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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

How did you/are you going to tell your family that you're expecting?

60 replies

Penny2012 · 18/02/2012 12:35

I'm 10 weeks pregnant and looking forward to being able to tell my family that I'm expecting on 9th March after our scan and nuchal tests are all hopefully ok. I'm trying to think of creative ways to let parents and family know. How did you tell your family or do you have any good ideas about how you'd like to tell them? :-) x

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funchum8am · 18/02/2012 19:21

ladygagoo that sounds like a lovely way to tell relatives abroad! I will tell family but may wait til a hen do I'm going on in April to tell friends (my main group of friends are my university friends and we all live fairly scattered these days). One of them announced her pregnancy (rather sheepishly, not wanting to steal the thunder) at my hen do and it was actually all very lovely, so may do the same! I think I'll tell the hen first and check she's OK with it though. I'll most likely be showing by April, so it's then or earlier, rather than keeping it a secret being an option - the moment I turn down a drink they'd know anyway!

IHaveAFeatureWallAndILikeIt · 18/02/2012 19:26

My mum lives in a nearby village but was visiting my gran 300 miles away. I rang her to tell her that I was pregnant (by my boyfriend of 3 months) and she said "I wish you hadn't told me that". I later rang my sister, who was with her, to find out what her reaction was and she told me that her and my gran were really excited :-)

We told DMIL in her kitchen, poor thing, she found out that SIL was pregnant the week before and our due dates were 2 days apart!!!

OTTMummA · 18/02/2012 19:40

This time round i was visiting my family in home town, mum asked if i had lost some weight, which i had, and i then said, well, i will be putting it on over the next 9 months, so will have to scrape the diet! I was only 6 weeks gone.

She just looked shocked, and asked what does that mean?
Little sis rolled her eyes and said ' uh, it means she's pregnant mum, duh!' and then gave me a big hug Smile

First time round i only knew after an emergency scan because of pain, at 22weeks gone! [shocked]
So both Mum and MIL were phoned by DH as i was in shock, but we also found out the sex so they got told there was a grandson on the way just after christmas!

BikeRunSki · 18/02/2012 19:50

My mum lives at the other end of the countryside and my sister lives abroad. First time I rang mum, then DSis. DSis was in a nightclub and it took a while to get the message through.

Second time, I was Mum with DS, age 2.4. We were having breakfast and DS was too big for the highchair. Mum said we may as well take it too the charity shops. I said ' Well, not yet....'.

Original poster
Penny2012 · 19/02/2012 00:23

Just found some gorgeous silver keyrings on ebay which are personalised with a little photo frame inside. Perfect for grandparents to be to have mini scan picture with them at all times! Smile

OP posts:
iloveminieggs · 28/02/2012 22:16

I've just bought a book called 'your first grandchild' which I might wrap up. Got to get a bfp first!

iloveberries · 29/02/2012 07:58

Congrats to everyone!!

nice ideas here. When i was pg with DS he was due just before DDad's 50th so DH and I sat down DMum and DDad and said "We're really sorry but we won't be able to make your 50th as something's come up Dad so we might be busy", placid Dad looked a bit upset but said "don't worry it's not a big deal" but DMum said "well what's that important?" so we said "Your grandchild is due on the 14th"!!!! It was magic!! They were so over the moon for us it was one of the most special memories :)

Nearly 6 weeks pg with DC2 and telling parents next week when we go to see them so trying to think of a nice way to do it. I know they'll be delighted as they know we've been trying. I'll keep an eye on this thread for inspiration!

aGog1 · 29/02/2012 08:17

My MIL is a dairy farmer and guessed when I refused a cup of tea with unpasteurised milk straight from the cow Grin

whatsoever · 29/02/2012 09:15

Last time we phoned both sets of parents and my mum proceeded to tell the world and his wife. We had a MMC so decided to never do that again. (Three weeks of "random lady who you don't know from church said she's really sorry to hear what happened" oh ffs mum!).

This time we phoned both sets again but swore them to secrecy. We're having an early scan this weekend and will add siblings to the list if it goes well but won't tell anyone else unless the 12 week scan is good. Being accountants (i.e. not at all creative) we will be using the phone, text and e-mail routes Wink

noramum · 29/02/2012 09:39

My boss: I had to because I had to explain why I was in the office at 7.30am. I couldn't stand in the train so needed one with seat guarantee.

