Announcements

jlemons-2

  I have also been waiting for this one to pop up.  Let's share how we told/ are telling our friends and families.  We can add our social media announcements too!

Tell us, how did you tell? Was it a surprise? Add pictures if you are comfortable doing so.

peachy13

My FIL's 70th birthday is coming up in early May and we are going out to dinner with him and DH's siblings/their spouses. I'll be around 9.5 weeks by then and I think DH is going to make some sort of bday speech and sneak in that he has another grandkid on the way (we're the only couple in the group without children, so everyone is waiting).

Then with my mom, I'm waiting until Mother's Day (which is right after my next appt and will feel very safe telling her by then), I'll give her her regular gifts and then will buy a card for a grandmother and put the ultrasound pic inside. As a bonus gift, I'll tell her that she can safely tell her friends. On my side of the family, I'm the first to have a kid.

Friends and other family I will tell after my mom when I see them in person. Probably not going to do any social media announcements because I personally find them *UO warning* a little eyerolly most of the time. I'll probably just post a pic when the baby is actually here.

Marley629

We are telling my inlaws on Sunday.  With DS, we surprised everyone by bringing a cake with his name on it on Easter which was our "gender reveal" (we just left it on dessert table and no one knew we were doing that until the box was opened) So we figured we would keep with the Easter surprise tradition.  We are going to put DS in the shirt that says on the front "Guess what, I have some really Hot News" (has a firetruck on it; DH is a fireman) and on the back it says "I'm Going to be a big brother" and just see who notices  (which I actually bought last April lol)   As far as FB announcement, I'm still shooting around a couple ideas.  I was going to include a pic of the shirt but TB app won't let me post any attachments all of a sudden

txmomma16

My entire Family know about our IVF journey. And knew when our transfer was, so keeping the secret just wasn't gonna happen. I told my mom before the pee stick dried and I took my dad to dinner last night to tell him. My H told his mom at her chemo appt last week to give her something positive to look forward too. We haven't gotten to do any fun cute reveals but it's all been natural and our families have been so supportive. If I do anything on Facebook it'll be about our entire journey, the IVF, all of it. Just haven't decided yet. 

jlemons-2

DH was out of town when I found out so I ordered DD a cute shirt that says Big Sister.  It was a great surprise and I even got it on video.  We will tell our parents on Easter.  I give a little speech each holiday before we eat (I host) and this year I am just going to add baby to the list of our blessings. DH's parents live out of town and Face time DD every Sunday, so we will just have her wear her shirt.  I don't know if I am doing a Facebook announcement, I have plenty of time to decide.

jlemons-2

@peachy13  your mom is definitely going to cry with that sweet announcement! 

@Marley629   Your firetruck shirt sounds adorable.  I am glad we went the shirt route too, it is easier and just as special.

@kmallery08  Any way you tell is special, I am sure your family will always cherish that moment.

vvitchhazel

I told my husband by taping a poppyseed onto a notecard and had DD give it to him. I recorded it, under the guise that Evy hadn't seen daddy in days (she and I were out of town) and I wanted to record their reunion. It was perfect.

We didn't do anything special for the people we have told. Just told them. When we get a little further along, DH will probably email his extended family (his mom has 8 brothers and sisters... It's a HUGE family). I got a sister t-shirt for DD and I'll probably just nonchalantly post it on Facebook eventually. It won't be too much of a big deal, because I don't have a lot of Facebook friends. If it's not family or people that I regularly talk to, I don't need them on my friends list!

bkrahn

We are in the middle of renovating our entire home.. so I hauled DH up into our bedroom to "ask his opinion on something." When he walked into our room I asked him which wall we should put a bassinet on. He was blown away! 4 years ago we were told that he would never father children of his own, so this truly is a miracle! Our daughter is just about 1 (we used a sperm donor to conceive her) and we are so excited to watch her become a big sister! 

For the rest of our family, we just told them! We were too excited to plan anything special! 

ameliabedelia-2

I am a negative nancy and am not into the cutesy announcements.  We lamely just tell people as we see them...."oh, btw, I am knocked up again".   I am one of six kids and this is going to be grandchild #7, someone is always pregnant, I am not sure the novelty is really there.  

kater622

We went to dinner with my parents and my in-laws last week and surprised them by sitting a plastic Easter egg in the middle of the table that had a pacifier inside of it. They were very excited, this will be the first grandchild for my IL's and second for my parents. My mom is still over the moon as my brother lives in Texas. 

