Before your baby is born, you may want to decide how you will announce the happy news. Making some decisions beforehand is helpful because the first weeks of baby’s life can be hectic.
The first decision to make is how to deliver the announcement. Will you send out a traditional birth announcement or choose to share the news on social media? Will you send an e-card or film the happy extended family for a video on Facebook? There have never been more options for conveying happy news.
Whichever method you decide on, some common rules will apply. You will have to decide what information you want to share about your baby, who you want to share that information with, and when you plan to share it.
What will you say?
Most print announcement announcements include the baby’s full name, the names of parents and siblings, the date and time the baby was born, where he was born, as well as how much he weighed and his length at birth.
The parents of twins or triplets have the option of printing multiple announcements or including all the names on the same announcement.
Parents who adopt a baby can send out announcements after the adoption date.
It’s popular but not necessary to include a photo of the newborn. If you plan to send out a printed announcement, some of the details will have to wait but you can address the envelopes and get the stamps before the birth date.
If you’re unsure how to word your announcement, check out online sites such as Shutterfly, which offer various wordings for inspiration.
Who should you send it to?
There is no definitive list of who to send a birth announcement to, although you may want to include friends, family, and anyone who attended the baby shower or sent a gift. You can send as many or as few as you like.
When should you send it?
A general rule of etiquette suggests that birth announcements be sent out within the first six months of the baby’s life. However, the first weeks with your new baby can be hectic. There’s a lot to do and those close to you will understand if you’re otherwise engaged.
If you plan to send the news via email, you can compose an email draft in advance and include all the addresses of those you want to contact, then save it as a draft. That way all you have to do is to finish the details and press send. You can also send a brief email announcement to say that a printed announcement is on the way. Even in the age of instant communication and social media, some people like to have a printed announcement as a keepsake.
Sending an announcement via social media
A birth announcement recently posted on Pregistry’s Facebook page.
Social media offers more options for delivering the happy news. You can send e-cards or share the news and a photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Our parent company, Pregistry, will accept a photo of your baby, insert a beautiful frame around it, and publish it on its Facebook page to a community of almost 300,000 moms around the world. You can also create a special page on Facebook for family and friends to view the news and photos of your new child. If you enjoy making videos, create one for Facebook, introducing your new child to the world. One advantage of Instagram or Facebook is that siblings can co-star in the picture or Facebook video.
If you do post the news on Facebook, make sure your privacy settings limit the announcement to friends and family.
