5 weeks - how to hide symptoms?!

[Emz1989]

Hi all,
I've just found out that I am around 5 weeks pregnant. Although myself and dh are absolutely thrilled, I'm also petrified as I've been so desperate to conceive for such a while!! We've decided that apart from my mum, we'd like to keep it our secret for as long as possible, ideally until a 12 week scan.
Does anybody have any tips for concealing it? Particularly concerned because I have a few social occasions coming up and I'll be expected to drink... Thank you!

Congratulations! :) you probably won't start showing for a while so you're safe in that compartment...
With the social side, I always find that either saying you're driving or on antibiotics is a good excuse, and always accepted by a group. Rather than just saying you don't feel like drinking...
Or you could say you have an important day or somthing the following day and want to feel your best? And not be hanging. They're the excuses I've always used and no ones questioned me (or guessed). Hehe.

Saying you're feeling a bit poorly can excuse not drinking for a bit, though they may suspect. Driving's an even better excuse, if that's appropriate.

Best thing I found was to accept a drink that was offered and then just take a few small sips. You could always pass the drink over to your DH, or swap drinks discretely. Or if you're entertaining yourselves, have some non-alcoholic wine or beer to help yourself to discreetly.

Congratulations, by the way :)

See, I think 'I'm on antibiotics' has almost become a euphemism for 'I'm pregnant but I don't want to say so yet' ;)
Driving is good though. Or drinking something like gin & tonic without the gin - just make sure you buy the drinks!
Big day tomorrow so just having the one us generally excepted too - they don't need to know you haven't had the one.

Congratulations :)

Congratulations! I agree that the antibiotics excuse just leaves people suspicious. I think you can drink on most of them anyway. I either found driving or pretending to drink to be most effective. DH would drink my wine at weddings, or I'd just accept an alcoholic drink and never actually drink much, just the odd sip. People just don't seem to notice what others are drinking!

Congratulations!
We kept our pregnancy secret until just before the 12 week scan (I ended up drinking a pint of orange and lemonade in front of friends who knew fine well there was no good reason for me not to have a G&T, and they figured it out). The hardest thing was keeping non-drinking from friends when we went to a wedding when I was about 8 weeks. I'd decided that I would be happy drinking a few sips of wine, so I always had my wine glass with me, but when people weren't looking I'd swap it with DH's. Once the table wine was finished I switched to lemonade, but told friends it was G&T. Recently speaking to friends who were at our table, they had absolutely no idea! Depending on where you live then the excuse of designated driver could be a good one, too.
Personally I didn't go for the 'antibiotic' excuse because for two reasons. One was that if you declare yourself not drinking and are a taken female of a certain age, no matter what excuse you use people will make assumptions. The other is that my group of friends are all medical (as are myself and DH) and know exactly which antibiotics you need to stay off booze for. Too many questions and I'm a dreadful liar!

I've been using the driving excuse and it's worked quite well... Although one of my friends figured it out when we were going for a meal that's pretty much walking distance from another friend's house. I think a few people have figured it out but I haven't had to tell many people just yet. Scan next week so here's hoping I can tell after that!

I got through my hen do without people suspecting drank 'vodka' and coke all night and everyone assumed I was throwing up as I was drunk

can't you just have one glass and make it last?

I'm doing 'sober for October' as far as everyone else is concerned. And then will say I've felt so good from it I'll stay off it til Christmas!

I think people suspect (appear to be seen as an alcoholic from some people's reactions) but it's a good excuse as any!

Wow loads of responses thank you all! And thanks for the congratulations - we're over the moon!! I'm pretty sure the antibiotics trick would be just like an admission... Seems a bit obvious but may be worth a try! If I've got my dates correct I should be 12 weeks before Christmas so a Christmas announcement would be lovely! Just a friends birthday and a hen do to get through sober between now and then! Sober October would have been perfect had I found out a few weeks ago!! Xx

I've never successfully concealed it both times I've been pregnant. Try your best, but be prepared for knowing looks & the fact that a lot of people will suspect, but hopefully will be too polite to say anything.

I managed to sucessfully "hide" mine for 17 weeks :D Baby even cooperated my not pushing my belly out beyond what my cardigans could conceal ;)

With flu season in full swing saying you are not feeling too good shouldn't be linked to "you are pregnant" straight away. And if you have had bad headaches or Migranes in the past claiming you have a mild one but didn't want to miss the hen/bday might get you out of drinking too especially if you say you have taken painkillers ;)

Fab. Great tips, thank you! So relieved it's chunky knit/baggy jumper season!! Xx