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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Facebook

48 replies

Pickles77 · 09/06/2012 13:09

Quick question did you ladies announce your pregnancy on Facebook and is it such a big deal? I'm not sure I want to, although it may be slightly odd when baby arrived that I didn't but hey, people managed before fb? It's just
My mum is going on about it as I've been quite shy telling people in person due to circumstances, most people know but I'm dreading walking into people with bump and them not knowing what to say so mum thinks fb is a good idea. Close friends and family know but I can't help finding fb quite impersonal sometimes. Sorry if I've offended anyone?!

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HappyCamel · 09/06/2012 13:13

I didn't put anything on FB until after dd arrived and the important people had been told and then I just wrote "pleased to announce the birth of my daughter xxxx" as my status. I figure that if you aren't close enough to speak with them, why should they know?

We had a couple of "why didn't I know you were pregnant" comments and I thought

we obviously haven't spoken in half a year
in my family we announce babies after they are safely here

terrywoganstrousers · 09/06/2012 13:14

I haven't, and not planning to. I do see quite a few people with scan pics on there though, so maybe I'm odd. I just figure that the people I see/ communicate with properly will know as I will tell them, and the rest will find out when they find out! Im a bit weird about putting lots of personal stuff on Fb though.

bettybat · 09/06/2012 13:15

I was a bit shy about it, but it's the quickest way to tell everyone. As we're in London, I posted a pic of me wearing my TFL Baby on Board badge. once the penny dropped, everyone was delighted

savoycabbage · 09/06/2012 13:15

No I didn't either. You're right, people managed before. You have told the people closest to you and people will find out from those people and from you as you go along.

Original poster

Pickles77 · 09/06/2012 13:16

Glad you agree with how I feel. I'm not sure about putting scan pictures up that just seems very personal and private. Yes I think I shall do the safely arrived theory

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NoGoodAtHousework · 09/06/2012 13:18

I did - didn't really know how to tell people in person especially at work so figured I had enough people on Facebook to spread it around!

HappyCamel · 09/06/2012 13:22

I didn't out up scan pics, in my mind they're more intimate than a photo of a naked person. I wouldn't like photos of me naked, even as a baby, let alone photos of my brain and skeleton on the internet.

squidkid · 09/06/2012 13:24

I mentioned it (quite offhand) on facebook when I was about 14 weeks. I have a carefully limited list of facebook friends though, about 100 in total which is only people I speak to and care about, no casual acquaintances, and all my settings are friends-only. So I didn't really feel like I was telling all and sundry, and it was quite fun to see the congrats roll in! I didn't put a scan picture up just cause I think one blurred ultrasound looks like another blurred ultrasound unless it's your own... I have been posting bump pictures though. I had also told everyone I really cared about long before I said anything online.

I don't think it's a big deal and I know plenty of people who never mentioned it on facebook. It's a way I communicate with some of my good friends, so I did.

Original poster

Pickles77 · 09/06/2012 13:26

Really appreciate everyone's views on this x

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PurplePidjin · 09/06/2012 13:33

People i talk to had a pm or email after the scan.

Close friends and family were told in person after the scan

Parents and the kind of friends I'd ask for support from if the worst happened i told in person earlier.

Anyone else isn't really that important and can have a birth announcement when the time comes.

If anyone is rude enough to say anything other than Congratulations when they see you with bump/baby, just say "It's so exciting, my head's in a whirl!" or, re: facebook, "I prefer to keep these things private"

No one ever published their scan pic in a newspaper, why broadcast it to the internet!

Spiritedwolf · 09/06/2012 14:00

I didn't mention it for ages, I had been quite shy about telling people outwith facebook too though. Eventually (at about 5 months or so) someone who my DH had told in person posted up a congratulations on my wall. Although a few people liked his post and joined in the congrats, no one who can see my wall hadn't been told so no one found out that way.

At 30 weeks I posted up a picture of me with a large bump. But prior to getting pregnant I had posted up a few photos as updates on my weight loss, so it seemed fitting. Again, just a few likes as I have my security settings set to paranoid

So I suppose I'm not hiding it anymore but I'm also not mentioning it much either. I don't know what we'll do when baby arrives. My sister puts a lot of photos of her son up on facebook, I understand its a way of sharing photos with family but I'm not sure I'd want to. Even though my security settings are tight, I don't use facebook much myself, I don't really like my content being used to get them advertising revenue (I block ads myself, but who knows if all my family and friends do). I'd rather have my own online space I think, maybe a private blog if I have time. But then I like playing about with web design.

