When did you tell your children you’re pregnant?

[Ros2023]

So I am 8 weeks pregnant and struggling every day with feeling like absolute rubbish. Being sick, feeling hungover, emotional etc. I’m off work on sick for 2 weeks because I’m finding it too hard to function.
we haven’t told our children that I am pregnant and we were going to tell them after our first scan but I feel like it’s getting harder to keep a secret. They are 14 and 12 and I don’t want them to worry that I’m actually ill and them thinking that there is actually something wrong with me.
has anyone else been in this position and told their children earlier? Or still waited until the 12 week mark?
I think I’m worrying so much that something goes wrong so I’m scared to tell anyone but with me feeling so crap everyday I feel like I should maybe just tell them!

Hi OP, congratulations on your pregnancy.
My daughter's only 4 so not the same but I waited till after the NIPT results around 12 weeks even though I felt like she had an inkling before hand (she kept rubbing my stomach and asked me if there was a baby inside!)
I think with older kids who can understand things better I'd probably tell them a bit earlier

Wondering the same thing, although my children are 6 and 8. They think I've just been very poorly for a few weeks but have just accepted that. Not sure. Was going to have an early scan but not even sure about that now. I don't know!

We didn't tell our children daughter 17 and son 13 till after first scan, just in case something was wrong and didn't want to cause them unneeded worry or anxiety. Hiding symptoms was tricky but I just said I had a virus when nausea and food aversions were very bad between weeks 8-12. Blamed tiredness on stress. The pregnancy was complete shock and unplanned as I was on the pill and 42 so kids were not even thinking about the possibility I could ve pregnant!

@Cheeseballer I was thinking of an earlier scan too but think I’m just going to wait until the 12 week scan. My kids are both mature, great kids and I’m wondering if they know the news they would be able to understand what’s going on with me a bit more and maybe be more willing to lend me a helping hand when I’m feeling rubbish! Haha.
I waited until the 12 week scan with my previous pregnancies but finding it difficult this time because of how shit I’m feeling and I’m showing already!

At 14 & 12 I’m not sure it’s be fair to expect them to keep it a secret so unless you don’t mind everyone knowing I’d not say anything yet. I’d try and hide how I was feeling a bit more or say it’s a covid type virus/flu. My ds was 11 when I was pregnant and we didn’t tell the kids til I was 15 weeks, they hadn’t noticed a thing despite me being sick, tired and showing 😂

@HippeePrincess I’m wondering if my daughter is suspecting anyway because she’s mentioned a couple of times recently that she wants me to have a baby. Who knows!
I’ve been ill with sickness and every other bloody symptom for the past 3 weeks now and I’m wondering how much longer I can say to them it’s some sort of bug, or stomach problem? 😂 why is the 1st trimester such hard work!

It must be so much harder the older the are. At 4, I can just tell my daughter mummy is a bit poorly and mummy has a poorly tummy etc and it's pretty much accepted.
Awful when they see you throwing up and really tired though whatever their age

I have a two year old and decided to tell her at 6 weeks and she proceeded to tell everyone who would listen that "mummy has a baby in her tummy" 🤦‍♀️ so as pp said, kids, probably even older ones, aren't great secret keepers so maybe just hold off until you're comfortable with others outside the family knowing.

We told my DSD who was 14 at 7 weeks, the day after we found out. But we did tell pretty much everyone else that week too

Please try and wait until at least the 12 week mark, I know it’s so hard and you must be bursting to tell your children. I told both of mine early on with my last pregnancy and I discovered I’d had a missed miscarriage at my 12 week scan. In that moment all I could think about was how am I going to tell them, they were constantly kissing my belly, talking about names and the future. It was absolutely heartbreaking 😢 Of course praying you are not ever in this position, good luck!! X x

My DD was 7 and I waited until the 12 week scan. It was hard as had scans at 8 weeks and 10 weeks plus a NIPT test, awful dibilatating nausea, but wanted to wait as knew she'd tell the world once she knew lol

Mine were 3 and 5 and we told them the day after we found out! Which was definitely a risky move, but we framed it as “we think we’re going to have a baby, we hope everything will be okay but we need to wait and see”. Obviously different with teenagers, but we figured we’d cross that bridge when we came to it, if there were any issues.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. This is exactly why we waited until after the 12 week scan and NIPT results to tell our 4 year old.
The idea of her getting attached and excited then having to try and explain if something went wrong didn't bear thinking about. It wasn't easy but I'm so pleased we waited