Let's share our ideas for telling family about baby over the holidays

alinafed

Given that during the holidays some of us may be in the middle or nearing then end of our first trimesters, do you have any plans to share the news with your families over the holidays? If so let's share them here!

(Still learning the new rules so I'm hoping making a post about this is OK).

alinafed

I was thinking about having either a sign or ultrasound pic in the kids' Santa Claus pic - maybe a sign saying "Santa is bringing us a baby brother/sister in August 2018." Or wrapping something for the families - I am giving them framed professional pics of the boys as a Christmas gift, was thinking of adding something about #3 but still trying to figure it out.

All I know is I am not doing anything with a T-shirt on my kids - tried a "big brother" shirt on DS#1 to announce baby #2 and on DH's side no one noticed, on mine my mom thought it was just a hand-me-down from a cousin or something lol.

pghctwife

I’ll wait till at the earliest the results of the blood test later in 1st tri To tell more people (it’ll be after the holidays). I already told my immediate family and dh... the kids and dh family will wait until we feel more safe.

sunshine2417

I've told DH, bestie, and my BMB ladies from having Noah, but we probably won't tell family and friends until Noah's 1st birthday in February. At that point we will be more like 13-14 weeks, probably. With Noah we ended up telling family before I planned on doing it though, because I was super sick and they were already skeptical. 

ecwk

I've told DH and the gals from my old BMB. I want to tell my immediate family at Christmas. Maybe put an u/s pic in a Xmas card or get them an ornament or something. Or maybe just have DS wear a Big Bro shirt and see how long it takes for them to pick up on it! 

LC12261012

While I like the idea of doing something cute and Christmas-y I don't feel ready to share the news yet. We will more than likely do as @TeacherMom2517 and wait until closer to feb which is also my sons first birthday. 

legallykate

I bought my mom a shirt when we started TTGP (I don't believe in jinxing things) but then was too excited to wait and give it to her and instead told her over the phone on Friday when I got my BFP. But I gave her the shirt this weekend and she wore it when we went over to my brother's so that's how he found out he is going to be an uncle - we actually bet against him actually reading it and deducing things, but he was surprisingly all over it! I bought cheesy coffee mugs for my dad (we are celebrating Christmas with him on 12/29 so I will be almost 8 weeks) and my aunt and uncle who I am super close to and will see on Christmas Day. We are thinking about telling DH's parents and brother and SIL on NYE in some type of "guess what next year will bring?" type of way, but we haven't really planned it out yet.

mrslittlemac

I probably won't tell anyone else until after first tri. I've told DH, my mom, and my BMB friends from DD, along with my supervisor at work. I will probably announce around DD's first birthday in early Feb, but not sure yet. 

citymommar

We're planning having the baby wear a onesie saying Big Sister on Christmas Eve. Everyone is going to be shocked!! We're also adding another stocking on the fire place. 

nepatsgal

We are planning on taking a photo of the boys holding a frame saying Oldest Child, Middle Youngest Child, and another frame saying Youngest Due August 2018. We will wrap it up and give to the grandparents to open for Christmas. I kind of wanted to wait a little longer, but our families are so large it's hard to get everyone together at the same time. We'll probably wait until February to announce to the rest of our family and friends.

msmonalisavito

mhlocke said:

We are planning on taking a photo of the boys holding a frame saying Oldest Child, Middle Youngest Child, and another frame saying Youngest Due August 2018. We will wrap it up and give to the grandparents to open for Christmas. I kind of wanted to wait a little longer, but our families are so large it's hard to get everyone together at the same time. We'll probably wait until February to announce to the rest of our family and friends.

We were planning to do something similar! 

We're planning to tell immediate family on Christmas and then the rest sometime in a February.  

aj1327

I got a big brother shirt for my son to wear on Christmas. We’ll see how long it takes anyone to notice. They’ll probably notice that I’m not drinking before they’ll notice the shirt 

sunshine2417

@amac12999 my brothers are alllllways watching who is and isn't drinking. I'm gonna have to walk around with some grape juice or something! 

princesslockness

With L we did T-shirts for the grandparents-to-be and great grands. With E we just told our moms, and they spread it through the grapevine. 
For #3 I'm not sure what to do. I might get shirts for them, or I might get a shirt, or even lamer I might just not announce this one. 

