You’ve taken the tests, you’ve confirmed with the doctor, and now it feels like both you and your partner are holding on to a very big secret from the world – you’re having a baby!
This news, even if you're armed with the best dad books can make you feel anxious and elated, nervous and excited, like you’re underwater and over-the-moon all at the same time. And, for a while, it’s nice to just keep holding on to that secret, to have it shared only with your partner as you both wrap your mind around what it means for you, together and personally.
But when you’re both ready, sharing that big news with family and friends can not only be exciting and uplifting for them, but relieving for you. In some ways, sharing the news makes it all feel more real. The question is: When is it time to share the news? And what’s the best way of going about it?
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When should we make our pregnancy announcement?
Everyone has a different opinion of what a pregnancy announcement should be. Some prefer to invite family and friends to a big party to announce the exciting news, while others prefer to have individual moments with different people - after all, some people might get suspicious if you suddenly invite all your family and friends over out of the blue.
Most people tend to make their pregnancy announcement in private first to close family members and their closest friends - individual moments to cherish with the special people in your lives. This is usually followed by a social media pregnancy announcement for everyone else you might know. Don't forget to check out some unique pregnancy announcement quotes to accompany your social media post!
With excitement at an all-time high, waiting to share the news with the people you love can be extremely difficult. You may well feel the impulse to call someone immediately after finding out!
As it’s laid out in our book, You’re Going to Be a Dad! (in Week 7):
“Perhaps you’ve already had your very first prenatal appointment, or maybe it’s still coming up next week. Either way, the pregnancy is probably feeling a bit more real by the day. Your baby and your partner have likely been occupying your thoughts for the past few weeks, and when that happens, it almost feels impossible not to share that news with someone…
It's no one's business to tell you when exactly you should make your pregnancy announcement. However, we can tell you what most people do, and why. Some people will tell their nearest and dearest soon after taking a pregnancy test or having the pregnancy confirmed by a blood test. However, most people tend to leave their 'public' pregnancy announcement until after the first pre-natal scan, which usually takes place around 12 weeks.
We can’t tell you exactly when the right time is, but a common time for first-time dads to share the news is after confirmation from the first prenatal ultrasound. In a lot of ways, that first visit will confirm the baby for you as well. However, there’s nothing wrong with telling people close to you as soon as you get the positive pregnancy test…whenever you decide, telling people you love about your exciting news can be an amazing moment, and it can even make you feel closer to them. So, when you feel the time is right, or when you’re just too excited to keep it in any longer—share the wonderful news!” It's something all the best dad blogs share the same sentiment with too.
The second part of the announcement is when you actually share the news with the world – whether by a social media announcement or mailing a ‘We’re Expecting’ letter. We’ll admit, ease and saving on postage in recent years has definitely encouraged the former. As far as when exactly to make that leap:
“The end of the first trimester is a common time when couples think about announcing the pregnancy. It is by no means mandatory, of course, and many people have reservations about announcing early—or announcing at all. Much like sharing the news with family and close friends, announcing a pregnancy should only happen on your timeline.”
Pregnancy announcement ideas for family
The exciting thing about the pregnancy announcement coming in two parts is that you have two (or even more) opportunities to share the news. The first part, however, is a far more direct and even intimate reveal. Often, the initial announcement to your short list of loved ones can be done one-on-one. That being said, how do you decide who is on that list?
A big question soon-to-be parents face is who exactly is on the list for the pregnancy news before the official announcement? “Well, we’re definitely calling my parents.” “What about my grandparents?” “If you call yours, I’ll have to call mine too.” “Well, if you call them, Uncle Max still lives there, so then we’ll have to call all of our aunts and uncles.” “Yeah, and what about my mates?” “I’m telling two friends, so choose two.” “Ah, but it’s always the three of us at work. I can’t leave Paul out.”
As you can see, sometimes that short list can easily cascade into something longer. We can’t tell you expressly who is on your list, but we can tell you that the earlier on you tell people, the more people you’ll have to keep updated of any changes, news, ultrasounds – pretty much everything. It can be truly endearing (and maybe a bit much sometimes) how people can surprise you with their involvement and calls or texts for small updates when you have a baby on the way. That’s because pregnancy is an exciting moment in life, one of the few good things that can be shared with so many of those closest to you. In the midst of a world frequented by bad news, it’s often a light and renewal for many.
