The Standard "How Will You Tell" Thread

[cosmicav]

So, my plan is probably to put LO in a "big brother" shirt and set him loose among the family at a get together in August. Then just see how long it takes for people to notice. I'll be like 10-11 weeks at that point. However, I feel like this is such a cliched way to tell the news (not that this is necessarily a bad thing!), and I am open to other ideas too.

What is everyone doing to announce their pregnancy? Or, if you have already shared with people, how did you do it? 

Share with the class please!  

[staccajaye]

Love the idea of letting him loose at a family get together, film it

I just received a "I'm going to be a big sister in Feb17 " that I ordered off Etsy. DH and I haven't told anyone. When my parents come back up next month we will put dd in the shirt and go out to dinner. When we take her jacket off we will see how long it takes them
I'll do the same with my best friend.
When I found out we were pregnant with DD, I was living in Canada so I couldn't tell any of my fam/friends in person, so this time I'm quite excited.

[notagoddess]

I've already told my parents and grandmother (who lives with them). We made some decisions about work and housing that would have been confusing without knowing about the pregnancy. It was just easier to tell.

I told my best friend the day I found out. I also told my mentor at a former job because I wanted to get his advice on a career decision.

For everyone else, I'm going to tell them in August after I graduate. I'll be at 12 weeks then. I'm just going to tell them in person or by phone, no special announcement. I wish I could fast forward to then!

[cosmicav]

Last time around, I told my mom early on, and she told everyone even though I told her not to say anything :[ When I told my sisters, they were like "mom told us, we know!" Seriously mom? She has always been an attention whore, so I should have known, but still. Anyway, this time she is going to be the last person to know. #learnfromyourmistakes

Nobody except for me and H knows right now (also the nurse I called to schedule the pre-natal appointment, lol), and I am enjoying having the secret but I am SO EXCITED to share!!

staccajaye the last time around, I had to tell everyone by phone for similar reasons (we were hours apart from family) but this time I have the chance to do it in person, so I am extra excited about it.

[bagels]

I'll tell family once we hear the heartbeat and most likely by text so they can filter their rude comments on my big family. ILs aren't a fan of more than 2 kids. I've already told my sister and mom because they were very supportive during my losses.

[meladorie]

We went to a family members wedding last week. It's very unusual for me not to drink. Everyone figured it out. I've told my boss and my closest friends. Once I'm further along and ready for an official reveal I'm all over the cliche big brother shirt.

[CoffeeOnIce]

I'm pretty much waiting for a drink to be offered to me to blab to my closest friends. One of my good friends is my daycare provider for DD and I will tell her the day of our 8 week appt since I'm hoping she can watch her later than usual. We'll probably just tell other friends and family the next time we see them after that ultrasound goes well (FX) by just directly telling them. I had my fun with telling dh, I just want to get this news off my chest!!

[linewifekat]

I told my dad because we would need him to help with our daughter in case of a loss and we've told close friends but we're waiting until mid July to tell my mom, stepdad, sister, in laws, and extended family. I'll be 10-11 weeks and I'm not sure how we'll tell them.

[cwatmack]

We used the cliche big brother shirt for my family and close friends. I just had cake smash pictures taken and had the photographer do a few with a big brother sign that we are using to tell the in laws and eventually on social media.

[ktl23]

Our families know and we will probably just slowly let the news out as we see people. Probably a social media announcement in the fall. I feel less excited about telling people this time around and it bums me out. Maybe my mood will change as it sinks in more. Womp.

[ImAPepper]

We are considering waiting and doing the gender reveal along with telling the "general public." We haven't told our parents yet so we will do that next weekend.

[staccajaye]

cosmicav Yay, let me know how "in person" goes. I cannot wait, even though it's still a month away.

bagels That's shitty!! But who gives a fuck right, it's your little family, and if you want more then 3 kids, do it. They are the ones with the problem, not you.
3 kids is a blessing, don't for one moment let their option upset you, ever.

[addymac]

I'm not sure how we will tell people. Probably over FaceTime with our parents since we don't live near any of them... And over FaceTime w my sister. We have a rocky relationship w his brother so I'd rather never tell them but we obviously have to. Otherwise I'm sure it'll come out at work the day they try to get me to hold a kid for an X-ray and I yell nope!

[tiffw2012]

Our parents, siblings, and my grandmother already know. I'm telling my closest girlfriends today at brunch. I won't do a social media announcement until fall, maybe once we know the sex. It can be hard to keep it in. It's exciting news to share!

[lilmonk]

My mom is flying out from the US for a visit in August. I'm hoping to pick her up from the airport with DS holding a sign saying "Welcome Back Granny, All three(strikeout) four of us missed you!" Or something. Cliche shirts may be in order. And see how long it takes her to read through the jet lag.

I've told a couple of friends here that may need to help with DS if there's a loss. But I refuse to tell MIL until 12-13 weeks as she told everyone when we explicitly asked her not to with both DS and our loss. I never get to announce to DH's side of the family (or even anyone) because she can't keep her mouth shut.

Last time she told the doctor before I even got a chance to see him (yay small towns). So when I had my loss I told her since her mouth was so big she had to tell everyone she talked to about it because if one person came up to me and asked about my pregnancy she wouldn't know until last if we ever were expecting again. I'm keeping my word.

[Deleted]

lilmonk - that sucks about your balbby MIL.

Enjoy telling people your way this time!

[Deleted]

Well we were originally planning on waiting to tell family and friends until 12 weeks but after the twin surprise we told my parents last night and will tell DHs family next weekend when we see them.