westphilly

I really wanted to put a shirt on my son, but my partner reminded me that we'll see both my family and his, and someone will forget and post a picture of him on social media. I definitely don't want to announce to friends before February. 
If we can get a dating ultrasound done before Christmas, we'll either frame a pic or drop a ultrasound pic in a clear ornament and give it to both of our parents. We'll tell our siblings (who will mostly be there) and my grandmother and aunts on the phone that day too. 

hannerbananers

We told our parents and both of our best friends already. I am thinking that on Christmas dinner we will just ask everyone at the dinner table (my immediate family) to pose for a picture, Hubby will actually be filming on his iPhone and I'll say " 1, 2, 3 were having a baby". I think it will be cute to have everyones natural reactions on camera It's the first baby on my side of the family. Hubby's family will be overseas so we are planning to Skype them during their dinner and do someone thing similar.

We plan on announcing to friends/social media in Feb when we go overseas. I'll be 15 weeks then.

nhaidet29

Same here! ☺️

alinafed

I love the ultrasound ornament idea!

alinafed

westphilly said:

I really wanted to put a shirt on my son, but my partner reminded me that we'll see both my family and his, and someone will forget and post a picture of him on social media. I definitely don't want to announce to friends before February. 
If we can get a dating ultrasound done before Christmas, we'll either frame a pic or drop a ultrasound pic in a clear ornament and give it to both of our parents. We'll tell our siblings (who will mostly be there) and my grandmother and aunts on the phone that day too. 

I love the ultrasound ornament idea

alinafed

I also plan on announcing more broadly like via social media in February - I am thinking of doing something on Valentine's Day with the boys but not sure what. I have always had winter babies so it's fun that the timing of this one coincides with telling family at Christmas and everyone else near Valentine's Day.

HeatherLeane

I got this for my little to wear on Christmas morning for our immediate family. 

ecwk

@HeatherLeane
so cute! Where did you get it?

coffeecocktailsandcake

I don't plan on telling family until January, I'm going to wait until after the first trimester.  I had a 9.5 week missed miscarriage last time and don't want to experience the second thing I did last time of telling people I was no longer pregnant.  I plan to make an appointment for an elective ultrasound after the first tri to find out the gender, calm my nerves, then I'll announce.

coffeecocktailsandcake

@hannerbananers that's cute idea!

juliebird6

I'm in a bit of pickle with this.  My immediate family has scheduled a paint & sip for 12/15, so if I'm not drinking, everyone will know instantly.  I guess I could try to pour grape juice in a wine bottle to protect my cover, but the problem will again present itself for ALL of our Christmas festivities, where everyone drinks pretty heavily.  I don't want to tell anyone that early because I'll only be like 6 weeks, but I'm not sure how to avoid it.

lalala2004

@juliebird6 there is a non-alcoholic wine called FRE, and if you brought that they might not notice.

Personally I think I will tell family at Christmas even though it will be early. I think I’ll have DS open a “Big Brother” shirt as one of his last’s presents at my parent’s house. Then he can wear the shirt when we celebrate with DH’s family the following week. Then we’ll announce to the rest of the world sometime closer to the end of first Tri.

juliebird6

@lalala2004 I'll have to look for that.  I think my SIL and probably some of my female cousins will know what it is, but here's hoping they don't notice!

westphilly

@juliebird6 I'm in a similar situation. This weekend I have our office holiday party and a friends dinner party. They will definitely notice if I'm not drinking. Our plan is to both get a beer, and I will pretend to sip it. We have two options, one is I go to the bathroom, dump it and fill it with water. The other is that when my partner is finished his, we'll switch bottles, and I'll try to fill that with water in the bathroom. Either way, dark bottle, and will fill with water when I can and just sip verrry slowly. It's going to be tricky because we're going to a sit down dinner, but we're going to try the drink switch at the table. He'll probably just get a little drunk (drinking for two!)! I'm a little nervous about it, but I also hope that if people are suspicious, they'll tactfully look the other way on it, knowing that we'll tell them when we're ready. 

coffeecocktailsandcake

Taking your drink to the bathroom and pouring some out is always an easy way to go.  Alternatively you can say something like you have a UTI and can't drink, you're on a new strict diet that cuts alcohol (you also have to eat only healthy stuff in front of them), or say something like you've started to have an allergic flush when you drink so you're taking a break.  It's only a short time you have to cover it.

derbysquirrel

HeatherLeane said:

I got this for my little to wear on Christmas morning for our immediate family. 

