When did you tell your kids?

[bitzy12]

Had 12 week scan today, all fine and am actually a few days ahead on what I thought which is always nice....I've had some problems at the start of pregnancy and this is my 4th scan

I messaged my mum to tell her everything was fine and that I was planning on telling my 2 dcs (aged 9 and 6) when they come in from school but she was dead against it. She said wait until 16 weeks at least

I know it's my decision but when did you tell them? I can see she has a point waiting abit longer but I had it all planned to tell them today x

I only have a 16th month age gap between my two so never told DC1 but when I was about 25 weeks, she patted my belly one day and said "baby." I think she was about 13.5 months . I'll never forget that. When DC2 was born she patted her in the car seat and then pointed at my belly and said, with great satisfaction, "baby."

She loves hearing that story.

Told DD(3) at 12 weeks. After two previous losses and lots of sickness, family were always greeting me with "how are you? How was your last scan?" etc etc, and I knew she would pick up from general conversation. DS(2) is completely oblivious.

We told 5 yo DS at about 8 weeks purely because I was very sick and knew I would be for several weeks. I would have waited but I didn’t want him worrying or wondering why I wasn’t playing with him/at work/leaving my bedroom! I was a bit anxious about it though and made sure to say ‘we think there’s a baby in there but sometimes they don’t grow so we have to wait and see’.

Told DS at 14 weeks. He's only 3 so too young to really grasp that something could go wrong. He keeps complaining about how long the baby's taking but otherwise is excited about it.

Telling my DD tomorrow after our 20 week scan. She's nearly 4, so a bit younger than yours! I was going to wait longer but she's the sort of kid who needs a long time to get her head around big changes. I'd rather suffer endless questioning and prodding than not giving her enough time to prepare for it.

We've been talking about babies all the time, though. "One day, when you're a big sister..." etc. Not constantly but just getting the idea in her head. She says she wants a sibling but we'll see how she reacts tomorrow!

Good luck, OP.

Mushroom
That's so lovely! My DD was in the bath a few days before I found out, and from nowhere said, "Mummy, have you got a baby in your tummy?"

I told her no because as far as I knew I wasn't, but it was partly what prompted me to do a test, along with the sore boobs.

Thanks for all these replies. I still haven't told my dcs, I sort of want to get into March as to them it will seem like a month less to wait if that makes sense. Did end of August/beginning of September depending on if I need another c section. I'm 13 weeks now, think I'll try hang on another couple of weeks

Really sorry to those who have the saddest of stories

Thanks to everyone's replies, and good luck to everyone telling dcs soon :)

Mine were 9 and 7 when we told them... Told them at 13 weeks as it landed on Christmas day...I was reluctant to because of previous mmc and anxious... But they were ecstatic... They don't ask all the time when the baby's coming... They know the month he's due and being that bit older have an ok sense of time. It's giving the youngest lots of time to get used to it.... 22 weeks now and they're feeling kicks, suggesting names and telling friends... I didn't find it too early. We also thought of anything were to happen that we'd talk it through and they'd learn that sometimes babies don't grow enough etc... X

I've had these cards made and going to put a scan pic in each xx

Aww they're lovely 😁

Thankyou at @hulabaloo excited to tell them xx

Maybe if there is a high risk of losing the baby I'd wait a few more weeks.
I told my DS (3.5) the same day we found out! Lol. He's too young to understand properly but he's just had a baby cousin born a few weeks ago so he does know what it means.

Honestly I'd wait as long as possible, I did, in my case there was such a high risk of something going wrong.....it didn't but I was very ill and my son born very early. I didn't tell until I was 18 weeks.