When/how to tell siblings the good news

[GemLooper]

When did you tell your DC that you were pregnant? Mine is 4 and I am 12 weeks. Will be telling friends/family after 12 week scan next week but not sure when to tell DC. Seems odd not to share the news with DC at same time but it's so early and a long time for them to wait to meet their sibling.

Be prepared for the sibling not to think it’s good news and/or be completely ambivalent😁

I think at 4 I’d hold off telling them for another few weeks, only because they don’t really have a concept of time.

Congratulations!

I think you should tell them now and get them involved in telling family. There is a risk they could hear it from someone else if you wait.

Mine were 3.5 and I waited til I was just over 20 weeks I think!
We told family and friends and just mentioned we hadn’t told the girls just yet. Until it was a bit more obvious I was pregnant with more of a bump, we sat them down and let them know.

Like you said its quite early and a long wait and my girls would be asking everyday when will baby be here 🙈

My 12 week scan coincided with DS's 5th birthday so once he had opened all his presents etc, we told him we had one more surprise for him.

He was SO happy and SO excited - his best friend had recently had a baby join the family so babies were very much on his radar.

Our nanny filmed us telling him, and his reaction, and then we shared that video with our immediate family via Whatsapp as our way of 'announcing' (we are overseas and not able to tell in person)

The only thing I would say, is that at that age, they have a really off concept of time, so every day for months on end, I've been asked 'is the baby coming out today?'

My ds is 3 and I'm 10 weeks. I want to tell him as soon as we've had the 12 week scan but dh wants us to wait for as long as possible otherwise he thinks ds will go on about it every day and not understand it's ages to wait.

I just don't think I can hide it much longer personally and we'd have to tell my friends and ds at the same time otherwise they might accidentally say something to him to give things away to him. I think I've already got one friend who is suspicious!

@PrimeraVez @HayB I see that my dh may be right with his 'it's ages for them to wait' theory!

Mine was 3 and we told her after the 12 weeks scan but she didn't really start to show any interest until my bump was quite large 🤣 just don't think she really understood until she could see it so don't be offended if your little one doesn't seem excited. I think they need time with the idea to adjust to it x

Mine is 3 and I told her when I was obviously showing. I'm 29 weeks and she still doesn't show any interest or understand 😂

My point is I don't think at that age they will grasp what it means. Might as well tell them when you tell everyone else

We told our 3 and 6 year old dc at 21 weeks before we told other people. They both understood and were excited, and it knocked a good chunk off their waiting time for it.

My 3 year old has been asking regularly for a sibling for nearly one whole year so I think he'll be interested!

I'm hoping to tell mine after the 12 weeks scan, that's what I did with my last baby. With little ones it sometimes helps to wait until you've got an obvious bump or to tell them as way of explaining why you aren't feeling well etc

I told my children first before anyone except my husband. I don’t think it’s fair to keep them in the dark and certainly wouldn’t tel the rest of the family before them. It’s their baby too.

Told my 4 year old at 12 weeks better you tell them than they hear it from someone else by mistake.