love the excitement of your hubby! X

He was just too impatient to tell him
Sooner so five months

@EssentialHummus

Well, DD (same age) grabbed me when I was seven weeks along and said “Mum, you’ve got a baby in your belly” . But we told her properly past 12 weeks.

That’s so odd, exactly what DS (also 3.5 at the time) did when I was seven weeks pregnant with number 2! There was no way that he could have known as I wasn’t showing at all. I changed the subject at that point and told him properly after the 12 week scan.

12 weeks for us but I wasn’t vomiting, I think in that situation I would probably explain, to help them cope with what may be stressful. I remember a friend who vomited a lot telling her older that the baby jumps on her tummy a lot and it makes her sick, and for a while he was saying he didn’t like the baby for making mummy ill . They are good pals now though.

As late as possible, otherwise they will drive you mad asking “ Is the baby coming soon? “ every day.

@Undersnatch

12 weeks for us but I wasn’t vomiting, I think in that situation I would probably explain, to help them cope with what may be stressful. I remember a friend who vomited a lot telling her older that the baby jumps on her tummy a lot and it makes her sick, and for a while he was saying he didn’t like the baby for making mummy ill . They are good pals now though.

That’s the thing, I’m pretty sure I’ll be sick in this pregnancy (I had HG first time round) and DD is bound to see me be sick so I want to be able to reassure her

I would urge you to wait until after your 12 week scan. I told my then 3 year old DS at 10 weeks and then ended up having to have a TFMR after problems were found at the 12 week scan. Trying to explain that to a 3 year old was really not fun and I was absolutely kicking myself for having told him in the first place.

I had the same age gap, so DD was 3.5 when I got pregnant with DS. I had terrible Hyperemesis, but it mostly happened in the evenings and overnight so DD didn't know anything was happening. I told her at around 30 weeks, when she asked about my big tummy.

22 weeks, after anomaly scan. Just told them I was sick before that, they didn't question it.

If you’re sick I think it’s hard not to tell them but I would still try and hold off. Mine are 6 and 3, and I’m 6 weeks pregnant. But, I’m feeling fine while I have had HG with both of the other two so I’m not confident it’s working out. I have a scan at 7.5 weeks and will think about telling family then if things look ok. I haven’t decided re the dc. Ideally you’d wait for 12 week scan but it is hard!! At 6 weeks if I were as sick as I’d expected to be we’d just tell them I’m not well, dont worry the doctors say I’ll be fine. We didn’t tell ds1 who was 2.5 while I was going through it with ds2.

After the 12 week scan. We showed him the picture.
'What's that?'
'Well, that's mummy's tummy and that's a baby's head...'
'You've got a baby in your tummy??!!'
He was just turned five. We videoed the moment.