How to hide pregnancy!!

[Wineinateacup]

Hi all! Looking for some advice please.

Found out over the bank holiday I am pregnant! Very happy but concerned with how to approach this at work...

I have a very social job, lots of afterwork drinks (around 4 times a week!) and I’m a smoker....

How have others got round this issue without raising suspicion?!

Switch to mock tails? Stop smoking 'to be healthier'.

Start wearing baggy(er) clothes now, ease them into your wardrobe and when you start to show it won't look out of place.

Go on a "health kick". You had a check up and some things the doctor said really hit home. You're stopping smoking and cutting back on booze. When you go out, make early plans the next day and you can't possibly deal with the hangover.

Re: doctors trip, you're aneamic and super tired from it. Antibiotics for not drinking is pretty much telling people you're pregnant.

Keep things like crackers and water close by to help with any nausea.

Congrats!!

Make a big song and dance about going on a health kick. Proclaim to anyone that will listen how you are following a new program/challenge (Joe Wicks or similar) and how great it is. If anyone tries to offer to buy you a drink etc, offer to show them the latest recipe/workout/smoothie you are trying and try to talk them into starting it too. They will soon stop offering to avoid hearing about it

Some people (especially other mums) will probably be suspicious but should know better than to say anything. Congrats btw

My advice would be don't feel pressured to hide anything! It shouldn't affect anything to do with work and actually, the quicker you leave a paper trail of telling work (before they guess and come to their own conclusion) the more secure you are making your position. Once you've told work in writing it would be VERY hard for them to mistreat you because of all the laws we have to protect pregnant women in this situation.

If it's just people knowing that you'd prefer not to do, then the suggestions of switching to mocktails and saying your trying to give up smoking is a good idea.

Merrydoula is right to a certain extent. Tell HR whenever you feel is right but don't hold off for 12 weeks unless you are desperate to. I told my hr department and they were amazing, let me go home to nap, sorted things to help with awful sickness.

Totally understandable to hide it from colleagues for a while though.

My close colleagues knew when I did as it was IVF and I was off for appointments - was great people knowing as it meant people could cover for me throwing up and didn’t mind me sleeping on the staff room floor at lunch time!!

Thanks for the advice ladies. First pregnancy and don’t want to get ahead of myself in case things go wrong early.

People are just very used to see me with a glass of wine in hand and being recently married I know the comments will come!

Bumping in case a few people might be in position

You can also get away with a fair amount if you have a glass in your hand. No one will necessarily notice that you're not drinking out of it. Having a wingman to swap glasses with helps, mind you.

When people ask (because they are tactless and will ask) give a tinkly laugh and say "Oh Karen, when there's something to tell, I'll make sure to tell you"

Ooh I like that bobbie (sorry don’t know how to tag)

The health kick plan is a good idea.
Don't say anything until the start of September and then you can make a mini fuss about these sober for October style kicks. New month, new me haha let's see how long it lasts. Drop in about some amazing healthy teas you've made etc. Don't go overboard though.

Health/weight loss kick. Dry month (mention sponsorship to avoid further questions). Drive - I covered at many family events by "losing" the discussion of who is driving!