With that said, while simply a call, a get-together, or a Facetime conversation can be plenty to get the job done and let those closest to you hear the news, there’s also some fun ways to let the surprise of this amazing moment play out even better.
So, without further ado, let’s start our list of 51 Pregnancy Announcements Worth Trying, starting with:
Pregnancy announcement ideas for family and friends
When it comes to the pregnancy announcement, family usually comes first for most couples. However, announcing to them can also be a good bit of fun for you and your partner.
This is certainly one of the more fun pregnancy announcement ideas, and one with a couple of different variations. You've probably figured how these work - made to look like regular lottery scratch cards, the message in the scratch-off window says something to the effect of "We're having a baby!" or "You're going to be a XYZ".
You could either scratch them off yourself and pretend you've won, showing your card to your loved ones. Or you could encourage them to scratch off their own cards, which works particularly well if they regularly play scratch cards (they might get a little suspicious, otherwise).
Plenty of couples use the first ultrasound photo as part of their pregnancy announcement. The beauty of making the scan photo the focal point of your pregnancy announcement is that you can combine it with a whole host of different ideas - You could put it inside a birthday card, or slip it inside a book you're lending someone. And it's commonly used for social media, too.
Why announce news when you can wear it?! These customised shirts are not only perfect for social media announcements, but could be worn to a simple dinner with friends or family. It makes for quite a sudden explosion of excitement when you eventually reveal the t-shirts, especially if one or two people realise before everyone else.
This pregnancy announcement is a sweet surprise for family and friends with a sweet tooth. You could either buy personalised ones, or have a crack at baking your own pregnancy cookies. You can casually arrive at someone's house and tell them you got them some cookies. No biggie - you're just being kind. Then BAM! They open the box to learn that's how you've decided to announce your pregnancy.
File this one under 'fun pregnancy announcement idea', it works particularly well at family gatherings. Suggest a group photo, set up the phone or camera (you could either do it as a video or try to time it perfectly), let the countdown begin and yell out "We're pregnant!".
You'll capture everyone's shock and excitement, creating something you'll all be able to keep and share forever.
Cute pregnancy announcements for grandparents to be
Our own parents are usually the first people we make our pregnancy announcements to, especially if it's their first grandchild. Telling them they are now grandparents-to-be is a special moment that will live long in the memory of you all.
These are some of our favourite pregnancy announcement ideas for the soon-to-be grandparents.
Gifts are a great way of making a pregnancy announcement, and mugs are definitely a staple gift that your parents won't think anything of. There are tonnes of options for personalised mugs on the market. You could go with a simple "Grandad" or "Grandma" message, or "promoted to Grandad/Grandma".
But, there are other fun ways to announce your pregnancy with a mug. You could get one with the message on the bottom. They'll look at the otherwise plain white mug, confused, and either look at the bottom themselves, or lift if up and the other grandparent-to-be will see it. Either way, you'll cause a lot of excitement and laughter.
You could even get a heat-reveal mug. Totally plain, they'll think they've been given a boring mug. But when they make a cup of tea or coffee with it, they'll be hit with the exciting news!
Much like the scratch-offs and movie tickets, coupons are a great way to slyly let loved ones know about the pregnancy. They can be attached to small gift bags, or simply handed in a mix of actual coupons.
If your mum or dad likes a night cap, a customised whiskey glass can make for a wonderful gift that doubles as your pregnancy announcement.
You could even throw in a bottle, too, so your parents can celebrate together long after you've headed home...
One stereotype of our parents after we get married is that they (usually our mums) don't stop asking when we're going to have a baby. This pregnancy announcement is especially brilliant at bringing on the tears - there's just something about the combination of the new you're having a baby alongside the teeny tiny baby grow or baby vest that really pulls on the heartstrings.
There's also plenty of opportunity for a joke with the message on the clothing itself.
For the wine connoisseur or simply for the wine you might bring as a gift when coming to visit, this custom bottle can be a very subtle way to announce your pregnancy to your grandparents. Cheers!
