Yesterday, four women we know announced their pregnancies on Facebook. Three of them even posted images of their sonograms. Turns out they were all April Fools' hoaxes. But what about those women who actually use Facebook to share their news with friends and family? "You should definitely tell close friends and family in person," said one new mom, Karen. "Facebook is a good tool to get the word out after you've told those you're closest to. A good rule of thumb: If they would've heard the news from a third party anyway, they probably won't care if they find out on Facebook."
As far as we're concerned, this rule applies to all major news. If we find out that you're pregnant, engaged, divorcing, moving, etc. through your blog, social-networking site, or even text message or mass e-mail, it makes us wonder how close we were to begin with.
What do you think? Is it tacky to tell your friends about major life changes via Facebook?
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Thursday 02 April
By Rebekah
Truly great catchall rule. Call me old fashioned, but I do hope my sister calls me when she gets engaged instead of sending a link to an album.
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Thursday 17 September
By jen
news that one is pregnant = good.
daily updates about one's child's vomit/poop/eating/diaper rash/dr visits/sleeping habits/snotting = bad. very bad.
and yes, i have a multitude of friends with babies and toddlers and they find it necessary to update everyone about these things on a daily basis while the rest of us hold back on comments about how we couldnt care less.
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Thursday 22 October
By HapHaj
Call me conservative, but I happen to find announcing pregnancy on facebook tacky. Look it at this way, pregnancy/childbirth is one if not the most intimate and private experiences of a woman's life. (OctoMom not included) But seriously, facebook is a social networking site. Nothing more, nothing less. I think it's cool or okay to announce engagements maybe...or other milestones, but pregnancy? There's an air of attention-seeker and or bragger oar that comes from that. And besides, unless you have screened all your friends, who happen to actually BE FRIENDS or at least acquaintance at some level that you have met and at one time interacted with---why would you share that with everyone? Maybe I'm so discreet too because I have almost 2,000 "friends" and out of them, only 1-2 actually friends, excluding family. The other 1,998 are second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth tier associations that have merely added or requested me for some random, unknown reason. So, again I ask---what benefit or purpose would come from me announcing, "Guess what?! I'm Preggars!!" Of course I would get a gout of congratulations and other high salutes, but I'm also opening myself up to judgment, nosey questions and comments and just being an open-book. I'm bias to this as well, because there are "people" on facebook, that I know would or could use that kind of shared information for defamation and just the good old rumor mill. Finally, I think it strongly depends on your marital status. I happen to think if you're married, it is much more accepted. Whereas, the single mom would just look desperate for acknowledgment. And before this rant is accused of being too bias...I am currently 5 weeks pregnant. And have no intentions of sharing my future bump with a bunch of strangers. Maybe once they're born, I will post pictures...but I rarely update my own pictures. And oh, I happen to be VERY single. Chao Baby!
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