The “Pandora’s Box” method of telling your partner you’re pregnant

Minutes after learning I was pregnant, I threw the first pregnancy test away. My thinking at the time was that I wanted to wait to tell my husband the next night — our special night to make dinner at home. (And, okay, fine, I wanted to have drinks with dinner that night without judgement.)

But then I realized that I had my physical trainer in the morning, and I would have to tell HIM. And there was no way I was going to tell my trainer before I told my husband. So I pulled the test out of the trash.

Then I took one more test just to make sure. And, yup, it was still positive.

No going back now…

I needed to tell my partner I’m pregnant. And I wasn’t sure HOW.

Then I realized that I’d never considered that there’d be a time in my life where I’d tell my partner “I’m pregnant” and it would be actually be good news!

I knew that If I googled “how to tell my partner I’m pregnant” that I’d get nothing but obnoxious AF suggestions. So I took the 20 minutes or so where he was on a business call to wrack my brain for a sweet-but-not-cheesy way to tell him.

I wanted to be personal. But wtf could I do in such a short window of time?

Then I remembered that the other night he came home and surprised me in the kitchen with a little present: A necklace shaped like a dinosaur. It came in a tiny silver box. And I still had it!

So I snatched it up, cut a piece of craft paper to size, and wrote “I’m pregnant :)” (the smiley face obviously was a very mature way to show him that it was good news). Then I hid the box in my pocket and paced around waiting for him to get off the phone.

The moment he did, he walked into the kitchen to get some water. Perfect! I can surprise him the way he surprised me.

Pandora’s Box

I walked in, asked if he was done with work. He said yes. I said, “Good. Because two can play this ‘special surprise in the kitchen’ game.” And I slid the box over to him.

Confused, he opened it. And I’ll NEVER forget his face…

Then we hugged each other for a long time. He said, “I’m excited but I’m so scared.” And I said, “me too.”

But the box was opened, the news was shared, and there was no closing the lid on this box now. Starting now our lives will never be the same.

(Oh, and for those curious, I totally still got to have drinks with dinner without judgement that night. It was my last old fashioned and glass of wine for a long time!)

How did you tell your partner you’re pregnant?