Fun pregnancy announcement ideas for the soon-to-be sibling
It’s not always first-time parents that love a good reveal. Often, for our dads first, second, third, or twelfth kid (yes, we’ve got them!), letting the older siblings know they’re about to get a new brother or sister is vital. Not only is it a fun way to let them know, but it immediately helps them to feel involved in this big moment in all of your lives.
So, for the older and soon-to-be siblings, here are our favourite pregnancy announcement ideas for siblings:
11. Scavenger Hunt
If something can be a fun game to play as a family, why not make it one?
This scavenger hunt is one of many options that encourages older siblings to scour around the house or garden, working together or alone to uncover clues to the big news for themselves.
Let them channel their inner Sherlock and be unleashed!
12. Pinata
While it’s common enough for gender reveal parties, who doesn’t enjoy beating a pinata with a stick knowing candy will come out. Within that pinata, just like a fortune cookie, let a personalized letter fall out revealing the new arrival to the family. As a word of warning, also definitely add candy.
They’ll appreciate the letter, but you know, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down".
13. Give a promotion
Check out the new digs! Get your older child a nice personalised shirt or clothing item letting them flaunt to the world their promoted status in the family. This also doubles as a way for them to share the news themselves and feel involved and excited about the baby!
And that's exactly what Jon from the DaddiLife team did:
“We found out we were having our second baby not long before Christmas, so we got our son a little t-shirt with the message "Santa's promoting me to big brother" on it.
"He'd only just turned two so we had to tell him rather than let him read the t-shirt. But we that it to make our pregnancy announcement to both our families.
"Luckily, because it was winter, no one was suspicious of him wearing a big jumper. We casually called across the rooms to ask if he was warm and wanted to take his jumper off...
"It took a few seconds for someone to read the message, but once they did (and screamed) everyone else started to read, creating a sort of wonderful ripple effect of screams and cheers!"
14. Custom Puzzle
While not every kid nowadays loves puzzles, a small game like this can be a great way to get the family around the dinner table and working on something together. A word of warning, try not to get a 1,000-piece puzzle. 20 is probably plenty. Like a game of a Monopoly, finishing a 1,000 word puzzle might take until the baby arrives to complete.
15. Storytime
If story time is a big part of the daily routine in your household, then there’s nothing better than having your child personally involved in the tale you tell. You can either buy a ready-made book after becoming a sibling, or you could order a personalised book complete with your child's name and information.
Funny pregnancy announcement ideas
The pregnancy announcement for close family and friends tends to be a bit more sentimental, special and personal.
But how do you announce your pregnancy to everyone else you know?! Well, we tend to look to more creative pregnancy announcement ideas for social media, because that's the most efficient way of telling nearly everyone you know from distant relatives to colleagues and casual acquaintances you might stop and say "hi" at the supermarket.
These are some of the best funny pregnancy announcement ideas.
16. Pregnancy bingo
Did you know you can turn a pregnancy announcement into a drinking game? You can! Pregnancy Bingo gives the opportunity for you and your partner to reveal the news to friends in a fun setting. This also works well enough with the closer reveal – but, in bingo, the more the merrier!
There are tonnes of ways to be outnumbered in a family, so finding a shirt or taking a picture that shows you and your partner outnumbered by three kids, or you outnumbered by more girls in the family can be a fun way to proudly announce your new status in life.
Just make sure you practice your biggest and best shocked or worried faces, and throw in some props, like the pregnancy test, baby shoes and baby clothes. Oh, and if you want that extra comedy factor, try encouraging the soon-to-be middle child to put on their biggest stroppy face for the picture.
18. Ice, Ice, Baby
Who doesn’t love a good pun? More than that, who doesn’t love a good announcement on a budget. For the cost of two bags of ice, Vanilla Ice can proudly help you and your partner tell people to “stop, collaborate, and listen” as you share the big news.
Other puns are available...
If you're bit of a DIY family, this 'Bump under construction' t-shirt is definitely a great (corny) joke to announce your pregnancy.
20. Eviction notice
Well, someone had to tell the older siblings some time. They’ve been living rent free long enough and now’s the time to collect. See how they take the news. If you have a picture of them crying, posting this on the front sure adds a little something extra.
