GTKY: Announcement Plans

Schumerator · September 2015

So even though people don't like to put the cart before the horse I just love thinking about each month how the timing would work out to tell people DH and I were having a baby and what special occasions would fall within that timing!

So, would you have a specific timeline of when you would tell certain people? A fun way you would plan to do it/Would you make a pregnancy announcement picture to put on social media?

Hopefully I'll gain some cute ideas from y'all as well

Schumerator · September 2015

For DH and I we have always discussed having the first 7-8 weeks just to ourselves to be excited about it and soak it all in, then we would tell parents/close family at 8 weeks, and the rest of our friends at 10-12 weeks!

I'd love to do one of those expecting pictures on Facebook to announce to friends and family but I am so not a creative person!

fitlady21 · September 2015

Telling DH:

As soon as I find out we are pregnant, I'm going to go buy a new handgun he wants (9mm) and put it on our island in the kitchen for when he gets home. I'll have a cutesy note attached saying something like you need this gun for two reasons. (1) if he we have a boy, you'll need this gun to teach him how to shoot and (2) if we have a girl, you're going to need all the guns in the world to keep the boys off our girl. But regardless of sex, you're going to be a great, loving dad.

Gotta work on the wording a bit but you get the concept. I haven't decided how I'm going to tell our families yet but we plan to wait at least 8-10 weeks.

WinchestertoPittsburgh · September 2015

We plan to tell immediate family right away... with two MC's this year, I've realized how helpful it is to have support from those who love us. Everyone else? I'll wait until closer to 12 weeks, but we don't have anything specific planned yet.... ideas? YEP. But I figure once I feel comfortable in a pregnancy, then i'll start pinpointing things.

ShallowSeas · September 2015

I plan on telling our parents and my sister right away...and a friend or two. Everyone else I'll wait to tell around 8 or 12 weeks. I bought a newborn onesie that says "My dad's beard is better than your dad's" with a picture of a beard because DH has a pretty awesome beard that he is in love with.

As for our parents, I'll probably be so excited about it that i'll just call and tell them. However, DH is an only child and so this will be his parents first grandbaby (my parents are already grandparents) so DH bought a set of pacifiers to give to them and be like "hey! guess what!". It was important to him

Schumerator · September 2015

@fitlady21 haha that's awesome!! I like that you made it unique to you guys

Sounds like he would love that!

@WinchestertoPittsburgh I can definitely understand that... I've had a few friends who have had MC's this past year and they said that having their closest friends and family know really helped them through it. I actually might tell my mom earlier just in case I needed her support, unfortunately DH's mom cannot keep a secret to save her life and would tell everybody as soon as she found out

So I can't trust her lol

FloridaStanley · September 2015

I don't like cutesy things telling DH. I just tell him.

For family, I plan on getting DS a tshirt that says "big bro" and... Not say anything. It'll be a few minutes before they realize it and I think that'll be hilarious. Last time we told family around 8 weeks by telling the moms that I had a "happy prize" for them- we do this in our family. If I see something my mom just needs and it's not expensive, I'll just buy it for her. So they all had happy prizes of onesies with the due date on them.

Announcing publicly will probably just be a picture of DS in his shirt. Perhaps holding ultrasound pictures to really get the point across, lol

crdo · September 2015

DH? I'd like to say I have a cute announcement planned. But, since we agreed I'd only test when he's home, I'll probably run out of the bathroom screaming and ugly crying, and tackle him. He'll get the message

We'll tell immediate family closer to 8 weeks, and will announce to friends and relatives about 12 weeks.

sldp123 · September 2015

I would of course tell DH right away. I had a cute plan, I had ordered a onesie with the band he is obsessed with on it. But when the package came in the mail he recognized the return address because he has ordered so much stuff from them, and he guessed that I had ordered the onesie. (It was right around the time we first decided to TTC and the onesie was a new item on their website.) Oh well, now I'll just tell him instead.

For our parents/siblings, we will probably just tell them when everyone is together if we can. It's not unusual for my parents to host cookouts or get-togethers, so we will probably invite DH's parents and tell everyone at once. I might try to do the thing where you tell everyone as you are taking a picture to capture the reactions.

