Pregnancy Announcements - the Do's and Don'ts!

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It’s an exciting time in your life - you’re pregnant - and you want to tell the world, or at least those closest to you! But when is the right time to make an announcement? How do you make an announcement? And what do you need to consider?

At Cadenshae we're extremely fortunate to have a great community of moms who are willing to share their announcement stories so other parents can learn what to do, and best of all, what not to do!

Here's what you'll find out: 

1. When should you announce your pregnancy to family?
2. How to announce your pregnancy to family?
3. How many tell their family before an official announcement?
4. When to announce your pregnancy to everyone?
5. How to announce your pregnancy to everyone?
6. How many get creative with their pregnancy announcement?
7. When is the right time to announce your pregnancy?
8. Is nine weeks too early to announce pregnancy?
9. Why is 12 weeks safe to announce pregnancy?
10. Pregnancy announcement photos - inspiration for you!

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Ok, let's jump in...

1. When should you announce your pregnancy to family?

Everyone's circumstances are different, but we found most parents-to-be told their family they were expecting when they were between four and eight weeks pregnant.

•   5%   4 weeks pregnant or less.
• 22%   4-5 weeks pregnant.
• 23%   6-7 weeks pregnant.
• 17%   8-9 weeks pregnant.
• 10%   10-11 weeks pregnant.
• 16%   12-13 weeks pregnant.
•   4%   14-15 weeks pregnant.
•   2%   16-17 weeks pregnant.
•   1%   18 weeks pregnant or more.

A couple of points to consider:

“I actually think it’s a really personal thing and I support people who announce it earlier/later than my preference - which was the beginning of the second trimester. If you're announcing it earlier, you need to be prepared for the fact you may miscarry, and you will then need to inform those people of that fact. If you leave it later and are visibly showing - even if it’s no one else’s business - you need to be prepared that people may start noticing and have an opinion. For my second pregnancy, we told family and close friends immediately, but didn’t tell work until early in the second trimester.”

“Telling close family and friends is important as you’ll need support if anything goes wrong - but personally I don’t want the rest of the world knowing my personal business.”

2. How to announce your pregnancy to family?

Congratulations! You’ve tested positive! Morning sickness has most likely become a daily occurrence and now it’s time to tell your family! No doubt you’re wondering how to share your special news with your nearest and dearest.

• Do you sit them down and tell them?
• Are they located far away so you have no choice but to do it over the phone/zoom?
• Or do you have some fun with it, and slip a hint in somewhere?

We found that 68% of expecting parents announced their pregnancy to their family in person, one-by-one. Nineteen per cent did it over the phone, 8% at dinner and the remaining 5% announced via other methods - such as using photo gift tags on Christmas presents, gift boxes, customised Christmas crackers, a surprise photo, or hints that there is a, ‘bun in the oven!’

3. How many people tell their family before an official announcement?

Telling the closest people in your life you’re pregnant before you announce to everyone else is the preferred choice for most parents-to-be. In fact 93% of parents surveyed spoke to their family before letting the general ‘public’ know.

A couple of points to consider:

“Sometimes telling family early can mean they tell everyone your news instead of you. It’s a fine balance!”

“Do what you want. There's no right or wrong way to announce a pregnancy. Although, most future Grandparents want to know before you make a social media announcement.”

4. When to announce your pregnancy to everyone?

It’s a widely discussed topic that generally holds very little judgement from others due to the fact it’s a deeply personal choice. The most common time pregnancies are announced is once the mother reaches 12 weeks. This is because mothers are in what is considered the ‘safe zone’ from a medical standpoint.

“I don't think there is a universal ‘right’ time for people to announce their pregnancy, as each person is so different and has different circumstances and experiences. I think that you should tell whoever you want to celebrate and share the joy with, but also have the support too in case you need it. Some people are more private while others are open to sharing more, and both are totally okay. I think we need to take the shame out of miscarriage and part of that is having the conversation that it happened.”

We asked the Cadenshae community when they announced their pregnancy to everyone, this is what we found out:

•   0%   4 weeks pregnant or less.
•   0%   4-5 weeks pregnant.
•   1%   6-7 weeks pregnant.
•   2%   8-9 weeks pregnant.
•   4%   10-11 weeks pregnant.
• 32%   12-13 weeks pregnant.
• 24%   14-15 weeks pregnant.
•   8%   16-17 weeks pregnant.
•   5%   18-19 weeks pregnant.
•   9%   20-21 weeks pregnant.
•   2%   22-23 weeks pregnant.
•   2%   24-25 weeks pregnant.
•   1%   26-27 weeks pregnant.
•   0%   28 weeks pregnant or more.
• 10%   I didn’t.