21. Movie poster
One of our absolute favourite pregnancy announcement ideas: the movie poster. Design it how you like, involve the family, and share with the world. This announcement idea has tons of customisation options and works well for the family of avid movie-goers.
Is somebody going to check on him? For every planned pregnancy, there’s a surprise around the corner. If your pregnancy was unexpected, there's no reason you can't have a little fun with your pregnancy announcement! Lean into it with a picture or bodysuit worth a thousand words.
The 90s sitcom that seems to endure forever, a “Friends” announcement can bring a smile to any fans face just like the show is known to reduce anxiety from repeated viewings. That’s right! Psychology and laughs – that’s a x2 bonus!
A little more modern but still an older show nowadays, “The Office” has been proving its staying power. To invite the older sibling to be the Assistant to the Regional Manager (you and your partner can decide who the actual Regional Manager is) can be tons of fun. Also, “The Office” has a never-ending supply of funny gifs, to add a little spice to the actual announcement.
Need we say more? Sometimes it’s best to just be honest right off-the-bat!
Creative pregnancy announcement ideas
The pregnancy announcement is a landmark moment in the life of your life, so for many it's the perfect time to get creative.
Here are some of our favourite creative pregnancy announcement ideas.
If it isn’t your first child, then using the older sibling to announce can be a perfect way to involve them, and it makes for an extremely cute picture. Have them hold the poster and just have fun!
27. Movie tickets
Easy to mail or to hand to a loved one in person, these movie tickets are the perfect way to personally announce the pregnancy. Be aware that if you and a family member are known to have completely opposite musical tastes, you might be in for a nice awkward dance in handing them the ticket.
Especially with siblings, that awkwardness can be worth its weight in gold.
If you haven’t watched Cocomelon yet, you likely will soon. What might be the TikTok of children’s shows, a big song is none other than, “Baby Shark”. Do do do do do! It’s so catchy! And that dance!
A calendar with the projected due date of your new baby is definitely one of the simply and more elegant pregnancy announcement ideas - the perfect way to let the world know that you and your partner have a baby on board!
A brilliant thing about pregnancy announcement ideas is that you can tailor them to your own personalities and hobbies. It might be quirky themed pregnancy announcements like this gaming t-shirt, or a hobby close to your heart if you're not into gaming! It's definitely one of the sweeter pregnancy announcement ideas that captures the sentiment of being able to share your most beloved hobby with your own child in the near future.
Holiday or seasonal pregnancy announcements
Sometimes babies are set to arrive close to the holiday season, or you and your partner discover the news around that time, as Jon explained earlier.
In either case, theming the announcement after an occasion is a great way to get the creative juices flowing and embrace the season.
Here are a few pregnancy announcement ideas for different holidays:
31. Santa Baby
“Santa isn’t the only one coming to town!” This bauble-ultrasound photo combo is a great way to announce your pregnancy, whether you're having family and friends over and checking out your tree decorations, or sharing a photo on social media.
32. Ho, Ho, Oh
One of the funnier pregnancy announcement ideas for after the closest family members have been told. For all the Christmas babies, can we get a “Ho, Ho, Oh…”? Simple to make and easy to share, this announcement sparks some added joy for the holiday season.
An amazing opportunity for a photo of your partner, wrap them up with a bow and tag and take a picture of the present that won’t be opened until after Christmas! That's a memorable pregnancy announcement, if ever I've seen one!
This is particularly effective is your partner has already started showing, and you can place the bow or tag on her baby bump.
34. Christmas card
Tried and true, what better way to utilise a Christmas Card than making your pregnancy announcement to the world?! Make it funny, make it sincere, make it yours! Whatever your choice, Christmas cards are a great way to embrace the holidays and the pregnancy.
35. Easter egg hunt
Another great way to involve the siblings around Easter & springtime is an Easter ggg hunt pregnancy announcement! By either painting eggs with the news or hiding it inside the plastic eggs, this short hunt can be a great way to get your older children excited about the news!
“Spring is in the air & we have some big news to share.” Use this short poem, couple it with an ultrasound and you have a pregnancy announcement perfect for sharing on social media.
A fun shirt for your partner or photo opportunity to show the egg soon to hatch is a great way to involve the season in your pregnancy announcement. It’s all about birth and rebirth, after all! The force may be strong with this one...