I'm not sure when well broadcast it on Facebook or tell extended family. Partly because my sister (who tried for about a year and had a miscarriage in February of this year as well) just announced she's prego-11 weeks. So I feel like me posting or telling family right now will steal her thunder. Open to thoughts please.

Original social media announcement was the shoe pics with DH/me and LO then a pair of baby booties. With 2 not sure what we will do now.

[notagoddess]

@jacks605, if there's any history of competition between you two I would wait a few weeks before posting on social media. I wouldn't let that stop you from telling close family, though.

[shellbell]

We did the tshirt thing with my parents and will do it again with my sister. Will not do it with mil because she would never notice what DS is wearing. She would have to notice DS for that.

[pivot]

Love everyone's ideas! lilmonk the sign idea is adorable!

We told MIL and FIL by the tshirt. It took them maybe 5 minutes to notice. We will tell everyone else after the first scan. We will probably tell our grandparents by giving them copies of the ultrasound framed - they would never notice the shirt. We will probably use the shirt for my parents & siblings. I love seeing how long it takes people to figure it out!

Will probably announce to social media late August/Early September. I found a big sister training camp picture where you set up a tent and a rocking station, feeding station, etc. and put DD in the middle. I think I'll give that a shot and see if she cooperates lol

[wildflower810]

We put DS in a Big Brother shirt to tell the in-laws. It worked out that MIL found out first, then FIL arrived, then everyone else a while later. It was great. We live far away from any family so we jumped at the chance to tell them in person even though I was less than 4 weeks along. I've told a few friends... H is itching to tell a few of his. With DS we were unemployed, unplanned pregnancy, newly married, and scared. We got a lot of shock, silence, and "but [H] doesn't have a job yet..." reactions.

This time around is so different and I'm excited to tell people sooner and have positive responses. If, heaven forbid, something happens these are the people I'm going to need support from.

For social media I'm hoping to play off of the fact that H is an eldest, and I'm a second eldest. DS is an eldest, and kiddo will be a second. 1s and 2s and something. I'll figure it out.

[shawnabm1320]

I'm waiting to tell my dad and grandma until my dads back from his honeymoon. I'll probably tell my sister soon, since baby is due around her birthday. I think she'll be excited. My mom is also an AW so she'll be later, second to last. Last will be my moms side. Mostly because my grandma will immediately tell everyone, and we'll probably wait a little bit before announcing on social media. Last time I did it around 16 weeks! We might do it sooner this time. Maybe 13/14 weeks.

I already told my best friend (the first day the stick looked slightly positive), and my closest friend at church - who is like a second mom to me (a better mom than my own?). I'm not sure when we'll tell H's parents. We haven't discussed it yet.

I'll probably stick DS in a t-shirt that says something about being a brother, or needing a sidekick, or only child status expiring, or something like that. I like the idea of waiting to see how long it takes for people to notice!!

[PepperPottsJ]

I've promised MH he can tell his brother post heartbeat. My sister knows because she is on tcf, but H thinks I haven't told her. Otherwise I don't think we'll tell anyone until mid August. I want to do a cute photo shoot, but would only share it with the rents.
Similarly my MIL is an asshole and not only will she blab, she'll remind me I don't have a mother, and be super opinionated. Ideally she will find out in March

[flyinghorses6]

Both sides of our parents and siblings know. But other than that just my best friend.

I'll be around 13 weeks for my grandmas surprise 80th birthday and it's a big family reunion....so I'll dress K in a big sister shirt. And hopefully I'll get a cute pic of her in it that I can post on Instagram at some point.

With all the cookouts, parties, and festivities coming up I think most of our close friends will find out sooner. I am going to rock a bikini with my blump and that's that.

[littleredfish]

I told my dad on father's day with a locket Keychain with 3 photo spaces in it. I put the 2 girls pics and "February 2017" in the other. It took him and my stepmother a second to get it.

We did family pics with my mom and while her and my sister were having their pics taken I yelled out " I'M PREGNANT" and the photographer got their reactions. My sister was really reactive but my mom is not a reactive person but it was still cute. DD1 told my grandmother which was sweet and not expected or planned by me.

DH told his parents and 2 close friends by phone.

We will do a FB reveal at 12 weeks for everybody else (my fb friends list is only friends and family, I keep it limited so that's the easiest way to reach everybody.) I want to do a pic of all of us, including our pets because we have a lot, with DD1 holding the US pic over her head or something and the caption "3 ring circus: coming soon" or something like that because we always refer to our crazy house as a circus.

[wildflower810]

If anyone wants to steal my sneaky announcement idea... for DS I took a picture of my legs/painted toes by the pool with WTEWYE casually laying on the lounge chair next to me. It took people a bit to get it and it was hilarious.

[allisong87]

We told our immediate family already and put a big brother shirt on our LO. It was funny to see their reactions and how long it took for them to notice.

For the extended family and friends I'm not sure how we'll announce that yet!!

[cosmicav]

Hugs to those of y'all with the attention-whore moms or MILs. Cheers to not letting them steal our thunder!

[beachdreamer]

We're doing the Big Brother shirt, too, for IL side of the family. We haven't decided if we will do it next weekend when I'm 8 weeks or early August when I'll be in 2nd tri. Those are pretty much our two choices because those are the times when all of that side of the family will be together due to birthday celebrations.

We are expecting that my parents will come up around the time we move. (They live 6 hours away). I'll be 10-11 weeks at that time. I want to tell them face-to-face so that's our first chance to do so. I ordered DS a "Big Brothers are the Best" book. I am going to give it to him and tell him to take his new book for grandma or grandpa to read to him. They should catch it pretty quickly but I'm interested to see.