5. How to announce your pregnancy to everyone?

With social media so completely ingrained in our lives, it has become the most efficient and effective method of communication for most announcements. It’s no wonder then that social media sites 'Facebook' and 'Instagram' were the preferred platform in which to announce a pregnancy for 75% of those surveyed.

Below are the most popular methods for announcing a pregnancy:

• 55%   Facebook.
• 20%   Instagram.
• 20%   In person (or by phone for those far away).
•   4%   Other.
•   1%   Email.

A few points to consider:

"Do whatever you want, whenever! It’s your joy and story! Be mindful if you have friends that are struggling with pregnancy, maybe tell them separately.”

“If you’re not ready to tell people, don’t feel pressured to.”

“It's completely up to what feels right for you."

6. How many get creative with their pregnancy announcement?

Along with the rise of social media, the idea of finding unique and creative ways to announce your pregnancy is becoming more and more popular. If you want to get creative, be sure to have a good think about what you want to do, and ensure you come up with the right pregnancy announcement wording for the most impact!

• 57% of parents get creative with their pregnancy announcement.
• 43% of parents get the message out there in a more simple fashion.

7. When is the right time to announce your pregnancy?

“I think the right time to announce your pregnancy is as soon as you want to. Some people want others to know early on and have support through everything no matter what happens. There is no right answer, it's a personal decision and whatever you choose, is the right time.”

We asked mothers when the right time to announce a pregnancy was. The responses were:

•   6%   Less than 8 weeks pregnant.
•   9%   8-12 weeks pregnant.
• 79%   12-16 weeks pregnant.
•   4%   16-20 weeks pregnant.
•   2%   20-24 weeks pregnant.
•   0%   24-28 weeks pregnant.
•   0%   28 weeks pregnant or more.

A few points to consider:

“Honestly, I think there is no right or wrong time, just what feels right for each person. We chose to announce once we had our initial scans done and had seen our doctor.”

“I would rather not tell anyone. If something goes wrong (which I have experienced) it was far easier to deal with it on my own rather than having to worry about everyone else’s emotions. Just my personal opinion though, other people like having the support of everyone knowing.”

“Really the right time is when you’re ready, but for me once I got the all clear at 12 weeks I wanted to scream it from the rooftops! I just somehow held out until 20 weeks for the gender reveal.”

“I wish I had announced my second pregnancy right when I found out, then I would’ve been able to have everyone share in my grief over my miscarriage too. Instead of just trying to smile and shrug when asked, ‘are you going to have another?’ or ‘why didn’t you try to have them closer in age?’”

“I think 12 weeks plus is the best time to announce as seven/eight weeks is the most common time to miscarry.  I recommend only telling the people who you would also be comfortable telling that you’ve miscarried. This is so you don't get people coming up to you asking how your pregnancy is going and them and you feeling awkward."

8. Is nine weeks too early to announce pregnancy?

As stated, there is a higher chance of miscarriage in the first 12 weeks, which is why some mums prefer to wait until then. Many believe it's easier to tell only their closest friends and family of a miscarriage, rather than everyone else.

However, a few points to consider:

“I've had two miscarriages in my first trimester. After the first, you find out how common a miscarriage can be and so to avoid having to let everyone know I had a miscarriage, it was easier to wait with my second.”

“Give yourself time to enjoy the special news before telling everyone. It’s a special time and kind of fun having a secret from the world.”

“Any time that’s right for you is right. A lot of parents are a bit more confident (and mum is usually starting to feel a bit better) in the second trimester. After a miscarriage, I was very hesitant to announce too soon.”

“Any pregnancy (successful or lost) should be recognised, celebrated, and grieved if need be. The notion of making women believe they have to wait until 12 weeks disregards all those babes who weren’t ready for earth and grew their wings before the 12 week mark. Ultimately, the decision is up to the parents, but no one should be made to feel it’s ‘too early’ to honour the new life they’ve created.”

9. Why is 12 weeks safe to announce pregnancy? 

The chances of a miscarriage are drastically reduced once a pregnancy reaches 12 weeks. Referred to as the ‘safe zone,’’ it is the most common point in time when pregnancies are announced.

10. Pregnancy announcement meme - inspiration for you!

As a little treat from us to you, here is a 20% OFF discount code so you can grab some maternity leggings or clothing to keep that growing bump feeling comfy and supported. Simply enter the code ANNOUNCE20 at checkout. 

Written by Nikki Clarke.