dragonette505

For the more pessimistic approach...
I'm not telling anyone anything until I'm forced to. DH knew when I knew because he spent a weekend asking me to stop peeing on sticks, and I texted him the beta as soon as I got the call. My mom lives with me and somehow we've tried to keep the transfer process secret... though possibly she suspects? Dunno.  If I get morning sickness like I have in the past (terrible, unrelenting all day sickness) I'll have to tell her, otherwise maybe after the next ultrasound I'll tell my mom and older sis (as they are, after my DH, my main support system). Everyone else will be on a need to know basis. I'm not even on FB right now (not that I would do an announcement... I'm too old skool for that) so not an issue.
As you can see... I'm not the most cutesy gal but thrilled, and if this kid makes it (tw*** multiple losses, no kids end tw**), it will be the most loved kid on the planet

holzie-2

Our family knows all about our IVF journey, but we didn't tell anyone about this cycle.  We are going to tell both set of parents and our siblings on Sunday.  (I'm pretty sure my mom knows something's up, but she will never directly ask about it.)  We are going to have Easter baskets for the parents and put stickers and clues in the eggs and hope they can guess what the surprise is!   My parents live in FL so this may be the only time I get to tell them in person.  We are going to wait until after genetic testing to tell everyone else.  

dkizz82

I told DH by putting a piece of paper with  "egg-spected to hatch December 2017" in an Easter egg and told him DD had something to give him. With the family, we sent a picture. 

NME44

I told my in-laws because we happened to be visiting them when I missed my period. So I discreetly sent DH out for a test. He came back with ONE blue dye test, which ended up being a dud (no control line). He was going out the next morning for several hours, leaving me without transportation and I couldn't stand the wait so I sent him out again, but we had to say why Bc it was 9 pm and suspicious, lol!

my mother I sent her a text message; I told her I had a question about baking and sent this: 
Well, I've got this bun that says I'm supposed to bake it at 98 degrees for the next 36 weeks? That can't be right, right? It won't be ready til December???

she responded, "I see I'm not surprised."
i told my bestie in a similar fashion today.

moonlady-2

I told DH with a case of "DAD'S" root beer and my positive test. 

I plan on telling my Mom on Mother's Day with a card calling her Grandma (this will be her 1st grandchild)

We are thinking of telling my Dad (my parents are divorced) and everyone else probably on Father's Day. I'll be in my 2nd tri that exact weekend. 

cait5413

With our first, I surprised my DH, and I planned to do it again once we started trying, but since this was a bit of a surprise to us both, I told him as soon as I suspected. We're going to visit my hubby's family in May, so we'll tell his parents on the last day of the trip by dressing our daughter in a "big sister" onesie, and then we'll have her wear it home so my mom will see it when she picks us up from the airport. We won't tell the world til 12 weeks. With our first, we posted a clothesline with socks for me and DH and a baby sock, so we'll update that photo with another sock (it's a play on our last name).

stillclever17

Things have kind of spiraled in this area. I really wanted to wait to announce it, but now it seems we just keep telling one friend or colleague here and there and now the list of people who know has gotten bigger than I'd like. The worst part is that NONE of our family know. 

Since so many other people know, I feel guilty about not telling our family. BUT *TW my SIL just had a loss less than a week ago end TW* So now I feel like we need to tell her first to be sensitive and so she doesn't hear it from someone else. But now is not a good time. It will hurt her so bad. But now that so many friends and colleagues know, I'm so paranoid our family will hear it from someone else. Ugh. Like I said, spiraled. 

PennStateCait

We just told my in-laws yesterday. They knew we did IVF and they knew when our test date was so there was no delaying! I put my littlest nephew in this onesie and it took my MIL about 15 minutes to finally read his shirt and she freaked out, it was great!

NME44

@PennStateCait, Nittany Lion here, too!

PennStateCait

@NME44 Yay! We are!!!

beaandthebabes

With our first pregnancy we were so excited that we told everyone right away and when we found out that we had miscarried I was so afraid to tell everyone and so sorry that we had been so quick to spread the word until I realized how much we needed all that support and understanding and what a boon it was to have everyone sort of aware of the situation and on board with our healing process.
This time I got to surprise DH because our first test was negative and after feeling pretty awful for a day we reminded ourselves that these things can take time and that we could try again. A few days later I still hadn't started my cycle so I took another test and got BFP. I tucked the test in the mouth of a ceramic skull DH keeps on his nightstand and he discovered it while setting his alarms before we went to bed (a full 12 hours later! So much waiting!)
We told our immediate families after our first ultrasound once we heard the heartbeat.
We are planning to keep pipkin under wraps at least until week 8 but probably until week 12.

missbmama

My family knew the day the stick turned. My sister had to actually convince me to come back in the bathroom and look because I was just so sure it was going to be negative. 
*TW* We have had 2 losses and my experience is having close friends and family in the know helps my grieving *end TW*
We plan to do a social media Easter post on Easter. I can't for the life of me keep a secret so I've just decided to be positive and let everyone know. I made a sign that says 'The Egg Hunt is Over, We've Found Our Treat. Our Family is Growing by ONE HEART AND TWO FEET' and plan to have us all holding it. 