ShushBaby · 09/06/2012 14:16

I think I announced it last time, but this time I haven't. For some reason I'd feel a bit of a nobhead doing so- not that I think people are nobheads who do, not at all, I love reading happy news. I just feel a bit self-conscious and am generally a bit less 'announcey' about this pregnancy. Tho I will definitely post pics and update when baby is born. Quite like the idea of people being surprised by baby pics tbh!

Nel1975 · 09/06/2012 15:29

When I got to about 20 weeks I changed my profile pic to a picture of a "Parents to be" card which we had received. Anyone who didn't already know quickly got the message.

Original poster

Pickles77 · 09/06/2012 15:39

Oo Nell I like those sorts of ideas

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ScrambledSmegs · 09/06/2012 15:43

No. Last time I didn't have a facebook account, this time we're keeping it low-key. The thing is, I have some friends who I know have had trouble conceiving, and somehow doing an announcement feels insensitive. I know they'd be happy for me, but I'd rather tell people face to face.

tittytittyhanghang · 09/06/2012 15:45

yeah, i put up a pic of my scan on fb. Easiest way to tell everyone and i was just so darn happy and proud and wanted to tell the world, let alone fb

Lilliana · 09/06/2012 15:53

I told all the important people (family and close friends) as didn't want them finding out through Fb, then put a status about how we were looking forward to Baby Lil arriving in November.

Was lovely to see all the congrats and we wanted people that I don't see/chat to very often to know. I do however have a fairly select list of FB friends and high security so it wasn't to the world! Did make it easier though as I found it hard knowing how to tell people.

However like Scambled we took a while conceiving and have a couple of friends who are having to look at ivf so not posting much else about it as don't want to rub it in their faces.

Midgetm · 09/06/2012 16:06

I didn't. I always worry about people that can't have kids just finding it upsetting and people that mattered already knew. Someone posted a picture of me at 20 weeks and everyone pretty much worked it out for themselves...

PurplePidjin · 09/06/2012 16:17

Pickles, when it comes to telling people face to face, I've found it really hard to come out with "I'm pregnant" in the middle of a conversation. In fact i dont think i have"

Friend: Hi, how are you?
Pidj: Not too bad, morning sickness is a bit rubbish though

Much more fun

lovechoc · 09/06/2012 16:27

I did not announce either of my pregnancies on FB (when I did have an account). I posted a picture after the birth of each child.

osterleymama · 09/06/2012 16:35

Honestly I don't think it matters one way or another. I doubt anyone you aren't close to will mind or even notice that you haven't announced it. Facebook is a great way to show off your pregnancy if you're that way inclined (which I am, scans, updates, the lot!). If you aren't, don't give it a second thought, people are too busy thinking about their own lives to care that you don't want to go public with the events in yours. If you're a private person there's no obligation to share.

NervousAt20 · 09/06/2012 16:41

Neither me or DP have Facebook so wasn't an issue for us but if we did we wouldn't have put it on there, don't think there is anything wrong with people who do its just not us. Some family members put messages on there like auntie to be and wanted to put our scan pics up which we didn't allow and don't want pics of our little one on there as we don't have FB so dont want anyone else too

WhosPickleisThatOnion · 09/06/2012 21:59

I didn't say anything until after my baby was born, as I didn't want lots of fuss on there.

I popped a piccy on when he was here. Even so a girl I was in primary school
With a long time ago decided to announce I was in labour? Not even sure how she knew!!

I think it's up to you, whatever suits you best. I just saw your other thread, good luck from one pickle to another!

Heartbeep · 10/06/2012 04:31

No didn't post anything last time, in fact I deleted any wall posts from friends about pg & pm'd them instead. I have not posted anything this time either. I posted a pic after baby was born last time & may do same this time.

For me & DH the ups and downs of pregnancy is a personal time that we share with real friends & family.

This time I specifically asked friends not to discuss it on FB. In my mind, something could go wrong & the concept of that being very public is too much.

We are extremely happy & excited to be pregnant again & understand the desire to shout it from the rooftops but for us FB is just not a forum we're comfortable with.

Actually talking to people (as opposed to virtually talking) is also rather nice

I think if it feels right for you, why not? If it doesn't then don't be swayed by other people.

MrsPaynie · 10/06/2012 07:19

I have put it on Facebook, and did so quite early. I live in a different country to all of my family though, so this is an easy way of sharing the pregnancy with them all back there. We did of course tell all the important people first, so most people knew before I put anything on there. I don't have anyone on my Facebook that aren't close friends or family though, so it's not like I'm telling the world ( I dont see the point in being friends with joe blogs that I went to school 20 years ago with and haven't spoken to since)
This pregnancy has been such a surprise and we are all so excited by it that I wanted to share it with everyone I put scan pics and bump pics on there, as most of the people that see the pics won't get to see me at all through my pregnancy.

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