We honestly wish we could just show tonnes of pictures of pets being used for every type of pregnancy announcement, but hey, they can count as older siblings too. For your favorite pup: “Some bunny is going to be a big sister or brother!”
39. Pumpkin carving
For the autumn season, nothing quite gets everyone in the spirit like pumpkin carving. Carve your entire reveal, place a small pumpkin in a big one, or do anything else to let the world know your baby pumpkin is coming soon to your family’s pumpkin patch.
40. Trick or treat…
If Halloween is right around the corner, here’s another fun poem for the reveal: “Trick or Treat! Our family is growing by 1 heart & 2 feet!”
41. X-Ray costumes
It’s hard to imagine Halloween without costumes. To help announce the pregnancy, these shirts are just one example of how creative you can get. You could play the doctor and your partner the pregnant woman or vice versa!
The man. The myth. The legend. Any opportunity for dads to get a new shirt to take part in the announcement and get excited about what comes next is an opportunity worth taking!
Twin pregnancy announcement ideas
We’ve covered a lot of announcements so far, but what if you’re expecting more than one baby? While just about all of those will work for a twin’s announcement, having something catered specifically to your own journey is far more exciting.
With that, here are some of our favourite twin pregnancy announcement ideas!
This joke is too good to add any commentary. If you’re having twins, please do this – for us.
Some dads ask who gets which onesie. The trick is to trade back and forth. But before that, onesies like this accompanied by an ultrasound can be a wonderful way to announce!
You might not get the same deal on the onesies, but hey, you got it on the babies! That’s exciting and a perfect way to show the world the pair you’re expecting soon!
46. Dad 3 Loading.
If triplets are on their way, we’re here for you. It’s going to be a challenge, but as preparation, here is a dad to the power of 3 shirts to get dad ready.
47. O.M.G.
With how rare triplets are in the scheme of birth across the world, this message is entirely justified. It’s also a great way to show off your soon-to-be much larger family!
If you're a household that loves your condiments, what better way to get them excited about all their new surroundings with a new nickname too perhaps?
49. 1 + 1 = 4?
The math is pretty confusing when you see it like this, but the more the merrier! A wonderful idea for a budget announcement of triplets (or more)!
Bring the whole squad of siblings into the mix for this amazing announcement featuring “The Original, The Remix, The Encore, and Mic Drop.” That’s right, no imitators here!
And finally, for the movie lovers and the larger families, here are some other great designs to get the older siblings involved. “The Original, The Sequel, The Plot Twist, and The Finale.” Enjoy the greatest movie series of your life. An instant classic!
FAQs
Is 11 weeks too early to announce pregnancy?
Most people tend to wait until after the first ultrasound scan, which typically takes place at around 12 week. This is because the scan is used to confirm the pregnancy, and the risk of miscarriage greatly reduces after this point.
Is eight weeks too early to announce pregnancy?
When it comes to announcing pregnancy to the world, eight weeks might be a little too early. It’s extremely common to announce to close friends and family at this time, but not necessarily the world at large.
How should you announce your pregnancy to family?
This is totally up to you and your partner, and your personalities. Some people prefer to make their big announcement to important family and friends all at once - people might get suspicious if you suddenly decide to throw a big party and you lose out on that surprise pregnancy announcement. But it means you don't have to stress about who knows and who doesn't.
Will people get upset if they see our pregnancy announcement online?
Some people may get upset if you don't make your pregnancy announcement to them in person, instead seeing the exciting news on social media.
You can reduce the risk of this happening (let's face it, no one wants to deal with stroppy friends and family after making such an exciting announcement) by making a lit of everyone you want to tell privately first. This is usually reserved for immediate family, grandparents (your grandparents, not the grandparents-to-be), and your closest friends. Also make a list of who you want to (or can) tell in person and those who perhaps live too far away.
Should we include our first baby in our second pregnancy announcement?
If you're announcing your pregnancy with your second baby, including your first child can make for a really cute pregnancy announcement idea. However, depending on their age, learning they're going to have a sibling can cause upset and confusion for some children. If they're not yet thrilled about the idea of being a big brother or big sister, don't force them.
