How to Announce Your Pregnancy at Work

How to Announce Your Pregnancy at Work Telling your coworkers youre pregnant can be nerve-wracking, even when you love, love, love your job. When I found out I was pregnant with my first daughter, I worked on one of the most unbelievably supportive teams, and I was shaking in my boots.It made no sense.I knew all of the smart, driven, ambitious women I worked with would be happy and excited for me and be filled with congratulations, and yet, I just couldnt get rid of this overarching sense of dread. Seriously, I think I feltmore nauseous due to my pregnancy announcementthan Ieverdid when dealing with morning sickness.So, in the hopes of stopping some future (soon-to-be) working mamas from falling into this saatkorn trap, Ive cataloged my biggest mental roadblocks and what you can do to turn it around when youre anxiety-ridden about making your pregnancy announcement.Why do we fear telling coworkers about pregnancies?My worry I thought I was letting everyone down. Being a pregnant woma n comes with its physical ailments but this psychological moment can be equally as tough.After I shared my news, met people with hugs and high fives, I realized I was my own worst enemy.The fix eliminate the negative self-talk.Most of myanxietywas rooted in negative self-talk that kept cycling through my thoughtstheyll think youre giving up, they wont take you seriously anymore, theyll think you dont appreciate the career advancement youve been given. Instead, reaffirm yourself, reminding yourself that this a normal step and that you will still be the professional you were before your pregnancy. If your colleagues know you, they will know this as well.What are your worries?I found out I was pregnant shortly after being awarded a higher position and a great big project. YikesIf youre in the saatkorn boat, you might be feeling guilty that you wont be around to see your pet project to fruition, or that youre letting down the team that promoted you by leaving them in a lurch. Would they have still promoted me if they knew Id be taking mat leave in six months? Will they feel like Ive dumped this giant workload on a now smaller team?The fix remind yourself of why you got to where you are now.That job? That project? You earned it So lets not dwell on the past. Instead, start thinking about your future at the company, and how you will continue to excel leading up to your leave and after your return to work. Mimic this thinking in your language with colleagues, When I get back, I cant wait to jump on that project, Interesting If you have time, Id like to share some initial ideas before going off on leave. If you see and project yourself as a person thats committed to the long-term success of your team, your colleagues will see that, too.Whom should you tell first?Having an incredible working mother or two on your team whos already been in your shoes should be a huge asset to you, not a source of anxiety. However, it can be easy to hold yourself up against your public p erception of this mama mentor.When youve been modeling yourself after a working mom who seems to be able to do it all (How is she always in before me? How is she always so put together? I dont even have kids yet), the working mama hustle can seem next to impossible. Youre telling yourself that theres no way you can handle motherhood as well as she does.The fix unpair your experiences.Just because youve professionally modeled yourself after this rockstar working mom, doesnt mean that there needs to be equivalence in all aspects of your lives.Remind yourself that youre just seeing the work version of her and that you have no idea what goes into making that happen when you have a new member of a soon-to-be-larger family. Chances are, shell be your biggest champion when it comes to taking your maternity leave and ramping back into work. Shes been there.How and when should you prepare to tell your coworkers?Before announcing your pregnancy at work (typically sometime after the first trim ester and the risk of miscarriage recedes) to your manager and co-workers, youve probably already consulted your contract and the local legislation to see what youre entitled to for your maternity leave.But theres a problem. In the years that youve been working for this company, youve noticed a completely different approach. Mamas are returning to the office sooner than theyre obligated to, and youre worried that the same will be expected of you.Find out your company maternity leave policy and then try to get a sense of whether its culturally respected. It will probably be easier to do this after you make the big announcement and not immediately after you get a positive reading on your pregnancy test.The fix get readingAnd Im not just talking about your HR manual and company policy. Im talking about reading the room and reading the mood of your fellow working mamas and co-workers when they return to work. It might not be the case that theyve had pressure put on them to return sooner . To the contrary, mat leave isnt for everyone and some may be choosing to come back earlier than plannedI know I didSo, strike up a conversation to better understand their maternity leave plans. This way when you approach your supervisor about planning for maternity leave, you can present a plan that brings together your entitlements and what you hope for your maternity leave.Should you disclose pregnancy during an bewerbungsgesprch?By law, you dont have to disclose your pregnancy in an interview. However, it may be in your best interest to do so, because its information your manager and team will need to have if you do get hired. After all, it could put them in a difficult spot if youre hired and they find out they immediately need coverage later on.Also, bear in mind that its illegal to discriminate against an employee or prospective for being pregnant which is not to say it doesnt happen. But legally, theyre not allowed to deny you the job for this reason.Announcing your pregna ncy at work the bottom line.It may not be easy to share your baby news at work, but I hope that Ive helped to remove some of the obstacles that may be in your way mentally when it comes to sharing the good news.All workplaces and colleagues are different, so keep what you know about your work environment in mind and tailor how you announce your pregnancy at work accordingly.I know these examples dont even begin to cover it, so feel free to tell me what your biggest mental roadblocks are as you lead up to the announcement--Lisa Durante is a Toronto-based working mama who believes in the power of AND. She offers real life insights and practical solutions that you can use to prepare for babys arrival as well as your life as a working mama.