I was so thrilled to finally be able to tell people I was pregnant after 12 weeks in my frist pregnancy because I was so sick the first trimester that I was positive they were about to stage an intervention for anorexia or depression or both. When you drop 15 lbs in a month and look like death warmed over, people are going to talk. Most of them were relieved to find out I was "only pregnant"

This time around, my best friend is my boss. She knew pretty much right away.

There are many options between a formal announcement and not saying a word. If you don't acknowledge your pregnancy to co-workers, that's weird and makes you unpleasant. They don't have to celebrate and you don't have to want their celebration but it is your job to acknowledge, and thus dismiss, the elephant in the room.

I always couldn't wait to announce it so that people just didn't think I was getting fat. You know the point when the stomach isn't quite jutting out yet--but your face is fuller--waist a little thicker. I hated the point just before you actually show...

Anonymous wrote:I would say after 20 weeks you need to tell your workplace (HR dept & supervisor / manager) so that they can begin to make plans for your leave. I cant see waiting any longer because at that point you should be finish with all testing (CVS / Amino & anatomy scan). Even if you are in the mist of an unhealthy pregnancy and the baby has serious issues you need to let HR know that you will be missing X amount of time to deal with said issues.

If you don't want to tell everyone your randomly friends with on Facebook that's totally fine.

I told my boss at 20 weeks. Everyone else can just figure it out.

I would say after 20 weeks you need to tell your workplace (HR dept & supervisor / manager) so that they can begin to make plans for your leave. I cant see waiting any longer because at that point you should be finish with all testing (CVS / Amino & anatomy scan). Even if you are in the mist of an unhealthy pregnancy and the baby has serious issues you need to let HR know that you will be missing X amount of time to deal with said issues.

If you don't want to tell everyone your randomly friends with on Facebook that's totally fine.

I think you need to make an announcement to anyone who needs to plan for your departure, such as your boss.

But I never made a big announcement otherwise--I told my parents and in-laws, my close friends, etc., individually, and never made a Facebook announcement or anything. We told people as we encountered them in real life, but didn't have a party or anything. I didn't think that was strange. You don't have to make a big formal thing out of it, but it would be strange not to mention it to people you are close to.

Anonymous wrote:
anyway, if there are health issues I get it, that makes sense, but in a professional setting people do need to prepare for your departure and it is important to give people time to do this. also, this is a CELEBRATION and people are happy for you - let them be happy to your face!

Planning for your being on leave (or leaving) -- yes, that's a real workplace issue. Denying your co-workers an opportunity to be happy for you? Nope, not a real workplace issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's unprofessional and awkward to not spread the word at work. You can announce or ask several people to let others know.

where do YOU work?

I've worked at law firms and universities.

In what kind of workplace do people not care if you handle something awkwardly and badly?

I had a co-worker not announce at work and it was so awkward. everyone knew she was pregnant but she said she wasn't. it was the weirdest thing. none of us could say congratulations or be happy for her, instead we just all ignored it because we didn't know what to say. it made for an awkward working relationship. needless to say, she had the baby and never came back.

anyway, if there are health issues I get it, that makes sense, but in a professional setting people do need to prepare for your departure and it is important to give people time to do this. also, this is a CELEBRATION and people are happy for you - let them be happy to your face!

A former manager, years ago (at the time she was in her late 30s, like me now, and I was nearing 30), was visibly pregnant, weeks passing along, and she finally told us at maybe 6 months (had the obvious belly for a while) that she was expecting. It was a bit ridiculous to have mentioned it by then, when it was quite obvious for a while. But I guess good of her to want to formally tell us.

Anonymous wrote:It's unprofessional to not tell people at work that you're pregnant?

Yes. At the midpoint of pregnancy it puts them in an awkward situation daily where they are fairly sure you are pregnant but aren't going to ask. You also prevent them from properly planning for whatever leave you will take.

Why would you do that to you colleagues?

Anonymous wrote:It's unprofessional and awkward to not spread the word at work. You can announce or ask several people to let others know.

where do YOU work?

Anonymous wrote:That's what I did both times. I didn't see the point of announcing it. I figured the pregnancy would announce itself when ready.

+1, what's the point of annoncing? most people are not blind.

I didn't feel the need to announce it to everyone. I didn't want to make a big deal about it.

It's unprofessional to not tell people at work that you're pregnant?