Spreading the News

How to tell your parents that you are pregnant

Telling your parents about your baby-to-be can be a source of joy or stress depending where you are in your life. Here are ideas for telling them in either case.

Waiting to Be Grandparents

• Send them a card or present like a shirt or mug that says “World’s Greatest Grandparent” or other hint
• Take your mom shopping with you and visit baby stores
• Wrap a pacifier or some baby item as a gift and give it.
• Give them a picture frame decorated for a baby picture with a drawing of a baby or a note “to be filled in 6 months”
• If you are close to a holiday dinner, make the announcement during a game (like charades) or during a group picture, instead of everyone sying cheese, have them say your due date–then tell them what the date means
• Send a singing telegram

Coming Around

If you are in the position where your parents are not going to be happy about the event of your pregnancy, telling them can be harder. But tell them you must.

The way you tell them will depend a lot on the relationship you already have with them. Some women find it easier to tell one parent first, then the other or even have the one parent break the news to the other. Other options are to

• tell a trusted family friend or relative first and ask that person for support in telling their parents.
• tell your parents with the family doctor present. (You would need to set up an appointment and get your parents to come along.)
• depending on how your parents react, let them know in writing in a note, then talking to them soon after.

They may not have the positive, happy reaction you want at first. But you have to give your parents time to get used to the idea and for them to think about it. It was probably a shock for you at first, but you’ve had some time to get used to the idea and have probably done some pretty heavy thinking.

Their reactions may differ over time as they get used to the idea. In time many parents come to accepting the situation. Sometimes it takes longer than other times, sometimes even be after the baby is born. This is a time you need support, but if you muster patience, kindness, and understanding toward your parent who may be unhappy with your pregnancy, they very very very often come around.

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