Announcing Your Rainbow Pregnancy at Work

Even if your pregnancy isn't a rainbow pregnancy, this decision is big, and there are so many different elements that play a factor in it. What is your relationship like with your supervisor? How supportive are they? What about your coworkers?

Is there a possibility you will be treated differently, or passed over for advancement opportunities because you will need time off or changes (real or perceived) to your work-life balance (this should not be a thing we have to deal with, there are even laws about it. And yet. . .)?

Have you announced your pregnancy to anyone else? How are you feeling about having others know about your news? How hard is it to say the words out loud? (See my related post, Announcing Your Rainbow Pregnancy: If, Who, When, and How for considerations on announcing outside of the workplace.)

I got lucky here. I was still working for the same boss I had when I miscarried and we got on well. She was female, incredibly understanding, and had gone through some pregnancy complications of her own.

So in my situation, it made sense to tell my boss on the sooner end of the spectrum. I waited until I was further along to tell my co-workers, but I wanted my boss to know that I was a bit preoccupied (incredible understatement) and I wanted her prepared for me to need some time off should the worst happen again.

I really hope you are in a similar situation to the lucky one I had. But I wouldn't consider myself lucky if this was the norm, so I know it just won't be true for many of you, and I am so sorry.

So, let's break down a few considerations for how to announce at work to help you figure out where you land on this wide spectrum of possibilities.

Brush Up on Company Policies

Dig into your company’s maternity leave policies and any other relevant workplace regulations. Knowing your rights and benefits can give you some confidence and help you plan your announcement effectively.

• Review your employee handbook: This is often the best source for company policies regarding maternity leave and related protocols.
  
• Understand external rights: You have rights that are given to you by the federal government and may not be listed in your handbook or other company documents. If you are in the US, see this fact sheet from the National Women's Law Center for more information.
  
• Consult HR: If the handbook is unclear or incomplete, or you would just rather talk to a person about the whole thing, schedule a meeting with HR to get detailed information.

Timing Your Announcement

Choosing the right time to announce your pregnancy at work can significantly impact your experience. If you are in the US, there is no law requiring you to inform your employer (see linked fact sheet above).

You do not need to tell them if you do not want to, but here are some reasons you might:

• Workplace accommodations: If you work with hazardous materials or lift heavy objects all day, you will want to tell your employer about your pregnancy as soon as possible so accommodations can be made (more on your rights around accommodations in the fact sheet linked above).
  
• Maternity Leave Benefits: If you are in the US and want/need FMLA to cover your maternity leave, the general rule is 30 days notice, though exceptions are made for emergency situations beyond your control. My place of employment did not allow me to apply for FMLA until I was within 30 days of my due date and complications in my pregnancy resulted in my child being born 4 weeks early. It made for an interesting time, but I was still able to collect my benefits.
  
• Project timelines: Consider the current projects you have going and how they will need to be supported while you are gone. If you plan to come back to work after your maternity leave, you may need some time with your colleagues in the know to plan for coverage. If you do not plan to come back, but you'd like to help facilitate transferring your projects permanently, you'll want to announce with enough time to do so.

• Your bump: At least some of your coworkers are likely to notice your bump at some point (though, the rise of work-from-home opportunities may help there). Consider whether you would prefer to field questions about your bump as they come in or if you would like more control over when and how these conversations take place.
  • This will be true for other people in your life as well. See my other post, Who Should I Tell About My Rainbow Pregnancy? for advice about announcing to the other people in your life.

There are a lot of reasons to announce your pregnancy at work. But there are also a lot of reasons not to. You will have to weigh out some of the pros and cons based on your personal situation.

Ultimately, you should go with whatever brings you the most peace. And don't forget to reach out for resources from HR if they are available to you.

Plan The Conversation

Think about how you want to break the news. It’s often best to start with HR and your direct supervisor before telling colleagues.

• One-on-one meetings: Decide if you want to speak with HR or your supervisor first. If you are feeling any type of way about informing your supervisor, ask HR for advice about having that conversation and to sit in on the meeting with you. For extreme situations, let HR know how uncomfortable you are with announcing your news to your boss and discuss options for notifying them in writing with specific instructions for all communications about it going through HR.
  
• Your Needs: Think about what you might need from your employer during your pregnancy (altered break schedule, deadline extensions, lowered stress levels, leave, etc.) so you are prepared to ask for it. This is an example of when it would be good to know what your rights and benefits are (discussed above). Be sure to mention whether or not it is ok to discuss your news with anyone else in your workplace. If you are not ready to have everyone know, this should be clearly communicated to your supervisor.

I was a disoriented mess during my pregnancy, so conversations like this were a bit daunting. I found myself leaving all kinds of conversations and appointments throughout those 9 months realizing I hadn't voiced even half of my questions or concerns.

Having a plan in place (I recommend writing it down) can help you make sure you cover everything you need to all at once so you don't need to keep going back to continue the conversation.

Balancing Disclosure and Privacy

You're pregnant again and your whole world has narrowed down to that little rainbow growing inside you. A big part of protecting that little one is protecting your own emotional well-being.

However you decide to proceed with your workplace announcement, try to keep your stress level and emotional readiness at the front of your mind.

While work is important, so is your emotional health and your privacy. Whether you love your job or tolerate it as a means to an end, this is your pregnancy journey and your career path; you have a right to control those conversations.

This announcement is but one small piece of your rainbow pregnancy journey. See my other post on Navigating Your Rainbow Pregnancy for tips on your pregnancy as a whole.