Talk about it. Whether it's to your partner, or a friend, or even the belly in concern. There should be no need to hide how hard this is. I found it really helpful when I had to work in close contact with someone who had an unplanned pregnancy to tell her straight "I really can't handle hearing these details from you." She was mostly understanding, but I guess she forgot sometimes.

I know that more than once, I really wasn't all that strong. I had a collapse and cry under my desk once, I said something really nasty once, I failed to congratulate someone once, and I have ditched one entire friendship over it, for no other reason than that I couldn't handle it.

Now, I'm the belly on the other end. I'm always aware of it, I try to give friends an opt-out, and I'm always blown away at just how these amazing friends still manage to be there and support me, because I remember how hard it was.

I don't know if there's actually any advice in there at all. Sorry. I guess I'd want to say that it's OK to hide, if that's what you feel you need to do. If your friends can't understand that (and I hate to sound like your nan here) then they're not really your friends, are they?