Warning: This article contains discussion of baby loss which some readers may find distressing.
It's April Fool's Day tomorrow (1 April), and we're all preparing to be flooded with an avalanche of practical jokes, hoaxes and pranks across social media.
However, while it's a day all about playing tricks on friends, family and followers, it's important to tread lightly and not take things too far with a grief therapist now coming forward to issue an important warning over one very specific joke.
Grief therapist Zoe Clark-Coates MBE took to Instagram last week, where she shared the warning with her 140k followers with a text image reading: "PLEASE DON'T DO FAKE PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON APRIL FOOLS DAY
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"IT'S NOT FUNNY, IT'S CRUEL."
Zoe explained the situation further in the caption of the post titled 'APRIL FOOL NOTICE'.
She continued to urge her followers: "PLEASE don’t post fake pregnancy announcements this April 1st
"I know many people see no harm in this….and yes, it’s often done in total innocence and with no intention to ever cause upset, but I see first-hand the harm jokes like this have on many people. Those struggling to conceive, those with no hope of ever conceiving, and those who have lost babies in pregnancy or post-birth are often the ones left reeling."
Explaining the reason as to 'why', the expert outlined: "Well, it may surprise you to hear that it can take a lot for these wonderful people to even respond to posts like this… they may have gone away, had a good cry and then spent a few hours compiling a suitably happy response to your post, to show you how pleased they are for you.
"Then there will be other people who don’t respond, they just shut themselves away to hide, and cry, and pray that the next pregnancy announcement will be theirs… However, what they will soon discover is your announcement is not real… it is just a joke, and they have experienced all this additional grief and worry for nothing."
Zoe concluded: "So PLEASE think twice about fake pregnancy posts, make someone smile this April Fool’s day rather than cry!"
People were quick to rush in and praise Zoe's PSA, with one Instagram user writing: "Oh my gosh, who would even think to do this? That’s awful."
A second admitted: "Yep. I might even just stay offline on that day… way too upsetting to see people making fun of something so close to my heart."
"Beyond cruel," agreed another.
And a final Instagram user echoed: "This."
If you need support and advice following a pregnancy loss, you can contact the Tommy’s team at [email protected]. You can also call them for free on 0800 014 7800, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Topics: Advice, Life, Mental Health, Pregnancy, Parenting, Social Media
Rhiannon Ingle