When is the best time to announce pregnancy?

If you just found out you're pregnant, you're probably wondering when you should announce your pregnancy.

This really comes down to personal preference and personal needs. Most women will tell the people closest to them about their new pregnancy pretty soon. Sometimes women will tell their significant other, best friend, sibling or mom right away. Other women like to keep the secret to themselves for a little while before sharing with everyone.

Who should you tell about your pregnancy first?

Depending on your situation, I always lean on telling your significant other first. If you're married, your husband would probably be the natural "first to know". That said, in a situation where the baby's father is not a stable figure, it might be more prudent to tell a close friend or family member about your pregnancy first. Just know that it's completely up to you who to tell about your pregnancy first. After you tell the first few people closest to you, you may decide you don't want the news to spread beyond your immediate circle. Make sure whoever you tell will keep your secret and allow you the honor of announcing your pregnancy to the rest of the world when you're ready.

If you're working, you might be wondering when your should tell your boss/coworkers about your pregnancy.

This can be a really touchy subject because some employers are so supportive, while others discriminate against pregnant women, despite the fact it's illegal. You will have to gauge your work environment to figure out when the right time to share is. Something to consider is that you may be very sick the first trimester. If you are calling out of work or needing extra support to meet deadlines/fulfill your duties due to first trimester sickness, you might want to share your pregnancy with your boss and coworkers sooner rather than later.

The next consideration would be when to tell the whole world.

Should you wait til after the first trimester when you're "in the safe zone" (a term I hate because I know so many women who suffered second trimester loss) or should you just go ahead and spill your guts early on? This completely depends on you, your needs, and your personality. I can't tell you what to do but I can share my story.

My very first pregnancy ended in an early miscarriage. I hadn't told many people and it was devastating and difficult to deal with completely on my own. I thought it would be hard to tell people I was pregnant. I thought if something went wrong it would be hard to tell people I had a miscarriage. But what was actually harder than all of that was telling people close to me that I had a miscarriage when I hadn't even told them I was pregnant. Calling my mom with that news was traumatic for both of us. Imagine how she felt hearing her oldest daughter screaming and crying on the phone that she's having a miscarriage when she didn't even know I was pregnant. When I became pregnant again I told everyone right away. I didn't want to feel like I was sitting around waiting for my baby to die. And if the worst did happen, I wanted to have support around me. Thankfully, it was a healthy pregnancy and everything went just fine (until the birth, which is a whole other story and a half). I can't tell you when you should announce your pregnancy, but I can tell you there is a lot to think about and consider when you're making a pregnancy announcement. Beyond what's listed above, you may have other complicating factors. Maybe your sister struggles with infertility, or your cousin just had a miscarriage. These situations can complicate how and when you announce your pregnancy. At the end of the day, all you should know is that there is no "best" way or time to announce your pregnancy. Learn this lesson early on: You need to do what is best for your family and your situation. Period, dot.

If you're looking for support and guidance during your pregnancy you're in the right place! If you haven't yet, check out the $17 Birth Mindset Course to make sure you are feeling confident by the time you're in labor!

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Jaimie Zaki is a Doula, IBCLC, Author and homeschool MOM of four living in Wichita Falls, Texas. Jaimie provides free online support for pregnant and postpartum moms. Jaimie also provides online education opportunities and 1:1 support and consulting for birth planning, labor prep, or breastfeeding. Jaimie also provides in person labor doula and breastfeeding support for moms in Wichita Falls, Texas.