It's perhaps the biggest announcement you'll have to make to your partner, so knowing how to tell your partner you're pregnant can be hard. Whether you've been trying to conceive for some time or that positive pregnancy testhas come as a bit of a surprise, you'll want to tell them in the best way.
First things first, you'll need to calm your excitement and emotions so you don't give anything away before you're ready to make the moment you tell them extra special. To give you some creative ideas and inspiration to share the news with your partner, we've got some memorable and thoughtful ways to announce your pregnancy to them.
When to tell them you're pregnant
You've just taken the pregnancy test and have found out you're pregnant. It'll take some time for this news to sink in, especially if it's your first pregnancy or if it wasn't planned, so it's sometimes nice to take a few days to allow things to sink in by keeping it your little secret.
If you're not patient however and the secret is killing you, you might want to tell your partner sooner rather than later. Another reason you might want to tell your partner sooner is if you're showing early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness that might be harder to hide.
However long you choose to wait, it should typically be your partner who you tell first before anyone else.
Ideas to tell your partner you're pregnant
Once you've decided you're ready to tell them soon, you might want your announcement to be in line with your relationship. If you love those sentimental moments in a relationship, then you'll want to do something cute and thoughtful. If you've both got a brilliant sense of humour, then you might prefer a funnier idea. Whatever you have in mind, we have plenty of ideas to inspire you.
Sentimental ideas
- Wrap up your test – If you're wanting a traditional way of announcing the news to your partner, simply buy a nice gift box, wrap your positive test up in there and give them it as a gift.
- Buy some baby clothes – Buy some cute baby clothes or accessories like a rattle or dummy and wrap them up in a nice bundle for your partner to open.
- Write them a letter – There's nothing more thoughtful and sentimental than a letter. Write a love letter to them, telling them how much you love them before finally announcing how happy you are to become a parent with them.
- Involve your pet – If you're keen to include your furry friends, then buy a cute neckerchief that says big brother or sister and dress them up in it.
- Go shopping – When you're next at the supermarket together, head down the baby aisle and add some nappies or dummies to the trolley. When they ask what you're doing, give them a little smile to let them know your little secret.
- Play a game of Scrabble – If you love a game night, get the scrabble out and aim to only make words linked to babies and pregnancy until they hopefully get the hint!
- Head out for dinner – Book a dinner reservation for three and add to the notes that it's a special occasion. When your partner asks who else is joining, tell them about the third little person who is with you.
- Food ideas – There are so many different ways you can incorporate food into your announcement. Write a simple 'We're pregnant' into your food in a creative way before serving it for dinner. This can be piped in icing on a cake, or with pizza toppings or even a giant cookie.
- Involve the kids – If you've already got a baby, buy a personalised baby grow saying big brother or sister and ask your partner to dress them or change them so they see the baby grow.
- Write a letter from baby – It can be a lovely idea to write a letter to your partner from your baby's perspective. Start with 'Dear Daddy or Mummy'. You could go on to apologise for making mummy feel so poorly and let them know how long it'll be before they get to meet.
Different and creative ideas
- Tie a bow around you – Buy a big bow and tie it around your stomach for your partner to unwrap. You might need to explain to them exactly what they're unwrapping but it will be a lovely surprise once they work out what their gift is.
- Send a letter via post – Make things a bit more mysterious by popping your letter from you or baby in the post box to be delivered. This way your partner won't suspect a thing and will think it's just a normal letter and get a real surprise when they start reading it.
- Buy a custom plate – Buy a personalised plate that says 'eating for two'. They may not notice this one right away but we guarantee the look on their face when they're doing the washing up will be priceless!
- Choose a thoughtful film – There are so many films about pregnancy, starting a family or finding out about pregnancy. Organise a cute movie night in with your partner and only choose films that drop these hints. Ideas we like include Bridget Jones' Baby, Knocked Up, Juno, Storks, What to Expect When You're Expecting and Boss Baby.
- Draw on your tummy – Use a face paint or some make up to draw a funny illustration to show you're expecting. It could be a loading sign or a coming soon message with the month you think you'll be due or you could simply write 'surprise!'
- Begin the nursery – If you know which room you'll want to make your baby's nursery, then you could buy something for that room and leave it in there and ask your partner what they think until they'll hopefully get the hint!
- Write a poem – Get creative with your words and write a short poem to your partner to reveal you're expecting. It can be as long or as short as you like, but we think it's a great idea to make sure it rhymes.
- Write your own personalised story – Personalised story books are easy to find online and you could write the story of you and your partner, ending the story with your pregnancy announcement.
- Buy a countdown – There are so many baby countdown calendars or boards you can display in your home to build that excitement for the day you get to meet. Depending on how observant your partner is, they may take a little time to notice this one.
- Mark an occasion – if you've found out around their birthday, Christmas or mothers or fathers day, then you can buy them a card from baby, telling them that that can't wait to meet you.
Funny ideas
- Capture it on camera – You can do this one of two ways. Firstly, you could set up a camera in your home to record the moment you tell them. Alternatively, you could visit somewhere special and ask a passer by to take a photo (but make sure it's set to video record). When you pose for the photo, turn to them and tell them the news and it's all been captured on film in your special place.
- Sports shirt – If your partner loves a particular sports team, make a personalised shirt for baby. For example, if there's a football team they love, buy a little baby football shirt and have baby's surname printed on the back. You can then gift this to your partner.
- Put a bun in the oven – A classic way to tell them you're expecting. Casually ask them to take dinner out of the oven, when they go in, there'll be a bun waiting in there for them. You can bake one yourself or buy a shop bought one!
- Customised coffee cup – When you make them their morning cuppa, make it in a personalised mug that will reveal a very special message when they get to the bottom. It could read something like 'we're pregnant' or 'we're having a baby'.
- Make the nursery a construction zone – Buy some tape and a banner and stick it on the door that is set to be your nursery so it's clear it's a construction zone. It might take some explaining but they're sure to be over the moon when the penny drops.
- Baby bottle drink – Ask them if they would like a drink. Instead of preparing it in a glass, serve it in a baby bottle and hand it to them. Give a little smile, and they should realise what you're trying to tell them.
- Make it a proposal – Pop a dummy in a box and write a note with it saying 'will you be my mummy/daddy?' You could even get down on one knee when you ask the question too.
- Fortune cookie – Did you know you can buy personalised fortune cookies online? Instead of reading out a fortune, they simply read 'i'm pregnant' or 'we're having a baby'. So next time you're having a Chinese takeaway, swap the normal fortune cookies for some special ones of your own.
- Buy a new dads guide book – Buying a funny guidebook for dad is guaranteed to make them laugh as they realise they'll soon be a dad.
- Scratch card – Personalised scratch cards can be so fun. These are made to look just like real scratch cards with one line revealing that you're having a baby!