It’s positively positive! It took the perseverance of a mountain climber, your fertility doctor’s tenacity, and nature’s ultimate cooperation, but you’ve arrived. You are pregnant. At the moment, you may want to curl up in a cocoon of privacy. Other than your doctor, it’s just you and your partner who know the good news.
Most women who have experienced infertility decide to wait until after the first trimester to share the news about getting pregnant. You may have experienced miscarriage before, or you may just worry about a potential pregnancy loss. About 10 to 25 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriages, and the risk increases with maternal age. Working with a fertility doctor, however, means you have frequent updates on how your pregnancy is progressing.
Over the next 5 weeks, your fertility team will closely monitor your growing baby with blood tests that measure hCG (the pregnancy hormone) and progesterone levels. Around week 6-7, you’ll get a glimpse of the little one’s beating heart. Depending on your circumstances, between weeks 8 and 10, you’ll graduate to seeing an obstetrician. This is the time many newly pregnant couples choose to “go public” with their news.
Telling your family and friends
You know by heart the list of friends and family you’ll want to tell right away. You have worked long and hard to get to this point. It may be fun to get creative about how you present the news. You could plan a group dinner out, with edited menus presented when it’s time to order or baby food served as an appetizer. Or, send two FedEx packages containing “What happens at Grandma’s…” t-shirts that arrive on the same day.
Telling your children
For the same reasons mentioned above, many new moms and dads choose to tell children about an impending brother or sister when the pregnancy progresses to a certain point. Often, this is when the heartbeat can be seen around 6-7 weeks.
Telling at work
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: "The law forbids discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment."
Use your best judgment about how far along you will progress into your pregnancy before updating your employer and/or human resources department. Keep in mind that most first-time pregnant women will begin to “show” three to five months after conception.
Unless you experience daily nausea, it may take a while before the news feels real and you can relax into your pregnancy. (Typically, fetal movements are not detected until about 16-20 weeks of pregnancy.) During the coming weeks, you will see more evidence of the growing pregnancy – through blood work and ultrasound. Though you may not forget the difficult journey that it took, our wish is that you are able to experience a memorable and joyful pregnancy and are able to truly celebrate this magnificent time.
To maintain a healthy pregnancy, focus on eating a healthful diet rich in vitamin C, protein and folic acid; supplement with your prenatal vitamins; and enjoy each moment. Peek in a baby boutique, try on some maternity clothes, and Google names for that new life growing inside of you. You deserve to enjoy this magical time.
