How To Avoid Oversharing Pregnancy Related Information

Social networking can be a great way to keep friends and family abreast of all things pregnancy – related. For one thing, it sure beats having to make phone calls to absolutely everyone every time key information (like baby’s gender) is found out, and worrying about whether you have remembered to call absolutely everyone lest you should forget and offend someone. The one drawback with social media is that there tends to be a lot of oversharing going on. How can you be the thoughtful pregnant woman who keeps all of her friends and family up to date with the … Continue reading

Have Some Fun With Your Gender Reveal

Many couples eagerly await the day when they find out whether they are expecting a little girl or a little boy. With each of my pregnancies, I chose to find out my baby’s gender. Both times, I was overjoyed to learn that I was having a little boy. Unfortunately, I simply disclosed what I learned to my husband, friends, and family by talking to them. It did not occur to me that I could have done something clever to reveal the exciting news to my friends and family. If you are excited to find out the gender of your baby, … Continue reading

Sharing Birth Stories: Yea or Nay?

My friend recently posted all the details of her 39-hour labor on a website run by actress and former talk show host Ricki Lake! What is the world coming to? Seriously. Apparently, Ricki Lake has an online community designed to allow moms to share their birthing experiences. It’s called MyBestBirth.com and it thrives on women revealing every gory detail involved in the labor and delivery process. The site also features information about pregnancy, natural birth and holistic parenting. Personally, I’m not a big fan of birthing stories. Whereas I appreciate that some moms’ stories contain extremely helpful information, I get … Continue reading

Do You Buy Your Baby Christmas Presents Before They are Born?

My son got Christmas presents before he was ever born. When I was five months pregnant, we celebrated Christmas with both sides of the family. I was tickled to open gifts from both sets of soon-to-be grandparents for my baby boy who was due in April. It was like a mini baby shower. He even got his own little stocking. The same weekend my dad got to feel my son kick for the first time, too. What a fun way to celebrate the holidays! Christmas is a fun time to celebrate your pregnancy and the newest member in your family. … Continue reading

What If Your News Got Spilled?

In the news recently it was revealed that the singer Pink’s parents found out about her pregnancy through the radio. Can you imagine what that must have been like? At first they might have thought it was a rumor, but once they realized the news was true, I’m sure they must have felt hurt that they had not known sooner. It’s really disappointing when you don’t get to spill the news on your own terms. When I was pregnant, I decided to tell my in-laws through a scrap book. I spent a long time putting the pages together. It was … Continue reading

When A Pregnancy Announcement Causes Negative Reactions

I’ve spent the last hour reading first hand accounts from women who have large families about the negative feedback they have received from family and friends when sharing the news of a pregnancy. Can you imagine telling your mother-in-law you are pregnant with your fourth child, only to have her refuse to speak to you for months? Imagine hiding your pregnancy until it’s impossible to conceal because you’re dreading the negative comments. These scenarios have happened to real women. I even encountered one story in which a woman did not tell her mother-in-law about her eighth child until the day … Continue reading

Pregnancy and Relationships: Friends

An interesting phenomenon happens when a woman announces her pregnancy to her friends. Some will be genuinely excited. Some will experience heartbreak in the midst of infertility. Some will feel jealous if they have not yet reached the “baby stage” of life and would like to. Some may not feel much of anything. When a friend experiences anything other than genuine excitement, the potential for drama arises. Add some pregnancy hormones into the mix and you have recipe for disaster, but no relationship has to be doomed because there is a baby on the way. Pregnancy can cause heartbreak between … Continue reading

How to Include Your (Soon-to-be-Born) Baby at Christmas

There are lots of fun ways to include your soon-to-be born baby at Christmas. Who cares if they don’t know what is going on? For the mother-to-be, this “first” Christmas is just as special as all the Christmases to come. Christmas can almost begin to feel like a baby shower for a pregnant woman. Family members may have gifts for the new baby, such as clothes or toys, and will enjoy watching the new mother open them “for the baby.” Hanging a stocking for the expected baby is a cute way to give small gifts like teething rings, pacifiers or … Continue reading

Thinking About Announcing Your Pregnancy on Turkey Day?

John Milton said, “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” This time of year, those of us who are expecting have abundantly more to be thankful for, and what provokes “transcendent moments of awe” more than bringing a new life into the world? Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that does not center around gifts, but rather focuses on bringing family together and expressing gratitude for the things in life that matter. I can’t think of a more perfect occasion to share … Continue reading

Turn Your First Ultrasound into a Pregnancy Announcement

Telling your friends and family you are expecting is an exciting time. Especially for first time parents, finding a creative way to break the news and surprise loved ones is half the fun! I used a couple different ways to tell my family. With my husband, I didn’t get creative because I was just too excited to wait. I ran straight from the bathroom, stick in hand, to the bedroom where my husband was fast asleep. It was four in the morning, so I’m not sure he really understood what was going on. Likewise, I told my mom by emailing … Continue reading