My Mum: over the phone as we are in different countries. She cried. We lost my dad just 2 months earlier after a long battle of cancer and she knew we are try to conceive so she thought my dad did some nudging from above.

My in-laws: I refused wine and parma ham. I needed to explain that.

My colleagues: I told them they would have to find a replacement for my project work.

Friends: via the Christmas card

catgirl1976 · 29/02/2012 09:51

I told my mum on mothers day. I made her a card which said

"This Mother's day we wanted to give you something amazing

We looked everywhere, but we just couldn't find anything special enough

So this year, we are making you something instead"

and then inside it said

"A Grandma"

Cue many tears :)

MediumOrchid · 29/02/2012 10:02

We told my parents the evening of our 12 week scan. I couldn't think of what words to say to them so I put the scan picture in an envelope and gave it to my Mum and said 'Oh, we got given this earlier today, have a look at it and tell me what you think'.
So she gets it out and peers at it for a few seconds and then says
'It's a baby'.
'Yes' I say, smiling.
'Whose baby is it?' she says, looking very puzzled.
'It's our baby!'
'Your baby?!'
And then she was delighted and very excited for us. It took her a while to get it though!

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 29/02/2012 10:13

It was Christmas Day, so we gave my mum and dad a present to 'Granny and Grandpa'. Cue much excited screaming (first grandchild) Grin We then rang the PILs and asked them if they enjoyed being grandparents and if they wouldn't mind doing it again...

TrinaLuciusMalfoy · 29/02/2012 10:15

Oh yes, and with DD2 I told my boss at 5 weeks as I had to miss work due to being in A&E with a bleed. She was a little shocked but I thought it best to be honest with her...

AWomanCalledHorse · 29/02/2012 10:41

Found out at 4wks, told people at 5wks (decided if something went wrong pre-scan I would like everyone to know); my mum on facebook & PIL when we went over for dinner, mil then phoned everyone she'd ever met.... Hmm

I know it's slightly pessamistic (sp?) but I never wanted to make a big thing of it incase something went wrong during pg.

Congrats Penny!!

lalabaloo · 29/02/2012 10:42

Aww Catgirl that made me cry too! Bit overemotional here as i'm 30 weeks pregnant.

greenbananas · 29/02/2012 11:41

Catgirl, that's lovely!

I rang MIL today and asked her to babysit my 3 year old one morning soon. She said that was okay, then I said, "it's because I have a midwife appointment..." and just waited for it to sink in Smile

chelseamorning · 29/02/2012 11:51

Similar to MediumOrchid. At 39, I think my parents had given up all hope! When we visited them, I just casually said, 'Oh, I have something I wanted you to see', and then gave them the scan picture. It took them a few minutes for it to sink in though.

casper91 · 29/02/2012 13:09

Not quite the same thing, but hopefully this will make a few of you giggle. Takes a minute or two to get going but I think it's well worth it!

LoopyLa · 29/02/2012 13:37

I'm only just approaching 6 weeks but plan to tell my Mum on Mothers Day as an "extra gift"!

I shall be Skyping her as all my family live away from me Sad but it's better than the phone - at least I shall see her reaction as I've always let her think I didn't want children Wink

keely027 · 29/02/2012 14:25

oh casper19 that video was so funny i have pasted it onto my facebook account

AngelDog · 29/02/2012 14:31

We'll e-mail them a photo of our DS with a sign saying 'big brother'.

It took DH a couple of minutes to work it out when I first showed it to him. :)

casper91 · 29/02/2012 15:38

It's brilliant, isn't it keely :) I've watched it a few times now and still laugh my head off. I can imagine the same thing happening with a few of my family members tbh :/
Thanks to the lovely lady (can't remember whom sorry) who had the knitting pattern idea. My mum is an avid knitter and I really hope you don't mind me stealing it when the time comes x

iloveberries · 29/02/2012 15:55

brilliant video casper......

i have never been one for wishing life away but i'd like to wish away the next 6 weeks and get to the magic scan date!

Meglet · 29/02/2012 16:08

I just called my mum / sister / dad within a day or two of taking the tests.

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