When to tell work?

[NW10teacher]

I am having a dilemma about work and I was interested to hear from others about when they 'officially' broke the news. I'm a teacher in a London secondary and I was planning to wait until towards the end of term.

Basically, I am 13 wks today with MCDA twins, following 2 recent miscarriages. Until I had my scan earlier this week, I didn't know about the twins and I was quite worried about the pregnancy because of the two MCs and didn't want to tell anyone at all (apart from DH, obviously, and a few close friends). I was planning, even after the scan, to wait a few more weeks just till I am a bit more confident about things!

The trouble is that I already have quite a visible bump - I'm quite little and slim, so it's very noticeable! Today I made a bad clothing choice, got to school and realised, yeah - I look pregnant. One of my female colleagues was quite obviously eyeing me and later in the morning, a different one came and whipped a box (a not at all heavy box) out of my arms and said 'I'll take it, you shouldn't be lifting that!'

So, now I'm in a quandary: tell or don't tell? I'd really rather wait a few weeks for security, but I don't want to be a topic of conversation at the same time! Is it normal to tell so early? I'm cursing my choice of clothes today, but it's pretty hot in W London today and there isn't that much opportunity for covering up!

I've also had horrendous morning sickness, but there has been a horrible sickness bug going round school, so it hasn't aroused any suspicion!

I told my work immediately at 5 weeks as I was bleeding and I thought I was miscarrying. My manager suspected anyway as I was freaked about accidentally going into a room with active X-rays!

Hmm, yeah, I can see that might be a mini give away! Perhaps I was being unreasonable by not planning to tell work earlier. I either need to just do it, or go to Westfield tonight and buy some more clothes! Come to think of it, I may need to do that anyway...

Tell them straight away.
I was made redundant before I had had the chance to tell them. If I had of told them they may have considered things differently.
You are more protected once they know

As pop said, you're only protected once your work is aware of your pregnancy. You can tell your manager in confidence for now if you're not ready to share with everyone.

I had to tell my manager at 5 weeks because I was so unwell with HG. But I didn't tell any other staff members until after my 12 weeks scan

I told my TL today at 11w because I had a few days off this week ill, but I told him this wasn't me 'officially' telling him, and I'd tell the business after my scan next week. I honestly don't think he'll share that info with anyone, and he looked more lost that he'd now have to go and look up maternity policies than anything!

I wasn't planning on telling mine until weeks later
I'm 12+6 today with an obvious second bump as it's dc2. Im going to tell him when I next see him. X

I told my work about my twin pregnancy at 7weeks.. as a prim school teacher though there is always some yukky disease going around so I wanted to make sure they would look after me

Congratulations btw.. my twins are 19 days old and they are amazing :)

Sorry just found this thread NW10 teacher what did you decide? I'm in the same position. 13 wks, previous mmc, told I'm high risk, and trying to decide whether to hold off till next term when I'll be 20wks as it's only 2 weeks left till end of term. But being small with a definite bump and not many baggy clothes I don't know if I can hold off......

@poppypopsicle only just seen this, sorry! In the end I did tell them a week after this (so at 14 weeks) ... working at a school as well, I kind of felt that I should give them a heads up on staffing issues for the start of the new school year. It went fine! Hope you managed to make a decision :)