I want to do this with my 17 year old son, haha! I've seen toddlers holding "oldest" "youngest middle" and "new addition" signs, and I think it would be hilarious to do this with my 20 and 17 year olds. I'm not sure if anyone else would find it as amusing as I do, though. 

princesslockness

coffeecocktailsandcake said:

Taking your drink to the bathroom and pouring some out is always an easy way to go.  Alternatively you can say something like you have a UTI and can't drink, you're on a new strict diet that cuts alcohol (you also have to eat only healthy stuff in front of them), or say something like you've started to have an allergic flush when you drink so you're taking a break.  It's only a short time you have to cover it.

You could be doing a new diet, or it could be a work/family/friend group doing 'Drink-no-more December'. 

ncnole26

We're telling our parents/siblings on Christmas. H's in person and mine facetime since we're in another state. I bought "Grandma & Grandpa est. 2018" ornaments off Etsy and will give this to them as their gift. First grandchild on both sides so I know they will be excited! It's so hard keeping this a secret! I'll be almost 8 weeks at Christmas. 

HeatherLeane

ecwk said:

@HeatherLeane
so cute! Where did you get it?

Etsy, they have a bunch of cute options from different sellers. 

ginjs

  

hannerbananers

derbysquirrel said:

HeatherLeane said:

I got this for my little to wear on Christmas morning for our immediate family. 

I want to do this with my 17 year old son, haha! I've seen toddlers holding "oldest" "youngest middle" and "new addition" signs, and I think it would be hilarious to do this with my 20 and 17 year olds. I'm not sure if anyone else would find it as amusing as I do, though. 

That's hilarious, I love it!

derbysquirrel

I have the (big) kids on board for sign holding. I think this is going to happen. 

vinerie

In a perfect world I would probably wait until 8 weeks to share the news with family, but hey, it's Christmas, we happen to celebrate it, and it's too good an opportunity to pass up. My current front-runner idea is to send my parents some of these holiday-themed cocktail glasses I found with a little note inside saying something like "cheers to becoming grandparents again!" or something to that effect. But I'm still brainstorming! This will certainly be the last grandchild for my parents, so I do want to do something special (last time we just told them over facetime...)

bria12lane

I have a bit of predicament. We finally are pregnant after 15 months of TTC and are very excited and want to share with my husband’s immediate family at Christmas BUT my sister in law had a miscarriage last month and is still having some physical effects from it. They have one son already and this would have been their second. I want to be sensitive to them, but I know she will also be upset if she finds out the rest of the family knew and she didn’t. Should we tell them separately? Or let the rest of the immediate family know and tell them later down the road? 

leahcimmichael

@bria12lane
TW
I can tell you what my experience was. I had a MC in Nov last year. At Christmas my SIL told family that she was KU. She told her parents on Christmas Eve before DH and I arrived. Then she told DH separately. DH filled me in that night at our hotel. I would’ve preferred finding out the day AFTER Christmas instead, but the way she told everyone separately (rather than a big “SURPRISE”) was very thoughtful and sensitive to how I was feeling. I think she must’ve asked everyone to not make a big deal of it in front of me because NO ONE mentioned it on Christmas Day, much to my relief. As soon as we got home and I could process through my feelings I sent her a big bouquet of flowers. I know she must’ve been super excited to tell everyone, so for her to tone things down to be respectful of me still makes me tear up a little. 

pghctwife

@bria12lane

TW
don’t keep it from her. Tell her, privately and maybe first. Not the same exactly but my sister found out she is pregnant a week before me. She told me that morning right away and said ‘I hope you are ok. I understand if you feel upset or bummed.’ I was a little sad (I was convinced I wouldn’t be this month and this also fell practically ON my loss anniversary from last fall... and I’m only 4 months out from my last loss, so it felt like, hey you aren’t supposed to be pg i am. I honestly was happy for her though. I gave some ppl who trigger me but it’s usually ppl who’s kinda as are more similar (like another 3 boy mom who had a girl... got pg right after my loss and I cried when she had her baby). So... it might make her feel crapp for herself, and that has nothing to do with you just the unfairness I’d loss.or she might feel bummed but happy for you.

proudparent2b

@HeatherLeane Where did you find that shirt? I’d love to get one for DS.