Opinions on announcing pregnancy on Facebook

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Heard a lot of mixed things but mostly that it's insensitive to post that you're expecting a baby on Facebook. Personally I would like to share that I'm pregnant with my friends and family that I don't often see or talk to but haven't due to the negativity around it.

And I'm not talking about constantly talking about it, just a post to let people know and to share your joy and happiness.

What's your opinion on it?

It doesn't bother me when people do it, although I didn't. Just in case anything went wrong. Will probably do a birth announcement though when the baby is here!

I can't remember what we did. We definately announced the births.

I think I would announce on FB if we were ever pregnant again because my friends are so spread out we can't tell everyone individually, and I find no-one passes on this news in case you want to keep it private.

It was also really hard when we miscarried our twins to announce both their existence and their death in one post.
It would have been a lot easier if people already knew they were there.

I think it's your personal choice, iv had 8MC in total and I would never not want to congratulate a friend on facebook who announced a pregnancy. My sister could never have any children due to endometriosis and eventually had to have her womb removed and her eggs frozen, she was private with bupa for years but sadly the ivf was never successful but shes always been very supportive of friends and family who were lucky enough to become parents. Why shouldnt somebody share the joy that they are having a baby? yes it's very difficult when pregnancy doesn't happen, I know very well how much it hurts but I would never want to take the joy and happiness away from anybody from sharing such news! The only thing that used to upset me was when people joked about pregnancy on April's fools, that I can understand and it hurt me a lot but never did I ever feel that somebody shouldnt share their baby news when it was real! Not everybody knows your personal situation and of course new mums and dads to be are excited and want to share the news. After years of trying and 8mc I am now 8 weeks, I wont be posting on Facebook anytime soon but I'd like to eventually put something up (when u feel positive and things are going better than before) for all our extended friends and family who live in so many different countries. I might have friends in a similar situations to what I have been in and they might not like that I'm sharing my news but iv been in that situation for many years and iv congratulated all my friends and I would of congradulated that person aswel so why cant I be the one sharing my precious news after years of trying? Its your news to share so if you want to share it, share it

We announced at 12 weeks, after telling all the important people beforehand. I have a few facebook friends who struggle with baby related things but I think they are grown up enough to realise that i haven't planned my pregnancy to spite them and I'm still going to be pregnant, whether it goes on facebook or not. I think it is your news to share and, although I do agree with not continually rubbing it in people's faces, people will be pleased for you!

We did however I knew of a lady who was struggling with fertility and a lady who lost her twins atb18w.. So I did friends ' except' 2x ladies.

I wanted to share with people we rarely see but chat on fb. Same with distant realtives..
I googled some good ideas in how to do it involving the siblings etc.

Other reason was it was a few weeks before wedding and I felt if people didn't know they'd think I'd put on all the weight I had struggled to lose and judge my pics for looking chubby, silly I know but that's my insecurity and I dealt with it that way.

Should of said the ones who I hid it online from were the ones who I felt I should tell in person not online as felt too insensitive

Having had several close friends struggle with fertility and miscarriage and knowing how hard they have found other's pregnancy posts I couldn't in good conscience do a post myself. I don't want my happy news to be a punch in the gut to someone else, even if they're a distant friend or relation

I was about to do that on FB when I was pregnant, and then a friend posted a thread about her recent miscarriage. Got me thinking, with people I am not that close, I'd rather not cause sunstone pain by accident, but I think everyone should be able to do that if they want to at the same time

I told my family and close friends first then put it on Facebook. I don't know if I'll do the same this time as I don't use Facebook as much anymore. But if you want to do it, you should go for it.

It wasn’t something I wanted to do so I didn’t do it.

If you want to, just be mindful of those that may be suffering in silence with infertility. So no pregnancy bashing! X

I didn’t, those who are important enough will know, no need for someone I worked with 10 years ago to know.

I have both times. I’ve got friends from university & ex colleagues scattered around the country who I wouldn’t consider super close but equally, I catch up with maybe once/twice a year & I do consider friends. I couldn’t be bothered to message every single one individually so Facebook & Instagram was the obvious place. I did tell family & close friends first though.. again, quite a few of those where by WhatsApp as I have Hyperemesis & was basically bed bound for the first 16 weeks. I wasn’t able to get out to tell people face to face!

I understand why people might not .. I think your choice. Im mindful that people may be struggling but equally, they’d see photos of me with a bump on Facebook too or me with a bump in person. So I figure there is no right or wrong way to do it.

