Do: Take a back seat and let your partner lead the way. Your partner knows his or her parents better than you do, so let your partner do the talking on this one. Remember, you'll be getting lots of attention for the next nine months as it is, and this is a moment they've likely thought about for some time.
Many women choose to delay announcing a pregnancy at least until the end of the first trimester (12 weeks into their pregnancy). This is usually because of concerns about the risk of miscarriage (pregnancy loss) during this time.
It will be difficult, I'm sure, but you need to get in the habit of standing up for what you think is right, even (and especially) against imperious MILs. As your daughter grows older, she will be glad and proud that you didn't stand by and do nothing when something you cared about was at stake.
While many women know they are pregnant as early as a week after a missed period, social norms dictate pregnancy announcements should wait until after the all-important 12-week mark.
Now you've got to make some crucial decisions and break the biggest news of your life. While there's no legal requirement to tell the father that you're pregnant, you may feel that he deserves to know. But, where do you even begin? Take a deep breath and take one step at a time.
The sooner you tell them, the better. It may be tempting to put off the conversation. But the longer you wait to tell them, the harder it will be both for you and for them.
Don't blurt it out in passing or while you're in a public place, and don't tell them in anger or out of fear. Think through beforehand what you want to say and where and give them a heads up that you want to sit down and talk. A good way to do this is to write all of your thoughts down on paper.
Don't scare your parents by saying, "I have some really bad news." Instead, say, "I have something very difficult to tell you." You don't know exactly they are going to react until you tell them - try to avoid them jumping to conclusions from the get-go by saying you have a difficult situation to explain, not a bad ...
You might be worried about how your parents will react, or maybe you're scared their opinion of you will change. No matter what you're feeling, there are steps you can take to make it easier for you to tell your parents the news.
I know the norm is to keep a pregnancy top secret until around twelve weeks when the risk of miscarriage drops. There are many statistics out there, but the most common is that one in four known pregnancies will end in miscarriage, with the risk being highest early in the first trimester.
Frame your words so that your parents have some time to absorb the news. Try to be direct and stay strong in how you tell them. You may start by saying, “I have something difficult to tell you. I just found out I am pregnant,” then wait calmly for their reaction and be prepared for it.
They may feel excited about becoming a parent and shower their partner with love and care. Other men may respond more negatively, feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility of becoming a father or scared that it will damage their relationship.
As a general rule of thumb don't ever ask! Even if you think someone looks pregnant, don't assume that they are.
There's no right or wrong time to tell people you're pregnant. It's up to you to decide what's best for you and, if you have a partner, you may want to decide together. Some people choose to wait until after they've had the first ultrasound scan. It's your baby, so it's up to you.
Most miscarriages - 8 out of 10 (80 percent) - happen in the first trimester before the 12th week of pregnancy. Miscarriage in the second trimester (between 13 and 19 weeks) happens in 1 to 5 in 100 (1 to 5 percent) pregnancies. Pregnancy loss that happens after 20 weeks is called stillbirth.
Most of our mamas on Peanut decide the best time to announce pregnancy is at 12 weeks. However, the majority of expecting mamas also decide that as soon as they find out they're pregnant is also a good time to announce pregnancy to immediate family, close friends, and their partner.
Be polite: If you can't be overtly nice, then at least be polite. Don't overrule what she has to say. Also, don't get into an argument or debate with her during your first meeting. Call her often: To make sure that you communicate well with your mom-in-law call her at frequent intervals.
In fact, there are many reasons why people might not want to share their pregnancy news: they might have experienced loss, the pregnancy might have been unwanted, they might already have what people perceive as “enough/too many kids,” etc.