When to tell the family

[jrobertson20]

Ok so according to my LMP I should be 7w 3d today and according to my ultrasound I had done yesterday I am 6w 6d today (I think the ultrasound is more accurate bc of the length of my cycles).  Anyway I was just wondering how many of you ladies told your family already and if so how far along were you?  If you did not how long do you plan on waiting?  My initial plan was to wait to tell our parents and family until I was at least 12 weeks but my husband can't keep secrets very well so we compromised on 9 weeks.  Well at our ultrasound the other day we were able to see a strong heartbeat and the progress was accurate from the ultrasound we had done 2 weeks ago.  So now I am feeling more confident since I heard the heartbeat and I know the baby is growing appropriatly.  I was thinking about telling our families this coming Easter weekend which would make me about 8w to 8w 4d depending on what you go by.  I am so excited and ready to tell my family but I am kind of worried that it's still too early.

[jrobertson20]

So I told my family tonight and the reaction could not have been better.  Everybody was excited and were surprised.  My mom guessed it right away because we had a bucket of candy with and egg inside the bucket (I filled them with M&Ms so nobody would guess it).  She said "you're pregnant" as soon as I put the bucket down but I had her convinced she was wrong.  She thought then we got them a trip or something (don't know why because I am in my last semester of nursing school and running out of money).  So she was surprised when she opened the egg in the end.  It worked out extra good because my aunt and uncle came out to eat with us tonight which they don't normally do and my grandma and grandpa were there eating already when we got there so I got to share the new with more of my family than I thought I was going to tonight!!!!   It feels good now that I told people so I feel like I have a much bigger support system behind us!!!!

[RBarron]

I was going to wait until 12 weeks we ended up telling our family this weekend (at 6 weeks). My inlaws came over and we suprised them by pulling out a onesie. My ml started to cry it was so cute. Once they knew I had to tell my mom so I called her and told her on the phone this morning. She ran into the backyard screaming "I'm going to be a grandma" lol. I'm actually I glad I wasn't there for that! My mom is going to come to my first OB appt with me. We decided either way that we wanted support from our families.

[ss712]

I would wait until 12 weeks to tell everyone. This is my first after iVF and obviously scared although I know in my heart all will be good:)

[heather_nichole]

I'm 7 weeks, 1 day. We weren't going to tell anyone until the 14 week mark (that's when my doctor told us we'd officially be out of the miscarriage danger) but I knew I wanted my mother to know, so we told her at 6 weeks.  It's so nice to have the support of your family because when my big mouthed boyfriend and I started telling our closest friends, some of them were less than supportive.  So it's nice to have your family in the know.

[KieraRox]

With my first pregnancy I was so nervous to tell b/c my husband and I were newly weds.  We went to my parent's house and it took me a good solid hour or more to get the courage to just come out and tell them.  - I was only 5 weeks along

When we decided to try for another, I let my family know up front.  It took us 15 months to get pregnant with my second and this time I had it all planned out.  My son wore a "I'm going to be a big brother" shirt and I sent out little announcements! - I was around 4 weeks along

With my third pregnancy, it was a COMPLETE shock and surprise so I wasn't prepared for anything cute.  But, I took a photo of the +HPT and turned it into a cute little announcement.  - I was 3 weeks along (thought I was further)

[jrobertson20]

chinesebones - that is hilarious that is exactly what we are going to do to.  My family always goes out to eat together on Friday nights so I got little Easter pails that I am going to fill with candy then I got an egg to put the ultrasound picture in.  I think I am going to put something else in it so that when they pick it up they think there is something else in it (like M&M's or maybe just a few pieces of change).  I am going to take my niece and nephews Easter baskets there too so that they don't think anything of it.  Hopefully my surprise will work.  The only reason I feel ok about telling them now is because we heard a heartbeat on the ultrasound and the growth was good from the previous ultrasound.  Originally I wanted to wait until 12 weeks.  How old is your DD?  Maybe you could have her find them and when you are opening them have the egg labeled with their names on them or have her help your DD open her eggs so when she opens that egg she will be surprised.

Pips - how did you share the news?

[chinesebones]

Our first pg we told our families at 5 weeks... we were just too excited.  Unfortunately we lost that pg, and never got to tell our families the next time before we lost that one too (we never told them until I was well along with the next pg.)  
With my dd, we waited until 12 weeks and a good u/s and told them at Easter.  We took plastic eggs and put a copy of the u/s photo in each one.  My mil- who had been waiting 12 years for us to have a baby- said "This better have chocolate in it!" before she opened it.  That was a great surprise!
This pg, we have an u/s on Wednesday, and if everything looks good, we'll give them u/s photo eggs again.  I'm going to put the photos in and then fill the eggs with chocolate to hide them.  The only thing I can't work out is how to give them the eggs- we're having an Easter egg hunt for dd, so how do we keep her from taking them?  Or how do we keep the surprise until the last minute?  Still have to think some more about this.
I'll only be 8+ weeks too, but with the amount of morning sickness I have there's no way I can go the entire weekend without them finding out anyway.
What is your surprise idea?  

[Pips]

Oh ... please tell the surprise!  I love to hear how people share the news!

[jrobertson20]

Yeah I think we decided to tell them this weekend.  I wanted to tell my family so badly tonight but my husband is away for the weekend.  I am glad it's Easter weekend though because it gave me ideas.  I hope my surprise works.  It is good to have the support from family and friends.  Then I won't have to hide things anymore.  Who knows they may even be thinking something is up because I have been going to the bathroom like crazy!!!  Thanks so much for the response!!!!

[Pips]

It is really a personal decision when to tell family and friends.  In the past I've always shouted it from the roof top as soon as I peed on the stick!  LOL  Of course, I had a miscarriage in November of 08, and that made me think harder about it this time.  My personal experience with the miscarriage was that everyone knew and I was glad they did ... I had so much support and did not have to act ok when I clearly was not.  We ended up telling people pretty quickly again this time because I decided I'd rather them know and be by my side then have to either act ok, or break the news that I was pregnant and miscarrying in the same breath.

So basically think about what you would most like if things didn't go so well.  Everyone is different.  That being said, you've seen the heartbeat so the odds are really strong that everything will go smoothly from here on out.  :)