I would love to hear everyone's creative ideas!
-
We got everyone gifts (at separate occasions). We got my dad and stepmom grandma/grandpa coffee mugs, my mom a grandma wine glass, and a “countdown to becoming grandparents” calendar for DH’s parents.
-
After four pregnancies/losses, people don't really get excited anymore. Plus my mom has 14 grandchildren.
I told my mom on the phone and texted SIL. I'll tell my sister when she comes to my house next week with my cousin. My cousin WILL get excited, so I'm saving that one for in person. We made a pact years ago that I'd have my BFF text my cousin telling her she has a secret, and that's how she'll know. (Because my cousin said she had a secret, and my BFF guessed that someone that she'd never met was pregnant)
DH's mother gets insanely worried when I get pregnant, so we'll probably wait a while to tell her and DH will probably just do it by phone.
-
I didn't like doing it with momentos in case there was a loss, and I wasn't able to wait the 12 weeks, either.
We tried to steer the conversations towards holiday travel (all family lived across the country) and we said, "Well, unfortunately we won't be able to travel Christmas.... pause.... but we'd really like you to come out in January.... pause.... because there'll be a new member of the family for you to meet."
This time we made Father's Day cards that say, "2 kids + 2 grandkids = 1 awesome grandpa" and sign our names+baby.
-
I am so not creative. We just told them over the phone both times. The second time was awful because we were just in shock that we got pregnant unexpectedly.
-
we told our parents by giving them frames with the picture part saying "insert photo of your new grandbaby here" baby our last name coming November.
I told my sisters by asking if they thought a cousin was a good 1st birthday gift for my youngest nephew (his birthday is 4 days before my due date) -
My husband works for a company based in Toronto, so we invited my parents to lunch and then told them we were moving to Toronto. Then we said, just kidding! We're expecting. This probably wouldn't be a popular option with everyone but my family thought it was hilarious. Everyone agreed that I did not let the joke sit long enough before I told them we were kidding, but I was worried about my mom legitimately starting to panic (we currently live in the same city so it would be a big change).
-
@skinnycow: I wouldn't have thought of a countdown calendar - super cute idea!
@MaryM: I'm sorry your family wasn't more excited, but that's awesome about your cousin!
@DesertDreams88: So great to be able to announce on father's day!
@avivoca: Hah, that would be me but by sheer luck we're going to see both of our families in person right around the start of second tri (we rarely see them) so it inspired me to think of something...
@snarkybiochemist: Aw... and that's awesome your LO will have a cousin so close in age, and if I remember right, you see your sister fairly often?
@nwm:
My husband wants to do something along those lines with his mom.
-
@periwinklebee: Pretty often, my family is big on get togethers. I am looking forward to hand-me-downs, even if I have to convince my sister that a little girl can totally wear most of the little boy pjs
-
@periwinklebee: haha, my parents live 45 minutes away! The first time, I drove to Kroger on my lunch break so I could sit in the car and tell my mom the day I tested. The second time was the day after we found out we were expecting and they were concerned because we didn't sound excited (we were just in shock, my second is the result of an oops).
-
We didn't do anything super creative, just tried to get everyone in the same room. We tried to schedule a brunch with my in-laws after my first u/s, but the timing didn't work. So we explained to them why we wanted to do the brunch on the date/time we wanted to. When we said, "because our first ultrasound is tomorrow" my MIL immediately got it, but it took FIL and BIL a few minutes to realize what we were saying. With my side of the family, we gathered everyone and asked about their plans for the following February, and told them they needed to plan to be around to meet the new baby instead. We told DH's extended family at a family dinner by asking his grandmother, "How would you feel about being a great-grandmother?" (DS is the first of his generation on that side). And we told our church family (where DH is on staff) with a slide with a picture of us on a tandem bicycle and the caption: "Needed: Bicycle built for 3. Baby due Feb."
-
We did basically nothing. With the first, we told my mom that we'd figured out what we were going to get her for her birthday, but we just needed to know if she wanted a boy or a girl (B was due right around her birthday), and we just told our inlaws over Skype by telling them we wanted to show them a photo and then it was the ultrasound. With the second we told our inlaws that next time they visited they were going to have to share the guestroom with a new baby, and for my family we taught B to say baby and then asked him what was in Mommy's tummy.
