How to Tell Your Family You're Pregnant

By eHow Parenting Editor

Rate: (18 Ratings)

So, you just found out you're having a baby. Now, it's time to let your family share the good news. Telling your family you're pregnant, like telling them you're getting married, can be simple or complicated. Here are a few easy steps to unveil your baby news.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Step1
Consider how they're likely to react: Will they think you're too young? Too old? That you've finally arrived at your proper role in life?
Step2
Brace yourself for their responses, if need be.
Step3
Tell everyone at once: Announce the news at a family gathering with a toast.
Step4
Go the indirect route if you prefer: Mention you can't drink right now, and sushi's definitely not an option for dinner.
Step5
Use the phone call method, if you live long distance. Start with your closest family members and work out: your mom, his mom, then siblings. Get to close cousins last.
Step6
Tell everyone that of course you're taking care of yourself, when they ask. Explain what foods you've been craving, if any.
Step7
Sit back and wait until your growing belly tells the tale, if that's your style.

Tips & Warnings

  • If you're plagued by morning sickness, wait for a time you're feeling OK so you can enjoy the moment.
  • Make sure the people closest to you hear the news from you, not from someone else.
  • Women didn't used to tell their news until the pregnancy was well-established, for fear of miscarriage. But if you want your family's support if there's a problem, consider telling them early on.

Comments

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on 5/30/2007 I was 18 when I fell pregnanet with my first baby. I rang my father & told him on his 40th birthday. "Happy Birthday Grandad" I said. He said thanks and carried on with the conversation. I thought he had missed it completely but he stopped and the pause was enough for me to know he had heard me. Because i was young i had no idea how he would react but he was great about it. The funny thing was he always told me never to make him a grandparent before he was 40... So he said thats what made it ok lol. If i had told him the day before he wouldn't of been impressed!

hairtape said

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on 12/30/2006 When we had our second planned child, I wanted to "surprise" my husband. So I waited until his birthday which was a week away, and wrote in the card,Happy Birthday - Love, Jennifer, Daniel and ????
That got his attention!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/28/2006 My husband and I had been married for 6 years when we finally got pregnant (our families had given up waiting, I think). I bought a bunch of onesies in various sizes. Then I stamped them with "I love my Great Grampie," "I love my Aunt Janis," etc., making one for everyone who was going to be at my mom's birthday dinner. The dinner got postponed, and when we finally all got together, I could hardly wait until after we ate. I brought out small boxes labeled with everyone's names. They all opened their boxes at once; they had no clue what was coming. It took a few moments for them to realize what was going on. Their reactions were priceless!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/28/2006 My husband and I were really trying to find a way to tell both of our parents at the same time without just coming out and saying it. We plan on telling our family that we're pregnant during a game night. I plan on suggesting a game of hangman, and the message will be: "We're Pregnant." I can't wait to see the reaction on their faces once they guess all the letters. I'm excited to see who will figure it out first!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/11/2006 Cookies: Make a batch of sugar cookies. Frost half of them pink and half of them blue. Set them out at a family get together and just walk away.
If you have pets: Tie helium balloons to the collar of your pet and have them enter their house (or greet the guests).

Ultrasound: "Here is a picture of the last time we visited" (Hand them the ultrasound).

Let the mail do the work: Send a postcard with just the due date.

Calendar: Pick up a calendar from the store - something unique that reminds you of the person you are telling. Give it to them. "Look at (month of due date), it is the best image." Have the baby's due date boldly decorated.

Book: Get a pregnancy book. Bring it out and say something along the lines of, "Have you read any of (author's) books? This one is a page turner!"

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eHow Article:  How to Tell Your Family You're Pregnant

eHow Parenting Editor

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Category: Parenting

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