Learning you are pregnant is, in some ways, like learning you’ve won the lottery! Though babies are born everywhere every second, when it happens to us, the amount of joy is overwhelming and you just cannot contain the excitement!
You want to tell the whole world, but you need to be careful about how you share your news, when and how you want to reveal the news is totally up to you. But there are certain things to consider before you break the news at your workplace.
Before jumping into workplace announcements, let’s talk a little about announcing to family and friends. Historically, because the risk of miscarriage is high during the first trimester, some moms-to-be opt to wait before telling even their inner circle.
But what if there is a miscarriage, and you need support to heal and recover? Truly, it is up to you to decide when you want to announce the news. But you can tell your trusted friends and close family so that you get their support and they can be available when in need.
How to announce pregnancy to friends and family?
Start with your partner first. Tell your partner right away once you find out.
Then your immediate family members, parents, and siblings (if you want).
Your trusted friends (not in the workplace).
You can wait to announce on social media till you have shared the news at your workplace unless you do not have anyone in your friend list or followers from your office. Even if they are not, it is easier to get the news from social media. If you want to announce the news yourself in the office, then hold yourself from posting on social media.
You can use your creativity to announce the news to your friends and family. You can either telephone them individually or call them for a get-together, whichever way you do, make sure to speak with all of them on the same day.
Now, announcing the pregnancy news at the workplace may not be as simple as how it was for the family for obvious reasons. Here are some tips to consider before you break the news at the workplace.
How to announce pregnancy at the office?
Wait till the second trimester.
Most mothers wait till the end of the first trimester before announcing the news, simply because of the risk of miscarriage. You might also have other reasons you want to wait — for example, if you’re expecting a raise or a promotion, you might prefer to wait for that to go through before you make your announcement. It’s illegal for your employer to factor your pregnancy into consideration for raises and promotions, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, even unconsciously.
Be professional.
Make a note of all the points you want to mention if your boss asks you about work commitments or maternity leave plans or taking up new work during pregnancy. Remember, it is not legal to stop you from taking up new tasks or commitments during pregnancy. You are as eligible as your team member for any raise or promotion, and pregnancy cannot be quoted as a reason.
Decide based on your health.
If you are having terrible morning sickness, it would only make your life easier to tell your boss first and ask him/her to keep the news to herself until you are ready to let others know.
Tell your boss first.
In general, talk to your boss first before your team. Your boss would prefer to hear the news from you directly rather than as a rumor. It also helps in planning your absence.
Your team next.
You need not call a special meeting to announce your pregnancy. You can choose the mode of communication. For example - you can inform your team individually, when you do this, make sure you tell all your teammates on the same day. You need not get into details of your maternity leave dates. You could speak to them at the end of the status meeting. You can let them know that you have personal news to share and that you are expecting a baby.
It is okay if you don’t have a concrete plan.
If you’re not exactly sure yet what your plans are regarding maternity leave, it’s okay to say that you’re still figuring things out. Obviously, you can’t keep saying that forever, you’ll want to have a plan in place at least two months before your due date. (And make sure to check for any official deadlines related to setting up your parental leave.) But it’s absolutely fine to make your initial announcement without a detailed transition memo in hand.
Do you have any other points to add? Please type in the comments below 👇🏽
Resources
The CUT - https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-announce-pregnancy-at-work.html
The Bump - https://www.thebump.com/a/when-to-tell-my-boss-im-pregnant
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