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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Social Media

22 replies

LaurenEliza · 10/03/2019 06:46

I've never been one to share my life on social media, all myself and my partner use it for is to tag each-other in videos, pictures etc we find funny!
So when we found out we was having a baby, we both said we wasn't going to put it all over social media for everyone to see (as happy and exciting the news of having a baby is - plus I don't want anybody gossiping and telling my father as we don't speak anymore, however I have family friends on FB)
But my friend recently said 'how are you going to announce it?' 'you can't just not tell people and then they see you walking down the street with a bump/your child' and it's just been making me think whether or not I should have.
We have told family and friends, those who we see, who would be a part of the babies life.
Plus I'm 23 weeks now, I think I've left it too late to announce.

What's everyone's opinion?
Did you post on FB?

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sighrollseyes · 10/03/2019 06:49

Facebook didn't used to exist and people managed to tell other people their news.... you tell the people you want to tell in the way you want to tell them and forget everyone else's opinion. I'm not on FB at all and I actually talk to the people I want to share news with.

Arowana · 10/03/2019 06:54

I didn't share it on FB personally. I told people when I saw them / spoke to them. Tbh if you haven't been in touch with someone at all during your pregnancy they probably weren't a close friend anyway!

I did post birth pics though.

ApplestheHare · 10/03/2019 06:58

Of course you don't have to announce it, least of all on social media.

Tell people you'd like to know directly and if others - e.g. acquaintances, colleagues, etc. - see you and haven't heard the news they can always ask if you're pregnant and start a conversation themselves. Honestly people aren't that bothered unless they're close to you anyway so don't feel pressured to share.

Spiderbanana · 10/03/2019 06:59

We didn't announce any pregnancy on FB. And we never announced birth of DC3 there either.

You shouldn't feel pressure. It is your business

Rubberduckies · 10/03/2019 07:01

I haven't put anything on Facebook and I'm 29 weeks. No one has appeared to mind, and I wouldn't care if they did!

AuntMarch · 10/03/2019 07:17

24 weeks here.
No big announcement, haven't actively hidden it (eg. Mentioned it when discussing weight loss on a friend's post yesterday) but have posted no scan photos or status updates.

Why can't people just find out when they see you? The way I saw it, the people I actually care about and am genuinely friends with will find out anyway, I'm not fussed if other people I just "know" are aware. I don't feel the need to collect Facebook likes.

I also really dislike gender reveals and baby showers! I feel like it's the birth that should be celebrated, not the build up. I don't want fuss til my baby is here safely - I know too many sad stories.

I might decide to share a photo when baby is here. I might not!

planespotting · 10/03/2019 07:28

No facebook here, we told people as we met them, saw them. People have lives to worry about, you worry about you too and not others
Congrats!!!

TheGruffalosLoveChild · 10/03/2019 07:36

Totally agree with the others. We didn’t announce any pregnancies on social media. A few people expressed surprise when they found out we’d had a baby, but I also took the view that if they’d been genuinely bothered about what was going on with me they would have been in touch over the previous 9 months!

origamiunicorn · 10/03/2019 07:37

Wow how does she think people coped before social media. Do it your way don't let anyone tell you what you should be doing. Your baby your choice.

ChocolateChipMuffin2016 · 10/03/2019 07:43

Yup 35 weeks here and no announcement, didn’t announce when we were pregnant with DS either, we told friends and family (called/when we saw them or messaged) but anyone else we don’t really care about. We will probably put something up when baby arrives (which we did with DS) but I don’t feel under pressure to do anything! My baby, my rules!

seeingdots · 10/03/2019 07:47

Of course you don't need a Facebook announcement! We didn't with either of ours and so far I have yet to astonish anyone by meeting them in the street pregnant or with a baby. I'm not sure why it should be considered necessary to inform all your most minor acquaintances - many of them really won't give a toss anyway!

boodles101 · 10/03/2019 10:41

I did announce with DS but me and DH have both agreed that we won't be announcing this one. You definitely don't need to tell the world, just tell those closest to you and then as and when you see people.