Edit: Yay! I finally got to add our photo!

Marley629

That's so cute @missbmama

justsuzie

We plan on telling our families at 10 weeks on Morhers Day. Neither me or DH have Facebook so maybe we will just do a cute instagram pic. No idea what yet. 

TigerCakes

We are announcing to our families tomorrow! I dyed Easter eggs and then wrote on them Mom, Dad, DS, and then our due date.  We're going to put them on the table and see how long it takes someone to notice.  I haven't decided on a FB announcement yet but we won't be doing that until the 2nd trimester.

missbmama

Thanks! @Marley629 I stole the idea from Pinterest 

babypi

We decided spur of the moment that we are going to tell my in-laws tomorrow when we FaceTime during dinner. *TW-loss mentioned* We were going to wait until we felt really secure in this pregnancy, since we just had a MC in Dec at 10 weeks. Unfortunately our timeline is accelerating because we aren't sure how much longer my FIL will be with us. He's been in hospice for over a year and we're told today that he is now rapidly declining. So we hope to give him uplifting news tomorrow.  *End TW*
I will have DD wear a onesie that says "I'm so cute my parents decided to make another".

Edit for grammar

failuretofly

I can't remember if I shared this story already but, I had to tell DH via Skype because he was working out of town, we had a standing evening Skype session already planned so I put a 'Best Bro Ever' shirt on DS and waited. He said 'what's that shirt about?', I said 'what do you think it's about?'... He says 'how do you know it's a boy?'... oh man haha He basically knew though because I don't really hide anything from him lol
To tell the in laws i put the same 'Best Bro Ever' shirt on DS and brought him out to show DH's parents and said '[DS] wants to show you his cool new shirt!'. FIL was so oblivious, he just kept saying 'hey cool shirt!'... then I caught MIL's eye and she was tearing up and said 'does that mean what I think it means?' and I nodded. FIL was still confused, she said to him 'read the shirt' he says ya... and? I said 'what would it take for [DS] to be a brother?' then he clued in and was ecstatic. 
I want to wait to tell my mom when she visit's in June, but I don't know if I can keep it in that long! But I have a feeling we'll be getting a lot of use out of that shirt! haha

CandyApple2012

I was read a negative pregnancy test at 11 DPO in the ER when I was in the hospital because of a severe kidney infection. I was so sad, but then when setting down my second urine sample on the cart, I saw a faint line, outside of the time window of course. I just could not unsee the line. I pushed for a blood test and the next morning they read the positive result literally as I was being wheeled into minor surgery to place a stent. I woke up super giggly and took the opportunity to play an April Fool's joke on DH. He was over the moon when he finally understood and I stopped laughing. 

We told my mom mom and sister this week because they're in town and I couldn't help myself! They loved the shirt and my niece enjoyed being part of the announcement We will wait until 10-12 weeks to tell other family and friends and will announce on FB later in the summer, probably. 

pandawares

My husband had his wisdom teeth removed, and his post-surgery care instructions warned that antibiotics could make birth control ineffective. I sent a picture of that and my pregnancy test to my in-laws and said "That was quick."

pandawares

Also, with DS, we couldn't figure out how to announce to Facebook and ended up posting "Yo, we havin' a baby." Casual announcements are now my favorite thing, so this time, I posted "[My Name] is feeling pregnant" with a smirking face.

AMCsquared

@peachy13 I'm the same! First on my side, basically last on dh's side. And I think I'm waiting for mothers day too to tell my parents.

@bkrahn that's so great! This makes it all super extra special for u guys.  Congrats.

@PennStateCait I love the cousin shirt idea. We are going to do the same with a baby hat for my inlaws.

tmk0325

We just found out last week. I POAS and woke SO up and said, we are going to need a bigger house asap (we just bought land and were going to build this fall possibly -- we have twins and us in a 700 sq ft apartment).  His response, "are you kidding me?" I was like nope.  After a week now we have come around to the idea again.  We wanted them close, but weren't prepared for this close. I told my cousin who I am really close to today, because I'm going to her OB and had some questions, but I asked her not to say a word.  She's had three miscarriages so she understands. 

I think we will tell just our parent's on Mother's Day.  I think I'm just going to sign the card with all of our names, plus baby due in December 2017.  For the boys, we told just our parents a couple weeks after Christmas so we dropped of belated xmas presents, which was a onesie that said "I Love My Grandparents" Baby Due August 2016.  

