birth announements

Who to send to:
The purpose of a birth announcement is to inform your friends and family of the birth of your child. You should send them to everyone you think might want to share in your exciting and special news.

When to send:
You should send out birth announcements as close to the birth as possible. Obviously, this would require that you work on getting the announcements ready to order during the last weeks of the pregnancy. Activities that can be done prior to the arrival of your new baby include addressing the envelopes, buying stamps and picking out the design and verse. (You can select the verse wording before the birth and simply fill in a few blanks, like the weight and date, after the birth.) Six months is probably the longest you can wait before sending out birth announcements. Please read our section on timeline for common practices.

What to include: There are many different styles and themes to choose from when writing the verse for your birth announcement. Please browse through our sample verses to get an idea. Typically, a birth announcement verse would include the following:
• Catchy Introduction: A short passage from a poem or a popular phrase.
The birth of a child reaffirms the miracle of life.
 We joyfully announce the arrival of ...
•Child's Name: First and middle names only or the full name of your child. Nicknames should be provided in quote marks underneath the name or written like this:
We joyfully announce the arrival of Edward Michael Riley. Ed arrived on June ...
• Birth Details: For birth announcements you might want to include baby's weight, length, birth date, time, and city of birth. For adoption announcements you might want to include date and place of birth and date of adoption. And, if you want to have more, you can put down the name of the hospital in which the baby was born and the address of the parents, and that's enough.
• Closing: The names of the parents, even if they are not married. You can add an adjective in front of the parents' names to describe your feeling.
Delighted new parents Ed and Polly Kogler

Common Questions:
Do I need to hand-write a personalized message on each announcement?
No. Your friends and family will understand that the new mom and dad are either too busy or too tired or both. If you have time, you or a grandparent are certainly welcome to add a small message for a close relative like an aunt or uncle. For other friends, you typically aren't expected to include a hand-written message.
Should I include a photograph of my baby with the birth announcement?
No. New babies are beautiful, just not when it comes to photos. Newborns all look similar and they are typically not very pretty at that age. You should wait until the baby can smile to send a photo. You might want to wait a couple of months.
Should I get stationery, thank you notes or calling cards for my baby?
Personalized stationery for your newborn can come in handy. Including your baby's calling card when sending presents to other newborns is a cute idea. Obviously, personalized thank you cards with your baby's name printed on them will come in handy for expressing your appreciation for all those gifts your newborn receives!
How do I handle unusual birth weight?
If your newborn is extremely large or premature, it is ok to leave out the birth weight and details. Most of your friends and family are simply curious, but there is no requirement to draw attention to the weight.
How do I word an announcement if I have twins?
A good idea is to put one newborn's name on one side of the announcement and the other twin on the other side, so everyone will know that they are two different people instead of one long name.
If I kept my maiden name, how should I word my child's birth announcement?
The full names of both parents names should be included. There is no need to explicitly indicate that you are married. In today's world, many women keep their own name after marriage, so no one should assume you are not married.
What if we are announcing an adoption?
An adoption announcement is appropriate to let your close friends know about your family's new addition. Jay and Rosa Johnson are happy to announce that a beautiful young woman from China has joined our family, Yong Li Chen, born on February 22, 1999It is acceptable to include your adopted child's birth date, even if it is two or three years prior. You can also include the country or part of the world your adopted child has come from.
What if the grandparents want to send out announcements?
You can include the grandparents' names after the parents' names on the birth announcement. This allows the proud grandparents to send announcements to their own friends as well those who may not recognize the names of the child's parents.

text by Tiny Prints - Birth announcements & Baby shower invitations