*Baby Corner*

[Autumnchik 6]

wow a psychotherapist...how many years have you been doing this? I am currently going to get my Masters in counseling. Don't know which population I want to work with yet.

OMG Nizzy, your question made me think .... I can't believe it has been almost 12 years!!! I got my MSW in 1998. Good for you to be getting your master's in counseling. I really love what I do Feel free to PM me if you ever have any questions or want to chat about the work.

[caybee 21]

We told my family on Christmas Day 2008. I was six weeks along and had heard the heartbeat. I special ordered some pink and blue M&Ms with "We are pregnant" on them and handed the bag to my mom. She thought it was a joke at first until my sister stared at me. Unfortunately, the video camera battery died just before she opened the package, so we didn't get it on tape, but I'll always remember everyone's reactions. It was a tense time, though, because I'd had two episodes of spotting, and one time I was pretty sure I was having a miscarriage. But if we'd lost the baby, we would have needed their support anyway, so we told them.

I told my boss at 13 weeks or so. I wanted to get through the first trimester first. I had almost no morning sickness, just a little queasiness from time to time at any hour of the day, so I didn't need to rush the news.

[chri'stina 190]

....

But if we'd lost the baby, we would have needed their support anyway, so we told them.

....

That's how I felt too. I also understand people wanting to wait. We told the day I got the positive, to my family first then to some friends by that night or next day. I figured that if something went wrong, I would need their support. I waited to write about it here on VJ until I was 8 weeks pregnant.

[Anna C. 4]

I announced at 12 weeks sharp. We've had a lot of miscarriages in the family and I don't like being pitied and everyone to know, that actually personally makes me feel worse. My mom will baby you and pity you for hours non-stop just for having a cold, and I just can't take that. I rather want to be distracted than constantly reminded of an ailment/tragedy... Plus, she cannot keep a secret and will tell everyone she knows, including her hairdresser and God knows who.

At work I told at 12 weeks too, I'm in public relations/marketing, so it's not like I was doing something dangerous when pregnant... I didn't have morning sickness really, so nobody knew and everyone was quite surprised.

[Staashi 371]

I announced at 12 weeks sharp. We've had a lot of miscarriages in the family and I don't like being pitied and everyone to knowthat actually personally makes me feel worse., My mom will baby you and pity you for hours non-stop just for having a cold, and I just can't take that. I rather want to be distracted than constantly reminded of an ailment/tragedy... Plus, she cannot keep a secret and will tell everyone she knows, including her hairdresser and God knows who.

At work I told at 12 weeks too, I'm in public relations/marketing, so it's not like I was doing something dangerous when pregnant... I didn't have morning sickness really, so nobody knew and everyone was quite surprised.

Anna, that is how I am. I kept having so many issues where I thought I was having a miscarriage that I was like - I'm not telling anyone but hubby. I hate to be pitied or doted on so I just figured that if it was meant to be it would happen and I would just wait a good while to tell people what was up, because God forbid I have a miscarriage I would hate to have to tell everyone what happened. My BF hates that she has to do that now - everyone wallowing for her - so not cool.

[Susita 175]

Anna, that is how I am. I kept having so many issues where I thought I was having a miscarriage that I was like - I'm not telling anyone but hubby. I hate to be pitied or doted on so I just figured that if it was meant to be it would happen and I would just wait a good while to tell people what was up, because God forbid I have a miscarriage I would hate to have to tell everyone what happened. My BF hates that she has to do that now - everyone wallowing for her - so not cool.

I had a subchorionic bleed (bleeding behind the placenta) at about 12 weeks and that's basically the reason my mom & grandma were told about the pregnancy so early. I needed someone to take me to the ER because I thought I was miscarrying and Luis was at work.

Apparently this happens often and it was absorbed back up and the baby is fine However, I had a miscarriage before and have seen friends miscarry after telling people they were pregnant. I figured it's always better to wait to tell.

[anya-D 8]

I told my mother in law, well, my husband did, the next day I found out.. so that's actually about 4 weeks (I knew it before my missperiod) becasue my mother in law was having a hard time coping with her late mother birthday so to sheer her up he told her.. she was so happy she cried also lol. Then my work knew coz I was not sure if I'm right at reading the test so I tried several times and had my friends look at it. And I was so sick I had to tell my work.. so about 6 weeks everybody know. I called my family in Thailand about 6 weeks too..

For me I told everybody coz part of me feel that it's not real and having people around me being happy or excited for me makes me feel more real about it. I'm not super excited about the pregnancy (weird ha, I planned this too and I still couldnt imagine being a mom.. I'm happy i'm going to have a baby it's just weird mixed feeling of uncertain, happy, scared, excited... and having everybody around me giving me a positive thought about this pregnancy helps me a lot.

Anyway - ladies

My parents might not be able to come to the US at the time of the baby birth so I'm thinking I should go there so my extended family can meet the baby too (he/she will be the first grand child, great grand child of my mother side of the family) and my grand father might not live for very long. he's still pretty healthy though but he'a about 85 yrs old. So my question is - What do you think about taking a two and a half month baby on a 18 hrs trip on a plane to Thailand? IS it doable? I think about this becasue I'll be off for 3 months and used up all my leave so I wont be going anywhere after the leave for a long time and when i can, it will be a very shourt time.. this way, I may be able to go for up to 3 weeks)

-Anya

[Revenesque 2]

@ Autumnchik & Nizzy, Glad to know we have a couple of professional therapist/counselor on board! I feel so much better knowing you gals are on here.

