It may be difficult to find the courage to tell your family about a pregnancy, and chances are they will probably be in shock for a while. They need this time to get their heads around the idea of a new baby in the house, and how it is going to effect everyone in different ways.
Your Parents
Your parents will be worried about how the pregnancy will affect your future and how you will cope. If you are in school or work they may be worried about how you will you continue with a baby and who will care for it. Where you will you live after the baby may be a concern for some families. They may even be a little embarrassed about how it looks if you are very young! These are very real concerns and parents may be very emotional at the beginning.
The important thing is to try to keep up communication with your parents. Give them the space to come to terms with the idea that their child is having a child. Once the idea of it has sunk in, your family may see things a little differently. You can then start working out what is the best way to cope.
Brothers and Sisters.
If you have other sisters and brothers around your own age they may be a good support to you. However, they may also need a little time to work out how they feel.
Try to be patient. If they seem embarrassed at first, it might just be that they may not know what to say, or are worried about what there friends will think. Very young children may not understand how you are having a baby and where it came from. You may need to talk to your parents about how to explain this to your younger brothers and sisters in a way that is suitable for their age. If any of your siblings already have children, ask them questions about the pregnancy and being a mum or dad, they may like to share their experience.
Making a plan
As a family you may have to work out together how to cope with a new baby, especially if you are going to be living at home.
Is your room big enough for a cot? If not could you swap rooms with anyone? Will anyone be around at home to help with the baby in the early days? Will your mum or sister go to clinic appointments with you if you are not in a relationship or your partner can't go? Talking about these practical kinds of things, gets your family involved, even before the baby is born.
If on the other hand your family cannot cope with you being pregnant, and are not able to give you the support you need, you may need to seek help for other relatives and friends. There are also supports in the community such as pregnancy counselling services, your GP, and youth or community organizations See help when you need it