-
I was 11wks on my dad's birthday, so we invited our parents and sibling over for lunch. I printed an ultrasound photo with a label that said, "Temporary Photo -- official version e.t.a [due date]" and wrapped it up as his birthday present.
He opened it and looked confused for a moment. Then my mom said, "Is that what I think it is?"
I wanted to wait til 12 weeks but his birthday was too convenient to pass up. Plus it got me out of coming up with another idea for a birthday present!
I did let my sister -- our only sibling -- know ahead of time. because I figured it would overshadow the day. Our parents tend to be kind of overbearing. I didn't think she would mind but I did think she'd appreciate the heads up.
By the way, I have no idea why my dad was so confused by this!
-
I was visiting home very early on before I'd told anyone (I'd really just found out and was still processing the news) and my mom kinda guessed. I was obviously a little low energy and inexplicably eating oyster crackers, and she asked if I was OK so many times, I finally just out and told her.
-
I wish we were better at this! The first two kids I told my mom and brother after seeing the heartbeat on ultrasound, by phone/email/in person depending on the situation. And I had a really hard time saying it out loud each time, perhaps superstition, but made it awkward. Because of prior losses it was always "and we'll see what happens". My husband waited longer to tell his parents and he did it over the phone without me . . . they're kind of odd about news like that so it worked fine.
For this third baby that we lost, I texted my mom and brother a photo of a big brother tshirt for LO2 next to a calendar page for October (after seeing the heartbeat again). I actually did the text because I was afraid of hearing a bad response to having #3 and I wanted to let it settle first. What was really bad about my husband's plan though was that this time, I had a D&C at 11w so while I just had to update my family, he decided to tell them for the first time while also telling them I was having a D&C in two days (I think he felt like he should tell them since I was going under anesthesia and the kids would know I went to the hospital, etc).
I really have no idea what we'll do if we get pregnant again. I think I would still tell my mom earlier, maybe even before heartbeat this time, but no fancy announcement. Everyone else I'm not sure.
-
We didn't do anything special for our families, just told them. I ended up losing several pregnancies, so it ended up for the best anyway. I remember telling some extended members of the family about being pregnant with LO by showing my ultrasound photo (NT scan). And we did a cute gender reveal so we made up for it a bit that way.
Edited to add: Actually, I do remember putting LO in a t-shirt that said "Big sister" when we wanted to announce. I think I forgot about that because we lost that pregnancy too.
For our next pregnancy, we waited until much later and then had LO (who was older at that point) tell MIL that she was getting a baby brother. That was very cute.
-
With my first pregnancy and this pregnancy my nausea/vomitting outed me. The first both my parents noticed my aversion to the food being cooked (venison) and guessed. With this pregnancy I was with my mom and sister for the weekened, and it was pretty easy for them to notice my vomitting. I needed to tell them it wasn't going to spread to them too
No grand announcements!
-
That is my fav part though! My first child was waiting for a lot of presents... Luckily, it was Christmas coming when we found out. We have invited all members of my family to our Christmas dinner. It was an amazing warm atmosphere. Everybody started opening their presents, my boy was so impressed because of the Lego
Then, everybody got a card with directions pointing at me. It was like a quest, I would say. Then, when everybody realised the present was somewhere around me, I opened the jacket suddenly. There was a sticker on my belly, saying 'here I am’!! I got tons of congrats that time. While my son was wondering why I have probably eaten his and everybody's present! Ahaha It was kinda funny. Family helped him to understand that there will be someone else living next to his room. He was surprisingly happy saying that he would love to share all the toys and space he has with someone younger than his always-tired-n-boring father. We laughed our heads off!
-
We waited until we saw the heartbeat....we told our parents on mother's day. We got a frame for my mom that said I love you grandma (this would have been her first grand child) with the ultrasound picture in the frame. as for my MIL we got her a tree frame with all her other grandkids in the branches and on one of the branches had the ultrasound picture on the branch. (I'm probably doing an awful job of describing it!) two weeks later we no longer had a heart beat.... not really sure what we will do for the next one....
-
@bhbee: We're similar with telling my mom earlier and DH's mom later.
My mom is supportive either way, and I know she has all her church friends praying for positive outcomes. DH's mom just worries herself to death no matter what we do or do not do. She wondered if our second was stillborn because we took a trip to New York (???).