I think its a bit tacky, but your FB profile, your choice.

Theres so much tip toeing around people who potentially may be upset these days.

It’s your choice.

Lots of people suffering with infertility find scan photos the most upsetting thing to see so I wouldn’t share those.

It took myself and DH I years to conceive with fertility treatment intervention.

I too hated pregnancy announcements when we were struggling but I always knew I wanted to share it on Facebook. Felt like I'd waited a long time to do so and it was finally 'my turn'.

Social media is never a safe place tbh, no matter what you're dealing with personally there will always be triggers. Safest thing to do is delete/deactivate if you find it affecting you so badly. Exactly what I did in the past as my MH was so bad.

Do what you want to do OP it's a very personal choice and it is a very exciting time for you xx

Absolutely a personal choice!

I wouldn’t do it, but I don’t think any less of anyone who chooses too, and I quite like seeing their happiness.

One of my closest friends lives far from home, she announced the births of her children via Facebook - she already told close friends and family, so it was more of a celebration and to circulate the news a little more widely, and why not! No judgement.

It’s up to you.
On Facebook you can make a post friends only. Rather than public.
You can’t stop people feeling offended.
I remember seeing a post by a friend celebrating her partners first Father’s Day it was super cute and lovely but someone posted on that saying ‘they should be more considerate because not everyone has a dad’ you really can’t please everyone.

Once I am done telling people face to face and I have my first scan I will be posting to Instagram with an announcement photo.

I announced it in my first pregnancy after the 12 week scan. I've had 2 subsequent pregnancies that ended in MMC and MC between 8 and 12 weeks, so in this pregnancy I won't be saying anything until the baby is born. It didn't upset me that friends announced the birth of their babies - I was happy for them - but everyone's different and I suppose for someone who's trying to conceive for a longtime a constant stream of everyone else seemingly getting pregnant could be quite upsetting.

It's difficult really but I will be posting pics of our baby as that page is for people I've connected with throughout my life and that baby will be one of the most important people in it. I can understand why some people would want to block me though.

My first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. I found it very hard seeing friends announce their pregnancies with scan photos on Facebook. I did announce my second pregnancy on Facebook, but chose to do so without a scan photo.

I did with DS2 as I’d got a lot of sarcastic comments from friends I don’t see regularly (moved abroad etc) who didn’t know I was pregnant until DS1 arrived. But it was one post and that was it.

Each to there own. I don't judge anyone or actually everyone that I know who has done so. I haven't as I personally find it tacky. However most people do share their whole lives on Facebook these days I'm definitely in the minority.

One of my close friends has had a MC but we have already told her in person and she was so excited and asked to see our scans. I have my best friend too who has PCOS but has said she doesn't want kids anyway and already knows I'm pregnant. Like I said it will mostly be to inform family and friends who live far away. All of our close family and friends already know as we've told them in person. I'm 14 weeks atm, so might wait a little bit if I decide to post about it.

It's entirely up to you, but if you do do it:

• keep it simple, factual and modest
• don't make lame puns
• don't post a scan pic
• don't do some super contrived scenario you got off Instagram or make it a way of proving how smart and funny and #blessed you are
• definitely don't start a social media account in the unborn child's name and post on it all the time.

I have never announced pregnancy/birth etc on social media. Or my wedding etc. I just don’t want that stuff out there. Particularly for my children - it’s about their privacy from my POV, I don’t know how this stuff will be used in future. I don’t care what other people do, it’s nice to hear their news. Sometimes the announcement style is a bit naff but we all have different tastes

I posted on Facebook announcing my current pregnancy for my distant family and friends.

I was told I was highly unlikely to carry a child and I thought all hope of a baby was gone for me. It hurt to see other people announce but I was also really and truely happy for them because it is an amazing time for any couple. A happy time.

Every person handles situations differently. I am so blessed to have defied all odds and I'm expecting my first and most probably only child. But I lived a while thinking it couldn't happen. This didn't mean I stopped appreciating how magical it was for my friends when they fell pregnant.

It's only my personal opinion as everyone is different, but I would be hurt if one of my friends didn't celebrate their pregnancy how they wanted to e.g posting on Facebook for the sake of my feelings. I would not want to damper any excitement they are having because they should be excited! It's a baby!

Sometimes it's bitter sweet. But at the end of the day no one announces their pregnancy to hurt another person. They do it out of pure excitement. So if you want to announce, announce. Do it how you want to and when you want too. 💕