We will most likely wait until about 14 or so weeks to tell everyone else.  We have not experienced a loss, but I know too many people that have and announced early and then had to go back and tell everyone and we are just don't want to have to do that.  We have family pictures/1 yr pictures for the boys scheduled on June 11, so I think I'm going to maybe put the boys in big brother shirts for a few shots and hold up a onesie or something and we'll use that as our facebook announcement.  For the boys, I wore a shirt that had word captions on the stomach that said "I want cake" "me too" and announced on my birthday at 18 weeks by saying thanks for all the birthday wishes, I'm celebrating by eating for three!

ohmickey331

My parents are in town visiting us so I called everyone upstairs including my husband and had my husband open a box "that came for him" while he was out with my dad. For some reason I can't add a picture but it was a moen toilet paper holder box haha. Inside was the pregnancy test and baby (our last name 2.0) coming Dec December 2017 was written on the inside of the box. Everyone cried. We face timed my ILs and had my husband open the box for them. I actually called my two best friends before my husband found out because I couldn't wait!  We'll be announcing to the world  after we enter the second trimester. 

flowerpower5838

I told my mom last weekend when she was here for Easter. ****TW after 2 losses this TTC cycle, I have needed her support so I've told her super early and it's been very frank and mostly lacking in excitement. /TW*** Not sure when we will tell MIL, maybe after we have a scan and see a heartbeat. I told my BMB bestie basically right away and I'll tell my closest friends at a wedding we'll all be at on Memorial Day weekend. We won't announce "publicly" on FB/social media until after the anatomy scan. That's what we did last time and we most comfortable with so I am sure that's what is right for us this time around as well.

Tennis11785

We've decided to wait to tell pretty much anyone until after the NIPT test comes back - and definitely not family until we have the NIPT results.  I've told my best friend and I might tell one other friend.  We've got a really good friend getting married Memorial Day weekend, so I'm debating whether hiding it all weekend (which will be tough but is possible with the help of a few people who know) or telling our close friends before that weekend.  

mrsorigami

So DD is turning 4 on May 3rd.  We're having her birthday party that weekend-the weekend before we will be visiting family for my SIL's baby shower (their first baby).  I am most definitely not telling anyone during our trip, nor during DD's birthday celebration.  The trip is about SIL and her baby, and the birthday for DD is about DD.  It's really important to me and DH that we keep those separate.

So, we're going to take photos of DD next month for her 4 year photo shoot.  We have this cute teepee I got her for xmas, which I will set up for one of the photo shoot themes.  I will make different "stations" and have a sign somewhere in there that says "big sister training camp."  I am thinking of using her different baby dolls at the different stations.  One station could be for dressing the baby-hang up some plain onesies on a string.  Another could be changing the baby-have a few colorful cloth diapers there.  And another for feeding the baby-have some bottles/a boppy or whatever there at that station.  

We will have some pictures with the teepee without any secret baby stuff, that will just be year 4 photos.  But then later after the 12 week mark or so we will share the other photos as an announcement with our family & friends.

Thanks for reading if you got this far..me brainstorming and all! haha!

vvitchhazel

@mrsorigami I think that's a great idea! I think it's important to keep things separate too. Your ideas for the photoshoot sound super cute though and I think it'll be a hit!

eazybreezy225

I had planned on telling only our parents first. But DH completely spoiled it.
I was going to send mothers day cards to both our moms saying "You have been such a wonderful mom to us and your (insert number of grandkids +1)  grandchildren, Happy Mothers day " I wanted to be subtle about it and watch their reactions as they realized it.
My husband ended up letting it slip while talking on the phone to my MIL. I was so upset and even more upset when I found out he also told his sister 2 days ago.
Pretty pissed since it's our last baby and I wanted to have fun with all the announcing.
But as far as announcing the pregnancy to everyone we know, I actually plan on waiting until after the 20 week anatomy scan.
If baby cooperates and we see the sex, I'd love to be able to give one huge announcement. Saying we're pregnant, due Dec 6th, and it's a boy/girl. I don't know,  I just think it'd be a fun way to do it.
But it will all be through a single picture posted to social media with no explanation. I'm a photographer so I have this vision of a professional quality image of my three girls standing around a calendar pointing to the date. They will be wearing "big sister " t-shirts. I still have to figure out how to incorporate the sex in the image... a onsie? Colored balloon? Confetti?  Still not sure. Ideas? Lol. We have awhile.

Tennis11785

@eazybreezy225 - If they are pointing to the day on the calendar, you could color that day either pink or blue based on the sex.  

AMCsquared

@eazybreezy225 I like the colored smoke bombs