Creative Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy

Telling the dad-to-be, the new grandparents, and the siblings about the new baby will be one of the most memorable moments of your pregnancy, especially if this is your first baby. Here are some fun and creative ways to announce your pregnancy! If you have a video camera, try setting it up to catch everyone's reactions!

Breaking the Pregnancy News

The most common way to announce your pregnancy to the dad to be is to show him the pregnancy test or wrap it up as a gift. Another thing you can do is take a picture of it. Then, make a slideshow. First put pictures of when you two first met. Continue on until you reach the last slide, which will be the picture of the pregnancy test! You can also buy him a parenting book or a book for fathers-to-be. If it's around Father's Day, tell him it's an early/late Father's Day present!

If you've had an ultrasound done, you can do a lot of things with the picture. You can frame it, wrap it up and give it as a gift to the person you're surprising. You can Photoshop it to say "Hi Grandma!" or "Can't wait to meet you!" for example.

If you already have a child or children, have the youngest wear a shirt that says "I'm the big Brother/Sister!" When you go to the grandparent's house, don't say anything, just wait for them to notice! Another way to announce your pregnancy to the grandparents-to-be is to get them a baby outfit or bib that says "Grandma/Grandpa loves me."

Try to make telling the sibling or siblings an extra fun occasion, to get a head start on dispelling any jealousy issues that may come up. Depending on their age level, explain to them that Mommy is pregnant, and there is a baby in her womb (or uterus, but don't say tummy!).

Tell them a uterus is a special home for the baby where it will grow (and mommy's belly will grow) till the baby is ready to come out. Explain to them how fun it will be to have a new playmate and tell them their new baby brother or sister will look up to them, and that they can help you take care of it. Then, take your child or children out and let them pick out an outfit or a toy for the new baby! Help them get excited about the new arrival and involve them in decisions so they feel included.

Telling the Gender

If you're finding out your baby's gender through an ultrasound, it's another chance to surprise everyone! Here are some ideas:

• Surprise yourself! During your ultrasound, ask the technician if he or she can write down the gender on a piece of paper. Then go to your favorite restaurant, beach, or just a special spot you have and open the paper together! Another idea is to go to a bakery and hand them the paper. Ask them to bake you a cake or cookies and frost them with blue frosting for a boy, pink for a girl.
• Buy an outfit for the new baby and pull it out for everyone to see. Watch their expressions as they realize it's a girl! Or it's a boy!
• A funny way to let everyone know the gender: Get a cake that is frosted in the color of the opposite gender of what you're having. Then write on the cake "It's NOT a boy/girl!" People will notice the color first and assume it's the opposite gender!