For everyone else, I saw a really cute Christmas themed announcement that I would like to post on FB, but I don't want to do that until I am at least 12-14 weeks, so unless it happens this month, that's probably out for this year. I'll just probably try to find something seasonal for whenever it happens. Hopefully I don't make it around to NEXT Christmas, haha.

jhems776 · September 2015

DH has been right next to me for each test so we will know together. I can't imagine keeping it to myself for even five minutes. I am up in the air who I will tell when. I think I will do the tell who you would want to talk to if you MC. I will probably call my BFF right away. I really want to give his and my parents some sort of gift that says grandparents. For family I was hoping 12ish weeks would correspond to Thanksgiving or Christmas so we could tell them when we are in town. Facebook will wait till 16-20 weeks.

I have sooo been cart before the horse (thinking that phrase exactly) lately, from thinking of birth plans, raising children what ifs, and even pricing out the day cares around me.

housewifehobbyist · September 2015

I'll tell DH right away for sure. I also have two close girl friends I would tell because I would want their support if something were to happen. MIL already told H that she has no moral qualms sharing information she has, and there's been issues with maintaining equality between all the parents, so I won't be telling them until we're ready to announce it to the world around 12-14 weeks.

ArtlessIbex · September 2015

I pretty much plan to run out into the street screaming the second I know.

I'm not good with secrets and waiting.

8->

mrstmoose · September 2015

I won't plan anything cutesy for DH; I will just run out of the bathroom and tell him. Probably be in shock.

We go back and forth on when to tell people. Somewhere between the 8-12 week mark. We kinda like the idea of only us knowing for awhile. *IF* we get KU and it will be around Thanksgiving/Christmas, we have talked about buying the book "You can call me Hoppa" and wrapping it up and giving it to them as a Christmas gift (maybe early), with possibly a sonogram picture in it (not sure if this is possible, but you catch the drift).

This will be my parents' first grandchild and DH parent's 3rd (but the other two live on the other side of the US, so the first one who will be within 20 minutes). Regardless, everyone will be excited.

Now I want to go POAS. And then look at Shutterfly.

matryoshkadoll · September 2015

I just told people for dd1. For dd2 we did a version of this:

I will tell close friends and family and then do a pic announcement for Facebook and email after the 20wk scan. I don't have any ideas yet, but it would be connected to the season I guess.

callen10210 · September 2015

For DD i waited to tell family and friends till i was 12 weeks along which happened to be thanksgiving so i got to tell everyone at one time; except for my mom she new a month earlier since she new we were trying. At Christmas time i finally told my boss and then after the holidays i started to really show so i finally told everyone else at work.

For #2 I've been open about trying when people ask if we are having another child so i'll probably tell them in the first couple of months. I'll probably get DD a shirt that says Big Sister and see who notices before saying anything...my guess is my Aunt will notice first she's very observant.

I just have to say with #1 i loved my little secret and if you end up not telling anyone for awhile don't let people make you feel guilty for not telling them sooner. It isn't about them. It's about you and your SO and the family you are starting.

sarah0985 · September 2015

Cart way before the horse here!!!! I don't know if you know what home-tees are but it's a shirt with your state/country shape on it with the words home on it. We both have our own and we decided we'll have one made with our current country shape on a onesie. We'll go out to the desert (where we did our engagement shoot) and be wearing it holding the onesie between us.

(Google these shirts! They're super soft and amazing and a portion goes to benefit MS research which affects a member of my family!)

Eta: timing. Ultimately it will depend on when/if I fall pregnant. I'd love to wait till about 12-15 weeks to tell extended family (undecided about immediate and those close with me) but if I am visiting home before then, I'll have to do it sooner. No one will believe me I've gone sober "just cause!" They'd all guess it immediately!!! Lol.

Oh. And I can't believe I forgot this. My moms early birthday/Christmas present this summer while I was home was a photo wall in her house with family sayings and all our family. I hid away a "grandma" saying (this would be her first grandchild) and frame and my best friend will go over and hang it when I tell her. I'll then Skype with my mom and tell her to go look at the wall to see her reaction!

colesmom33 · September 2015

For our DS, we told our extended family at a family Christmas Party. We always have Santa come and bring presents for the kids. We always just leave the pile of presents in the garage and Santa puts them in his bag before he comes into the party. We left one that said that said "Baby (our last name)". The Santa was great! He new what we were doing, so he waited until all the presents were handed out and then pulled out our present. He made a big production of counting all the kids and looking puzzled at the extra present. And then he said the name and I came and sat on his lap. All of our family were crying! It was one of my most favorite moments of my pregnancy!! Hopefully, with the next one, we will be able to come up with something just as special!

