How did you announce? Or....did you announce?

Kacelets

I'm struggling with if/how to announce this pregnancy on Facebook.  I'm not a big "face booker" (I had a bad habit of drinking and posting - now that I don't drink - I never post anything - no judging).  

I would like to share the news with people who I knew at former jobs, etc - the "B-list" so to speak.  A picture was posted of me this past weekend with an obvious bump.  I have been reluctant to ever say anything due to the numerous people I am friends with who have also struggled with IF and aren't as lucky as we are.  On the other hand - I want to scream it from the rooftops.  

Either way - people will figure it out if there are pictures posted - but I would like to be the one to announce it.  (DH doesn't have FB - GENIUS!!)

Any suggestions - or what/how did you post to be sensitive to those who are struggling with IF and to inform the rest?  I want to address the struggle but be upbeat and elated in the post.  I'm not announcing a damn thing until I figure out what you ladies think. 

Any and all suggestions appreciated.  I was hoping to announce after we find out the sex on Friday.  NT scan was today and all was well - so I am FINALLY feeling that this is actually a *real* pregnancy.  

Thanks ladies!  

Mrs.McIrish

Yeah, I'm 21 weeks on Wed and haven't said anything... We had the anatomy scan today which was great so I think we are going to post this week. I'm working on the wording bc I want to acknowledge that we needed a ton of help and that these babies are miracles in our eyes.

OutdoorGirl10

I didn't announce on Facebook at all. We first told family, then a little later close friends, then after the 12 week mark we told the others we wanted to know (the B list people, as you said). I made a list of those we actually cared that they know and then contacted them either through FB Message (not a post), email or phone call. We had a wide range of people on that list, some of whom were on FB, others not. And some we thought deserved more the phone call.  All we said was that we struggled on and off for years and then got help from doctors and have a baby on the way. If they asked more detail and it was someone I was comfortable with, I opened up and told them more. I also asked everyone to please NOT post anything about it on FB because I have co-workers on there and I wasn't ready to tell work yet. Thankfully they all respected that.  

Now that it's been months since we told everyone, I still don't post anything on FB about being pregnant and there aren't any pics of me out there. If there were, at this point I wouldn't care, because the people I really wanted to know, already know.

marnief

Our FB announcement was basically this: "We are thrilled to be expecting our miracle daughter (in early September) after 7 months of infertility treatments. We recognize that our journey has been shorter than most, and we are grateful. Those still on the journey are in our thoughts and prayers. And we are happy to share details with anyone who wants to know more."

This thread might be useful: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/comment/82635609

Kacelets

Thanks ladies - great previous thread.  I appreciate your input.  

sandollar1010

Haha!  I had the exact same thing happen!  A picture someone posted with my belly hanging out for all to see.  I'm not a big FB poster at all, so I had DH do the post.  He just wrote "It's been a tough journey, but sandollar and I are excited to announce we are expecting a baby boy in December.  Guard dogs anxiously awaiting duty... with a pic of my dogs "guarding" the front door.  My closest friends and family know all about our struggles, but I'm not a very public person, so I didn't want to go into much detail.  I've had a few people say that they appreciated the post and while it was happy, it acknowledged the journey.

babydreams13

If it was up to DH we would have announced already (I'm 17 weeks).  I'm just not comfortable with it yet.  If he MUST post I want him to wait until 24 weeks.  I'm worried about getting tagged in photos when I look preg. Now I don't so its not a big deal but I'm sure in the next few weeks there will be some sort of a bump.

GL with your post and good for you including your journey in it.   

Lady2010

We haven't announced publicly yet - starting last week we started to tell a few of our closest friends when we saw them (in certain outfits it is starting to get obvious - and even one of my best friend's DH commented more than anything my boobs are getting huge - she is 5 mos w their 2nd and now notices these things plus he is like a brother so it wasn't weird or offensive)

We have asked our parents / siblings to hold off on any announcements until after our appt at the start of week 15.  

In terms of a public / broad FB announcement - I am not sure... I actually 'locked' my FB wall so no one can post on it (I have several young cousins and relatives overseas who wouldn't realize we haven't told everyone yet and post something).  I also have started culling down my FB list to actual friends.  Eventually I am sure there will be a pic of me/bump on FB but hoping I can get to 20+ weeks before that happens.

Our close friends all know we have been trying for years and have gone through IVF.  Unless my parents said something, relatives do not - and culturally I am sure a lot of them will say - it's about time, etc... which I am dreading but will only share with those I am comfortable with.  I am not embarrassed by it - but I have found I have gotten some really personal questions - and even my closest friends and BIL have joked/made comments about how I would be octomom - which I find rude since really, that isn't the way IVF works. 

Sorry for the long ramble on this.  GOOD LUCK with whatever you decide... it is different for everyone.

beachy6

A little late on the post, but we won't be publically announcing. I have spent many years being heartbroken when seeing pregnancy announcements and I'd hate to be the person who does that to someone else. Plus, the people that we want to know (friends and family) have already been told.

I figure that as I get further along, there will be pictures of me posted and I'm okay with that. I'm not trying to keep it a secret, I'm just trying to be sensitive, as I know of quite a few people I'm friends with on fb that are still trying and have been for a few years.

Plus, I'm really anxious with this pregnancy. DH and I are both pretty on edge with this pregnancy and really won't be comfortable until the baby is here. So, this probably plays into us not wanting to post, as well.

ajlmom

I just announced today with this picture, it's also our wedding anniversary

FloridaSun82

I announced yesterday, at 33 weeks... I said...

Howard and I are ready to make this Facebook official... After medical intervention, and a lot of prayers and tears, we are excited to be expecting a son in early September. We are so hopeful that our infertility journey will have a happy ending and our thoughts are with those still on the journey. We also want to say a HUGE thank you to those who have been there for us every step of the way.

I wanted to mention the IF because I was hoping to not be a source of sadness for people going through it, but rather a source of hope. Ultimately, I knew we'd post something after he's born and there are a lot of people, including family, that didn't even know we were pregnant, so I didn't want the baby pic to come out of nowhere! 

dp21

We will be announcing soon, I'm 16 weeks today, probably right after anatomy scan at 19 weeks.  We got professional photos done last Monday.  We are going all out since this may be our one and only pregnancy, not going to let IF stop me from enjoying this!!!  We got a sneak peak photo of our announcement and I love it, can't wait to get the rest!  All of our close friends and immediate family know our struggles (have a locked blog and they have known all along, every step of the journey from betas/to bleeding scares/to pictures of me taking my injections/pictures from transfer and retrieval etc.).  We don't plan on coming out about IF on fb (with my 600 friends, accumulated after a decade on fb), just plan to post announcement pictures around 19 weeks and we are sending out postcards to people we are close to.  Can't wait to get our announcement postcards together!  We never did anything like this for our wedding or anything (got a free photographer off craigslist!/did invitation via email lol), so it's exciting for me to do something fun for once and something nice for ourselves.  We deserve this after everything we went through to get here! 

SKLH

I have zero intention of "announcing" it. If people see pictures I've been tagged to that's okay but otherwise, I have been heartbroken over 100 times seeing in your face pregnancy announcements and I just can't get myself to do one. Strangly, I don't even feel like I'm missing out on anything lol I just don't feel like it's the "thing" for me to do. I'm also one that feels like if people are close enough, I'll talk to them. If not, they're not close enough for me to share something so special with. I'd venture to say 80% of my fb list is not "close" enough for me to share something so special with.