When is the best time to announce your pregnancy? Have you ever been told not to announce it too early because of all those "pantangs"? And you wonder, when is the right time to do so? Some say after the first trimester, others think it's okay to announce it straightaway.
Truthfully, there’s no “wrong time” to announce you’re pregnant.
But what you can do is stagger the announcement - the whole world doesn’t need to know at the same time. When the double pink line appears, you can rush to call your close family first without your office colleagues knowing until everything is confirmed.
Or you can just keep things under wraps with your husband until you both feel the time is right. The choice is yours.
If you’re wondering when is the best time to announce your pregnancy, here’s a few things to consider.
The best time to announce your pregnancy: Early stages
When is the best time to announce your pregnancy? Immediately, if you can't hold your excitement, for some! | Source: Unsplash
Normally, mothers spread the news after 12 weeks. This is when the risk of a miscarriage decreases a lot. But if you can’t hold your excitement for long, here’s some good reasons to share the news with everyone:
1. You did In vitro fertilisation (IVF)!
You’ve been struggling to have a baby for a long time, that you and hubby decide that IVF is the way to go. When everyone already knows you’re going through an IVF, chances are you want them all to hear positive results instantly - especially as the process can take months or even years of treatment.
2. You can't hide really bad morning sickness
It’s hard to not give away you’re pregnant when you’re having an extremely bad case of morning sickness. Letting people around you know it’s because you’re pregnant can be crucial. Office colleagues understand why you have to take extra leave near crunch time, and your family will come to help in your time of need. Speak with your superiors about your work if you’re experiencing extreme morning sickness.
3. You've had a miscarriage from before, and are hoping this time it'll be different
Pregnant mums who have miscarried before will be eager to let loved ones know when they manage to get pregnant again (or in some cases they might prefer to hold out a little longer) but if the former applies to you then full speed ahead! The support and love is crucial in this critical time, so don’t ashamed to lean on your friends and family.
4.You want to share your early ultrasound pics!
Your obstetrician or gynaecologists may schedule your “dating” ultrasound between 11-14 weeks of your pregnancy (the scan when you’re told your due date). But some mums may have to be scanned earlier. This can be because of a history of irregular periods or if mums are unsure what was the date of the last period. This is usually done as early as 7 weeks.
5. You've done scans that give you a green light
Some mothers may be penned in for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT, also known as cell-free DNA, cfDNA or Harmony) 10 weeks into pregnancy, to check if the baby may have any chromosomal abnormalities or signs of Down syndrome. As a plus point, this scan can also find out the sex of the baby. You might be more confident to announce your pregnancy after getting the okay from this scan.
6. You have travel concerns
Planning for a holiday or a work trip? Chances are you’re going to have to cancel the trip after getting pregnant because of the risk of Zika in some countries, which can cause severe birth defects). Or if you're planning a trip for later on in your pregnancy that will affect people around you, then it means you’re going to have to tell everyone why.
The best time to announce your pregnancy: After 12 weeks
When is the best time to announce your pregnancy? Maybe 12 weeks is the safest | Source: Unsplash
This is the date many parents decide to let everyone know a baby is on its way. Why?
1. Lower risk of miscarriage
By this time, the risk of miscarriage is only between 1-5%. So it is no wonder that parents become more comfortable to announce the pregnancy.
2. The actual genetic screening
Like we mentioned above, mums get an ultrasound and/or blood test between 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. These tests look for abnormalities or problems, such as Down syndrome. Parents will feel more comfortable announcing their upcoming baby once the doctor gives the all clear.
The best time to announce your pregnancy: Last minute
When is the best time to announce your pregnancy? When you're 100% sure the baby is okay is good | Source: Unsplash
Just because all your friends curate a specially-made social media post when they announce their pregnancy, doesn’t mean you have to be pressured to do so.
1. You just don't see the need to announce it to the world because of how you feel about the pregnancy
It’s normal to feel unsure about having a baby, and you’re not alone. If you don’t want the spotlight and prefer to keep things laying low, by all means you should. There’s no point forcing a smile when you’re having mixed feelings.
2. You've lost a baby before
Some women who had a miscarriage want to tell their loved ones early for support, but other mums-to-be may not want to tell anyone. And that is okay. For the latter, they might want to be absolutely sure that the baby is all right before letting anyone know the news.
3. The later anatomy scan
Pregnant mums get an anatomy scan between 18-20 weeks. This scan is to check for baby’s size and position is on target. It also makes sure your baby’s heart, lungs, brain and other organs are developing correctly. Parents with a genuine concern about genetic disorders will want to keep the news of an incoming baby after this test.
The “super” last minute announcement
When is truly the best time to announce your pregnancy? Whenever you feel like it | Source: Unsplash
For mums who don’t want anyone to know their pregnant, expect your baby bump to pop between 14-16 weeks. By this time it gets pretty difficult to hide your baby unless you’re great at hiding your bump under your clothes.
Truly, there’s no real right or wrong time to announce your pregnancy or even the best time to announce your pregnancy. Don’t cause unnecessary pressure and distress to yourself - just do it whenever you feel like it.
Read also:
How to tell if your water bag broke