DobbysSock · September 2015

I won't do anything fancy for DH and our parents/siblings. Last time I gave DH a book (So You're Going to be a Dad) which he totally didn't get until I handed him the positive pregnancy test. We told our parents, siblings, and best friends right away as well but didn't do anything special. We did a Facebook announcement with a picture of a scrabble board with tiles spelling out our last name and "baby makes three" coming off of our last name (I'm a nerd and we love board games) at about 11 weeks because I got antsy

**trigger/TMI - bleeding during pregnancy**

The day after I posted the facebook picture, I woke up in a little puddle of blood. We went to the doctor and were able to hear a good heartbeat, but were in an awful limbo for a few days until I was able to get in for an ultrasound. I spent that whole week so mad at myself for announcing early and dreading having to "un-tell" the facebook world. I didn't regret telling family and friends early and will do that again because they were a great support that week, but I won't do an early public announcement again.

**end**

I think this time around for DH and family/close friends I'll just get DD (a little over 1.5yrs) to say something like "I'm gonna be a big sister" (she talks a lot for her age!). Maybe try to film her telling DH so we can send that to our parents. For Facebook after 12 weeks I'll do another cute post, but not sure what yet.

DH's best friend and his wife posted the CUTEST announcement video ever. She told her husband that they were recording a "happy birthday" message for their nephew, and they were each going to say part of the message, so it was like

H: Hello

W: Everybody

H: we

W: just

H: wanted

W: to

H:say

And then the wife turned to her husband and said "I'm pregnant!" He was so excited, it was really special to be able to share in that moment with them from a distance

LizM61409 · September 2015

Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

PrimRoseMama · September 2015

Since this is our last baby I'll probably do a cutesy announcement when I get pg. I'll tell immediate family straight up, but do something cute for an FB announcement at 12 weeks.

TCUFrog08 · September 2015

@AshPat0525 Every month I think of what would be a fun way to tell my family and friends.

@severmilli12- I LOVE that idea!! DH has a beard as well that he is quite obsessed with. We have beard oils, shampoo and even a special comb. lol

I have a Texans onsie jersey to give to DH, whenever we get a BFP. But I know I'll run out screaming tears of joy first. As for who we would tell, I have a 2-3 friends I would tell within the first week. Our parents, I'm not a 100% sure yet. But I know that we would tell them prior to the 8 weeks.

I also want to do an announcement for Facebook. I have friends that live all over the world from when I lived overseas and from college, so I will do an announcement around 13 weeks.

ShallowSeas · September 2015

@msdidonato lol he has beard oils and combs too! He gets real excited when he has "good beard days". He actually gets a lot of compliments on it. He'll LOVE the onesie I had made for him.

Schumerator · September 2015

LizM61409 said:

Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

I could definitely see where you are coming from here! I have recently tried to detach from social media more with the idea that people who want to be in my life and I want to be in there's will keep in touch and if not then we probably aren't that close! Although I do have some extended family that I talk to rarely but would still be interested in knowing and DH's mom is one of 6 children so we obviously won't be telling each of them individually lol but they would be happy for us and would be happy to see an announcement.

fitlady21 · September 2015

LizM61409 said:
Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

I don't have facebook so I won't be putting it there.

Schumerator · September 2015

severmilli12 said:

I plan on telling our parents and my sister right away...and a friend or two. Everyone else I'll wait to tell around 8 or 12 weeks. I bought a newborn onesie that says "My dad's beard is better than your dad's" with a picture of a beard because DH has a pretty awesome beard that he is in love with.
As for our parents, I'll probably be so excited about it that i'll just call and tell them. However, DH is an only child and so this will be his parents first grandbaby (my parents are already grandparents) so DH bought a set of pacifiers to give to them and be like "hey! guess what!". It was important to him

I looove this! DH has a beard and I love it! It's not one of those intense beards that men get beard jealousy from but it's substantial

I would love to have a onesie that says this

) And it will be DH's parents first grand baby and my mom's third, so my MIL is very pushy about us having babies and my mom is more like do it on your own time, no rush! Love that your DH already knows how he wants to tell his parents - adorable!

TCUFrog08 · September 2015

LizM61409 said:

Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

I only keep people on my Facebook that I want in my life. I have been in the process over the last year deleting people. If I see them on the street or in the grocery store and have nothing to say to them and I'm friends with them on Facebook, I delete them. If people post pictures and I can't pick out who I know in the picture, I delete whoever I am "friends" with in the picture.