Firsttimeuser12 · 10/03/2019 10:44

I'm 31 weeks and no announcement from me, very aware baby isn't here safely yet and also I've told the people i want to know. I doubt the randoms I've picked up along the way really care if I'm pregnant

Not a big fan of fb anyway so appreciate everyone is different

suziedoozy · 10/03/2019 10:55

I’m 40 weeks (eek!) and haven’t mentioned it at all on SM & have told immediate family members that they can’t tell extended family (who I haven’t seen) until baby arrives safe and sound.

This might be paranoid but I am older, high risk with multiple miscarriages behind me. We are planning a SM birth announcement and announcement cards when baby arrives all being well but until then if you haven’t actually seen me in the last few months (I hid it well!) then you won’t know!

My mum is getting a little annoyed at not being allowed to tell people but we have got this far so....

Triskaidekaphilia · 10/03/2019 12:22

I'm 20 weeks and we haven't put anything up yet, but we've told everyone we've seen, or haven't seen but message regularly. There are people I used to be close with but don't speak to a lot who would want to know though, so I've been wondering whether to put something up. I'm sure sooner or later we'll put a picture up where it's obvious I'm pregnant and people will work it out/ask questions then.

Darkstar4855 · 10/03/2019 16:13

I did. I moved 200 miles a few years ago so I don’t see a lot of my friends and social media is how I keep in touch with them.

I do find it slightly difficult when people don’t announce it as you end up with the whole are they/aren’t they situation when you see a photo or a comment that possibly refers to having a baby. I never know whether to not say anything as they haven’t directly mentioned it, or whether to ask, or whether I’ve missed an announcement and should be congratulating them.

MaverickSnoopy · 10/03/2019 17:09

Another one who didn't announce on social media for any of mine. Also don't put pictures of our children on there. I was around pre social media so to me it would odd announcing personal things for all to see. My Facebook includes old colleagues who I mainly interact with through social media and also old friends who I don't see much and we have drifted apart a bit.

When we wanted people to know we either saw them in person, phoned or text them.

Frizzy1986 · 10/03/2019 18:47

I announced dd as I was a bit over excited. I won't bother with this one though (still early days) Genuinely feel this time I want to actually tell people who I want to know and anyone else, I just don't care.
I have 2 friends who have announced nothing and they are much further on and a few friends where people only knew when they saw them tagged in a photos.
Do what you want to do. It's no one else decision

Original poster

LaurenEliza · 10/03/2019 19:32

Thank you all for sharing your experience!
We're not going to post anything, but I wanted to get other people's views on this as my friend seemed really shocked that we wasn't telling the world about our news!

Don't get me wrong, you do want to shout it from the rooftops and express your love and excitement but to people from school, work, etc you no longer see - I don't feel it's necessary?

Thank you lovelies!! X

OP posts:

PBobs · 10/03/2019 22:06

We didn't announce. Told a few friends at work - we live and friend and work with the same people as we're expats. Word got around but not completely. We're moving do a different country soon though and I posted a box of tampons and an unused FRER test on our buy/sell/swap FB page so I'm sure other people have worked it out. I guess that was my version of announcing? Didn't intend it to be. Just being ruthless with the contents of the bathroom cabinet. Hahaha.

Justus22 · 10/03/2019 22:22

Baby Number 4 and this is the first time I haven't put it on fb. I don't regret putting it on before but this time it didn't feel right with it, having friends going through ivf and recent miscarriages. I told them of course, but privately & it's made me think they don't need to see it all over fb despite being really happy for us I'm sure. I told everyone who I'm close to individually and now getting on for 24 weeks and people are noticing anyway. I'm not hiding it just not making the public fuss. I did a gender reveal game with my children and filmed it for our close relatives and the friends who asked to see it and we told our family via video of us telling our children so we made a fuss but more privately I guess. Do it your way. I too will post a baby pic after birth no doubt, she's not going to be a secret. Xx

user1493413286 · 10/03/2019 22:25

We didn’t plan to announce it but then I realised it was quite likely that someone would tag me in something related or a picture would go up and I wanted to take ownership of it so I put it on there

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