I want to announce my pregnancy at my cousin’s baby shower

"I've been called cheap and rude when I've mentioned my plan... so maybe I shouldn't?"

A woman divided opinions online recently when she shared her plans to announce her pregnancy at her cousin's baby shower.

 

She wrote in a parenting group that she's currently 14 weeks pregnant and has been keeping it quiet so far. 

"I’m not someone who likes to talk about my personal life or make social media posts etc.," she said. 

"Those are all people I see once a year, max. I don’t really have any contact with them other than at Christmas or things like that."

But despite wanting to keep her exciting news on the down low for a while longer, her mum has other ideas and has talked her into revealing her bump at the upcoming baby shower.

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Image: iStock

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"Otherwise, I'd have to lie"

"My mother absolutely wants me to announce my pregnancy to her side of the family (especially her mother) and thinks the baby shower is the perfect opportunity as I won’t see them until my own shower or until after the baby is born," she explained.

The expectant mum also added that her belly is beginning to show a little, so she figured people would assume anyway. 

In addition to that, she'll also not be able to eat most of the things on the menu, which would be a dead giveaway. 

She explained: "The restaurant at which the shower will be happening has a small menu of like five items, four of which I can’t have due to pregnancy restrictions and one of them I have a strong aversion to since being pregnant.

"Unless I announce my pregnancy, I will have to either lie about why I’m not eating my meal or find another excuse."

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"Cheap and rude"

People promptly told her to absolutely not go ahead with her plan.

One reader wrote, "Tell your mum if she needs some baby announcement attention for herself, she can plan her own party instead of hijacking someone else's.

"That's just cheap and rude."

A second added: "Don't upstage your cousin. Find another time to announce your pregnancy and let your cousin and her family have their moment. You'll have yours, too."

"Announcing your own thing at an event planned for someone else is never polite. Your mum shouldn't be pushing this," concluded a third. 

That person continued: "I'm even the type where I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to announce this at my event, but I would mind if they did it as a surprise to even me."

Meanwhile, many users suggested skipping the baby shower altogether if she doesn't think she'll be able to hide her pregnancy.

"You could always tell them you feel under the weather so can't eat... or just don't go," one suggested.

This article was updated in Septemeber 2024 and was originally published in April 2024.

Originally published as I want to announce my pregnancy at my cousin’s baby shower