When should I tell friends/family?

[Diamondsareagirls]

Hi all,

I need a bit of advice. I have just found out that I am 5 weeks pregnant and DH and I are very excited. Booked in for the 6 week check with the doctor next week and we are enjoying keeping our news between the two of us for now but starting to think about when we are going to tell parents and close friends.

The problem we have is with my parents (well, mum). I know that as soon as I tell her then all of her friends and my extended family, next door neighbours etc will know even if I ask her not to. I can just hear her saying "well, I didn't think when you said tell no-one that it meant your 3rd cousin's best friend. She was there at your 4th birthday party. You were really close..." etc).

DH's parents would respect our request to keep it private but it seems a bit unfair to tell them and not my parents. I'm going to tell my sister pretty soon but want to know others' experiences with who to tell and when.

So, when did you tell close friends/ family and did anyone regret telling people too soon?

Thanks everyone. DH and I have read through these and it has been so helpful to know what everyone else has done. As this is our first and we haven't told anyone yet it has been great to get so many pieces of advice. Think we are going to leave it as late as we can to tell family (DM mainly) as we like being able to have it as our news for now.

I enjoyed the secret. It helped meet get through the morning sickness and permanent exhaustion :)

I told a few close friends almost immediately and they respected my need for a secret and also in laws quite soon after as FiL was having a major heart op and it was something to keep him going through the lead up to, and the period just after, the op. The in laws kept it quiet though as we stressed how it was early days.

After the 12 week scan we told my sisters (I've no parents) and their families and a few other friends. I only told work after the 20 week scan as there were issues with redundancy before this and think they could have used this as an excuse to get rid of me! Once I told work I was happy for everyone to know so now wearing the pregger pants and tops which show off and don't hide the bump!

I told immediate family just before the 12 week scan because a family member was visiting from overseas and I wanted to tell him in person. I asked them not to tell extended family until after we had the results of the combined test.

I'm now 21 weeks and still haven't really told most people. We haven't done any sort of FB announcement or anything, because it's really not 'us'. The only problem with this approach is that it's a bit awkward when I see someone I haven't seen for a couple of months and I have to explain the bump to them!

Im 7 weeks and we had to tell my in laws this weekend because we were away with them for the weekend. We are all big drinkers and theres no way I could have got away with it (they had a drink in my hand within 30 seconds of getting out of the car)

We are all off on holiday together when im 10 weeks and i'll be nearly 12 when we get back. Told them they have to keep it quiet until after the 12 week scan. So my MIL has been back for 12 hours and just text me 'when can I tell nana? she is good with secrets. im with her now'

Beginning to think it would have been better to just cancel the weekend away now!!! Arrrgggghhhhh!