How to tell your boss you're pregnant

Determining the right time to tell the boss you're pregnant
You kicked your coffee habit weeks ago, but your boss still hasn't clued into the fact that you're pregnant. Still, it's only a matter of time before she hears the news from someone else, and you'd like her to hear it from you first. So how -- and when -- should you make the mother of all announcements at work?

While there's no guaranteed "right time" to share your big news, you can increase your chances of meeting with a positive response if you plan your announcement carefully. Here are a few tips:

Anticipate your employer's concerns and be prepared to address them. Go in with a game plan that specifies how long you intend to be off work, who might be able to replace you, and what you intend to do to help train your replacement. Of course, you'll want to make it clear that this is just a game plan -- not a guaranteed blueprint for the months ahead. "Circumstances may change if you run into some unexpected complications with your pregnancy," notes Hamilton, Ontario, obstetrician Margaret Lightheart, MD.

Understand your rights as a pregnant employee. If you are expecting a performance or salary review in the near future, keep your news to yourself for now. That way, if the review doesn't go as well as you had hoped, you won't have to wonder whether you're the victim of pregnancy discrimination.

Time your announcement to coincide with a major achievement at work (i.e. the completion of a major project). That way, you can show your boss through actions rather than words that you are as productive and committed to your job as ever, thereby addressing a perennial fear of many employers.