I grew up in Asia for 11 years and have a lot of friends that's I stay in contact with that I grew up with there.

edited: I failed at the box spacing

mrstmoose · September 2015

LizM61409 said:

Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

I don't blame you, I have gone back and forth on it. Over the past couple of years, I have really deleted a lot of "friends" off Facebook and have it down to mainly people I would stop and talk to on the street if I saw them (seriously, this is how I decided who I would keep). I plan on announcing on Facebook just because it will get out to people I don't get to talk to very often. I also have my Facebook on extreme lock down because of my profession. But no, I bet there are plenty of people who will keep it away from social media.

blackgirlmagic · September 2015

When we first decided to start trying for a LO, I was on pinterest looking up ideas on how to tell my husband. But now I realize that I will properly wake him up at 5 in the morning after I temp, and take a test, and yell WE ARE PREGNANT!!!! As far as family I am on the fence. A) we cannot just tell one person and they keep their mouth shut. So everyone will.

a part of me wants to keep this our little secretly for the first 8 weeks. But DH wants to tell our parents and grandparents, but then the word would be out. I guess we will have to have more of a discussion about that whenever the time comes. It's not the first grand children for either or our parents. But as far as tell our parents I like these ideas:

Pregnancy announcement for your parents! this is the cutest idea! need to keep this in mind if we have more kids:

or

This is how we announced the news to my parents that we were pregnant with Caden. Picture frame 10 dollars, the look on their faces, priceless!:

sldp123 · September 2015

@jaceyannie what a nice idea! I can totally see everyone crying, I got a little teary-eyed reading it, haha.

izza2 · September 2015

AshPat0525 said:

For DH and I we have always discussed having the first 7-8 weeks just to ourselves to be excited about it and soak it all in, then we would tell parents/close family at 8 weeks, and the rest of our friends at 10-12 weeks!

I'd love to do one of those expecting pictures on Facebook to announce to friends and family but I am so not a creative person!

This.
DH and I haven't actually discussed a "timeline" of telling people -- but I don't want to tell everyone until I'm a little bit along and the chance of loss has diminished some. I'm terrified of having a MC. My mother suffered quite a few MCs in her lifetime, and although they were from outside factors, it still scares me to tell people and get excited, and then have to deal with not only my own depression/DH's depression, but my mother's and the rest of our family's.

Worry-wort over here, bringing the mood down. Sorry guys!

PrimRoseMama · September 2015

LizM61409 said:
Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

Some don't. My friends list is pretty much comprised of folks I talk to on the regular, and feel fairly close to. So I don't have problems announcing on FB because I screen my friends list fairly throughly.

RxWifey613 · September 2015

I am totally cart before the horse and have it all planned out! And I have purchased everything I need already haha

*note: I attached pics from my secret Pinterest board for better visuals, these are not my pics!

DH- I plan on telling him when he gets home from work that day or if we are both off at dinner. I bought a cute onesie that says "Dad you got this". Our baby will be the 1st baby DH has held! And the book "because I am your Dad" because he is excited to read to the baby.

Parents- waiting until after first sonogram. And giving my parents a Binkie from the baby

Facebook- after 12 weeks with a cute little boyfriend & girlfriend, then husband & wife and then mommy & daddy collage.

MNturnsVA · September 2015

I would want to do something cute to tell DH but I feel like if I were to leave a little note for him or a onesie or something, he may be upset that I didn't tell him immediately.

As far as everyone else goes, I think we'll probably wait until 12 weeks or so if we can. My parents have been good about no extra pressure or anything as of right now, but if were to lose it, I am not sure how they would react for future chances.

DobbysSock · September 2015

LizM61409 said:

Am I the only one who doesn't plan on putting the pregnancy on facebook at all? Do my "friends" I never see or talk to really need to know that badly? Of course family and friends will be told at some point but I don't feel the need to advertise it

I don't think there's anything wrong with not posting it on facebook, but I don't really see at as advertising for those who do choose to post something. For me at least, I don't have a huge friend list. If I wouldn't say hello to you on the street then I'm not friends with you on Facebook. But both DH and I have very large extended families, plus the majority of my extended family lives overseas. I can't afford to make international phone calls to each and every cousin, aunt and uncle so my way of communicating with them about my life is to share with them on Facebook. Just one perspective of why someone may choose to post an announcement!

R0824H · September 2015

So many good ideas here!

I want to plan something for DH, I keep changing my mind and ultimately will probably just tell him as soon as it happens. If I test before I go to work and DH is gone I'll stop on the way home and get a cake with "Thanks for knocking me up" on it. Not original or 'super cute' but that's totally something he'd get a kick out of.

