Katy Perry announced her pregnancy this morning in her new music video, Never Worn White, revealing her growing bump at the end of the highly anticipated video. Taking to Twitter afterwards, she commented further saying ‘omg so glad I don’t have to suck it in anymore’.
Her sentiment has started an intriguing conversation online, as many others share their memories of announcing their pregnancy to friends and family. It seems, revealing why you’ve been acting shifty (or, as Amber from Love Is Blind would say, shiesty) for the last three months and why you’re body has changed exponentially is a liberating moment for many.
‘To be honest I was most pleased that I could explain why I’d been eating McDonald’s for the last six weeks for lunch – I felt really sick and the chips were all I could face,’ says Emma, who has one son. ‘I wasn’t really showing at that point, I already had plenty of belly, so there was no need to suck anything in. It was a relief though to not always be checking up on what you’d said and if you’d accidentally let something slip, that was the main difference.’
For some, however, there are more serious reasons to keep the pregnancy under wraps, which makes it all the more freeing when you can finally tell everyone.
‘I’d had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy so wanted to wait the full 12 weeks before telling anyone,’ says Diane, who has two children. ‘My boss was a dinosaur – the type who thinks once you get married you should be at home waiting for your husband – so getting pregnant I had a genuine fear he would find a way to let me go,
‘When I could finally tell him – and everyone in the office – it was liberating to let the secrets go,’ she continues. ‘I’d spent months worrying, hiding it with empire line dresses, but getting it over with was a moment of like “OK, you can’t hide this any longer so you just have to do it and accept the consequences”. It was actually such a relief.’
You have a genuine fear that your career will stall once you announce.
‘I think a lot of women working in very male-dominated industries still have that fear of what people are going to think about their career when they announce,’ Diane adds. ‘When you’re hiding your pregnancy it’s not just a case of “oh god people are going to think I’m putting on weight”; it’s a genuine fear that you’re going to hit the glass ceiling when you’re not ready.’
Diane isn't wrong - in 2018 it was revealed that 45% of new mums are stripped of their responsibilities when they return from maternity leave. That same year, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that employers still hold discriminatory attitudes towards recruiting women that may get pregnant while in the role.
It seems then, Perry’s comments have started a much wider conversation. It's not just the relief of no longer having to ‘suck in’ – when it comes to revealing your pregnancy, it’s a monumental moment for many reasons. Of course, for others, it’s just great that you can finally explain why you’ve not worn proper shoes for three months.
‘When I got pregnant I’d just started a new job and I was under probation for the first few months so I especially wanted to keep it secret,’ says Anna, who has one son. ‘I’ve never cared about my weight that much but it is so weird the way your entire body changes, everywhere gets bigger. My legs and feet were massive, so it was a relief when I announced it and could finally say “this is why I’ve not stopped wearing Birkenstocks” since November’.
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'So Glad I Don't Have To Suck It In Anymore': Katy Perry Announces Pregnancy