I tell my mom pretty early for the support...but DH's mom is usually filled in later. Last pregnancy, it wasn't until we knew the baby had Trisomy and wasn't going to make it.
-
@MaryM: big hug for um ... unique MILs
I hope so much that this is your take home baby!
-
@MaryM: @bhbee: My MIL is the same way. She will worry herself sick and also smother me. she'll ask daily if she can do anything to help and how I'm feeling. And that is just not my personality, I hate that. So I told DH we're waiting as long as humanly possible to tell them. Like 6 months if I can make it. Lol. But we see her weekly (yippee for me) so I'll prob have to tell them sooner than I'd like.
We never did anything too exciting. With my parents we Facetimed my mom and forget how but came up with a random reason to get my dad too. I think I said it's just been a while since we spoke. Then when they were both there I said it was bad connection I'll call right back. When I did I held the ultrasound pic from our NT scan up to the camera so they saw it as soon as they answered.
For my ILs I think my husband just called and told them on speaker phone. I don't remember that as well. I think I blocked the trauma from my memory. -
@MaryM: @bhbee: @SweetiePie: My MIL has strong views on what women must eat during pregnancy and postpartum in order to have a healthy baby. The thought of any of it makes me want to hurl (like, it involves eating a whole chicken, including the organ meat). If I could I would wait longer to tell, but we're seeing her in person and won't again for awhile...
My husband just told me that we have to tell his divorced parents - who can't stand each other and wouldn't even be in the same group photo at our wedding - at the same time, because one of them will send a mass text to mutual friends immediately and the other will find out about it indirectly otherwise. So, this should be interesting...My parents should be more fun...
-
@bhbee: @catlady: @chypmunk: @MaryM:
So sorry about the losses after announcements 
-
@snarkybiochemist: That's awesome! And jealous of the hand-me-downs
@HeartAbandoned: I love it! "bicycle built for 3"
@erinbaderin: aw, I think the announcements involving siblings are always the best
@ElbieKay: Hah, I think some men just aren't attuned to the whole pregnancy universe - like, what, a blurry picture?
@sauerkraut: @SugarMaple: If I saw my family frequently, I'm sure they would've guessed too, as my eating habits have changed drastically and puking has been a pretty regular occurrence.
@momnikki: I feel like this should be one of those youtube pregnancy announcements with a zillion views - super creative!
@chypmunk: I love the tree idea
@SweetiePie: I love that they saw the pic as soon as the answered - so fun!
-
For DS, we gave my MIL a countdown to becoming a grandma calendar for Mother's day. For my family, we FaceTimed them and asked for their opinions on an ultrasound photo. For this pregnancy, we told ILs and my parents early with an ultrasound photo and waited much later (due to complications) to announce to family and friends by putting DS in a big brother t-shirt. It took a lot of people a surprisingly long period of time to figure the t-shirt announcement out.
-
@azjax: I'm going to have to look for one of those calendars, my mom would love it!
-
@PERIWINKLEBEE thanks a lot!! I am happy to share the idea with others. I would love to experience the announcements over and over again!
-
@periwinklebee: Hallmark store!!!
-
I'm not very creative and hate attention so I'm terrible at announcements. Did nothing with my first, just told people, with my second I had my son tell them (by wearing a big brother shirt and giving them ultrasound pics - the shirt itself was too subtle for most haha).
I'm 32 weeks pregnant and still get random acquaintances being like "you ARE pregnant, right?" Because I'm so bad at telling people
My husband wants to do something along those lines with his mom.
For our next pregnancy, we waited until much later and then had LO (who was older at that point) tell MIL that she was getting a baby brother. That was very cute.
No grand announcements!
Then, everybody got a card with directions pointing at me. It was like a quest, I would say. Then, when everybody realised the present was somewhere around me, I opened the jacket suddenly. There was a sticker on my belly, saying 'here I am’!! I got tons of congrats that time. While my son was wondering why I have probably eaten his and everybody's present! Ahaha It was kinda funny. Family helped him to understand that there will be someone else living next to his room. He was surprisingly happy saying that he would love to share all the toys and space he has with someone younger than his always-tired-n-boring father. We laughed our heads off!
I hope so much that this is your take home baby!
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
29 comments