I'd like to wait and announce to my immediate family ..but like I said I can't keep secrets all that well so I'll likely call my mom ASAP and just answer with "Hey Grandma!"

as for FB...I'm a huge worry-wart too...so I'll probably wait until about 16 weeks at least.

adiaz132003 · September 2015

If I get KU this month the timing works perfectly for our 3 year anniversary! We are going on a getaway to a B&B so that morning when he goes to work I'll POAS and hope for a BFP. It will be 11 DPO so I hope that's late enough. We call our maybe baby "little acorn" since DH loves fall. I'm gonna give him a gift for our "anniversary" with a cute onsie and when he opens it and realize what it is I'll be holding an actual acorn that I found in our yard! As for family I have a couple people I'll tell right away but everyone else will wait till 11-12 weeks!

Bubblegum5586 · September 2015

I will tell H immediately, this is something we are trying to do together and I think it wouldn't make him happy for me to withhold any info (plus he's not into surprises)

I will tell my mom and sister within the first few days of knowing, and my dad & step dad and 2 best friends prob around 6 weeks. At that point H will probably want his immediate family to know too. Which nothing against them but that does feel like a lot of people that early! 6 months ago I would have said not telling anyone till 10 weeks in fear of MC, but since then I had a friend MC and I have read several articles on how it is better to have a small support system while experiencing that and there is no shame in it. And we have started to feel some pressure from our families and honestly I rather they know about a MC then keep pressuring us and having to keep that to ourselves....

Rest of our friends and extended family 12 weeks...which could time well with the holidays!

For FB I would want to wait until like 20 weeks. If I get a BFP this month that could time well with our 10 year dating anniversary. Something about celebrating a whole decade together and now it's time to add one more... or something like that!

IB113 · September 2015

I've been thinking about this too and I asked DH whether he wanted a surprise or to be a part of the testing process because I think it is really important to try to involve both interested parties in the whole pregnancy. I think sometimes husbands/partners feel left out since they aren't the pregnant one, and they shouldn't feel like they are a bystander. He said he really wasn't sure, so I told him to think about it and let me know. If he doesn't have a preference, I will probably share with him immediately. I think I will plan something special to do with him or give him that first day or week, but I am not sure that he should have to wait for the news.

Spread out the special stuff!

adiaz132003 · September 2015

IB113 said:
I've been thinking about this too and I asked DH whether he wanted a surprise or to be a part of the testing process because I think it is really important to try to involve both interested parties in the whole pregnancy. I think sometimes husbands/partners feel left out since they aren't the pregnant one, and they shouldn't feel like they are a bystander. He said he really wasn't sure, so I told him to think about it and let me know. If he doesn't have a preference, I will probably share with him immediately. I think I will plan something special to do with him or give him that first day or week, but I am not sure that he should have to wait for the news.

Spread out the special stuff!

Good point! I heard of one woman who peed on a test and left the room so DH could be the first to know and he came out and said "we're pregnant". My DH asked if we could do that but I couldn't give up the control lol

DeePaddy24 · September 2015

I bought a football soother & the book "Your baby's first word will be Dada" by Jimmy Fallon..I've got them hidden in a drawer. I'd like to think I could have those sitting on the counter with a BFP for DH to see...but, since we've been so disappointed with all the BFN's the last few months I will probably just run out of the bathroom screaming/crying/laughing, & he'll know right away.

Every now & then I think of cute ways to tell my parents, & I will tell them fairly early. I'll wait a bit longer before we let my in-laws know...they aren't great with secrets, & we aren't as close with them. I'm sure we'll tell a few close friends, as well, but the majority of our friends will find out closer to the 12 week mark.

Even if it is putting the cart before the horse, it's still fun to think about!

lm45678 · September 2015

For hubby: I have a present wrapped an ready to give him... In it is a cute white baby outfit, a gray little bear toy and a book with a handwritten note in it. I want to tell him immediately, but I want to tell him in a special way as this will be our first LO.

For my parents: I will tell them pretty much right away, I originally bought them two christmas ornaments (mom is obsessed) one from Antigua where we went on the honeymoon and one that says "expecting baby m". Its taking a little bit longer, so I may rethink how to tell my parents. I was thinking of maybe getting a picture frame?

For facebook/annoucement photos: If i don't give my mom the ornament (and I get KU this month) I was thinking of a picture of our tree in the background with the ornament front and center saying something like "we've added a special ornament to the tree this year". If timing isn't right for that I'll have to rethink... but probably something based around a holiday. (Our little pumpkin, turkey, valentine, etc)

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