@ Staashi, Susita & Anna C., I'm leaning towards telling my family, boss and close friends at 12-weeks too around early February. I'm a little stuck on the boss though, wondering if I should tell her earlier to give her advance notice. Next week, she'll be working with me to put my performance plans together for the year.

Hubby couldn't contain his excitement and told his family and few close friends during Christmas! Good thing our circle of families/friends don't overlap, lol.

@ Caybee, M&M's "We're pregnant" candy? That's very creative! Like you, I have almost no morning sickness too, just a few nausea here and there, which usually disappears when I snack. Gosh, I'm eating more frequently than I ever had and gained 8lbs! For a 5'3 pre-pregnant weight of 108lbs girl, that's alot. I notice my dress pants, which I used to pin the waist to fit, now fits without the pins, lol.

Anyone else did anything creative with their announcement? I'm looking for some ideas. Also, what communication method did you use?--in person, phone call, email, facebook?

@ Chri'stina, ha, I told VJ the moment I found out on the pee stick! I couldn't contain my excitement and had to tell someone (aside from the hubby), lol.

[Revenesque 2]

Anyway - ladies

My parents might not be able to come to the US at the time of the baby birth so I'm thinking I should go there so my extended family can meet the baby too (he/she will be the first grand child, great grand child of my mother side of the family) and my grand father might not live for very long. he's still pretty healthy though but he'a about 85 yrs old. So my question is - What do you think about taking a two and a half month baby on a 18 hrs trip on a plane to Thailand? IS it doable? I think about this becasue I'll be off for 3 months and used up all my leave so I wont be going anywhere after the leave for a long time and when i can, it will be a very shourt time.. this way, I may be able to go for up to 3 weeks)

-Anya

Anya, I was thinking along the same lines of bringing the baby to Chicago to meet the hubby's family (baby will be born in Canada) when it's around three months old and did planning and research around traveling with baby. Then I hit a snag and realize Baby won't be able to get his Canadian passport (which requires Canadian citizenship) in time since the entire process can take up to 18 months. I looked into getting Baby a US passport from the US Consular Office and the process seemed a little easier but no word on how long it will take. I'm guessing at least six months.

Anyone have any idea?

[Nizzy 1]

OMG Nizzy, your question made me think .... I can't believe it has been almost 12 years!!! I got my MSW in 1998. Good for you to be getting your master's in counseling. I really love what I do Feel free to PM me if you ever have any questions or want to chat about the work.

Wow...12 years...you are my idol...lol... I have my undergrad degree in social work. Thanks for the offer. I am sure I will take you up on it!

[chnst 6]

well I found out sep 3 2007 after being waaaay overdue for my period (we were not trying to have a baby). So after I had a nervous breakdown on the dirty bathroom floor, I told the german girls on VJ and called Hubby to come home asap and then called my best friend. I bet autumchik or Nizzy would have admitted me to a psychiatric ward if they had been there. Thank God my husband took it really well, he smiled and said that he could definitely see himself being a great daddy. We tried to wait the 12 weeks, but we told our parents on the phone 1 week later after we got out of our first ultrasound! how bad is that? haha. We were just way too excited and nervous and needed the support because we didn't plan on having a baby this soon. I told my employer at 12 weeks, but he kind of guessed because I had gained so much weight...

autum: enjoy your trip to FL and have fun aT your playdate with Kavi! that's awesome! I can't believe how hard it must have been for you to be away from Declan for so long...

[Nessa 23]

I told hubby first, then my mom and best friends. that was when i found out. then at week 8 i got to hear his hb and i was so excited i wanted to tell the world. so i told my boss and after that, it was no secret. I told my dad only when i was 14 weeks in brazil, i wanted to tell him in person.

[Nizzy 1]

@ Autumnchik & Nizzy, Glad to know we have a couple of professional therapist/counselor on board! I feel so much better knowing you gals are on here.

Gosh I feel so honored that you feel that way

I waited until I was 5 months pregnant before letting people know. I didn't really show so it was easy to keep it a secret. I loved seeing the shocked look on people's faces.

[Anna C. 4]

Yeah it really depends on your situation and your character when you tell... I have no idea how I would have reacted to a surprise pregnancy... Prolly totally shocked and it would have taken me til 12 weeks minimum to get used to it, I bet. Breakdowns included!

Oh no, one of our cats has conjunctivitis! Poor kitty! It's not easy to give her the antibiotic, it's in a syringe and she's not cooperative. But I succeeded hehehe. I'm just happy I don't have to do that with Jona - medications. He's never been on anything despite the antibiotics at 3 weeks which I stopped as soon as the blood work said virus. They looked at me like I had ten heads, but seriously, you wanna give him 4 days of IV antibiotics for a viral infection that's harmless and cannot be cured with antibiotics since it is viral????

[tnh9479 1]

My husband knew immediately because I wasn't feeling well and told him I really suspected I was pregnant. We didn't believe it would happen so quickly. I told my sister when I got the BFP. I told my mom and grandmother about a week later (I couldn't believe it was true). When I had the dating u/s at 6.5 weeks, that was the true surprise -- twins. I called my mom first. I told her she was going to be a grandmother two more times. She was in shock. I then called my grandmother. She still to this day remembers it because I asked her if she was sitting down. She thought something was wrong. She got so excited. She started the next day researching the frequency of twins in our family (non-existent BTW). Then...I called my husband. He thought I was joking because the night before I was telling him and a friend of ours I just had a feeling it was twins. They told me it was just pregnancy hormones. I went to go get him at work to go out for lunch and he just kept staring at me. He was just in such utter shock. Four of my close friends at work found out almost immediately. I announced to everyone else at work @ 14 weeks.